Unicum Barista’s Coffee Component Makes Standalone Debut
Sándor Zwack (left) and coffee expert Sándor Tóth.
Photo by Márk Somay.
Zwack Unicum and Bányai are introducing a coffee specialty: the Unicum Barista Component, made from the same beans used in the Unicum Barista recipe.
The arabica coffee from the Bányai Coffee Research farm in Costa Rica is available in bean and capsule versions exclusively in Unicum’s sample shop and webshop until Oct. 31, after which it will be available to a broader audience.
Launched three years ago, Unicum Barista is a liquor aged in oak barrels with arabica coffee extracts and more than 40 different herbs. CEO Sándor Zwack says it has proved a successful product, even though it was launched during the COVID pandemic when most hospitality establishments were shut down.
“I met lots of people saying that regular Unicum is too bitter for them, but that they love having a Barista,” the chairman of the board of directors of Zwack Unicum notes, adding that it opened up a different market for the company.
“It does not cannibalize other sales. Unicum is traditionally male-centric, but the age group of Barista drinkers is younger, and there are more females among them,” he explains.
Component coffee results from acareful roasting process, with dark chocolate flavor notes and dried fruit finishing notes.
“Picking the right coffee was a difficult task, as Unicum has a marked, strong character,” coffee expert Sándor Tóth says.
“Component is built on three strong pillars: the coffee variety, the processing and the roasting method. Finding harmony with the herbs was essential in the research. In our experience, its character, fine-tuned for Unicum Barista, makes it do well even as an ingredient in cocktails,” he argues.
A Hungarian Coffee Farm in Costa Rica
The Bányai Coffee Research (BA.CO.RE) farm in Costa Rica’s Lourdes Valley, 1,450 meters above sea level, is where Caturra and Catuai arabica coffee bushes soak up the sun on a section named after the Unicum Barista.
The coffee is processed in the country using the traditional and labor-intensive “Honey” method, which leaves a wet film rich in sugar and minerals on the beans after harvesting and rotates them several times a day until they are completely dry.
“The secrets of the Unicum recipe have been in our family for six generations; carefully selected herbs and spices from five continents are measured with expertise and dedication. That is why the relationship between Zwack Unicum and Bányai is so special. The late László Bányai provided us with the same expertise and quality and introduced us to the world of coffee,” says Zwack.
“During the three years of developing Unicum Barista, we tested nearly 30 coffee blends with the help of coffee specialist Sándor Tóth until we finally found the coffee that worthily complemented the Unicum flavor notes. We are equally pleased to introduce Component to those looking for a quality coffee experience.”
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of October 20, 2023.
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