The best coffee I had at Host Milano 2025

Host Milano is a massive trade show. People talk about machines, grinders, roasting systems and new ideas that might reshape the industry. You walk through the halls tasting coffee after coffee until everything blends together. Some cups are good. Some are promising. A few are forgettable.

Then there is the rare moment when a cup makes you stop and look up.

Host Milano in 2025

In 2025 the show brought together more than two thousand exhibitors and visitors from over one hundred and sixty countries. The schedule included around eight hundred events across five days. The coffee section moved fast. There were espresso shots, pour overs and samples at every corner. The experience was exciting, but there was very little time to sit still with a cup.

The coffee that made me slow down

On day three I walked into the Simonelli booth. They had a rotating schedule of champion baristas serving coffees throughout the day. Someone passed me a cup from Unusual Coffee. It was a Geisha called Las Brisas from Colombia. I took one sip and felt everything go quiet for a moment. The flavour was bright and gentle at the same time. It tasted clean without feeling thin. I finished the cup and asked for another. That never happens to me at a trade show.

Who brewed it

The barista behind the cup was Andrea Villa. At the time I did not know who he was. He smiled, asked what I thought of the flavour and told me a little about the lot. He was relaxed and warm. There was nothing rehearsed in the way he spoke to people. He brewed, poured, and enjoyed watching people react to the cup in front of them.

Later I found out that Andrea has won the Italian Coffee in Good Spirits Championship three times, and that he placed third in the world in 2024. None of that showed in his tone. He was simply happy to share a coffee he believed in.

What the coffee was

Geisha Las Brisas comes from Finca Las Brisas in the Huila region of Colombia. The producer is Bryan Smith. The lot is a natural processed Geisha roasted for Unusual Coffee. It had a soft sweetness and a quiet fruit note that stayed on the palate. It was easy to drink and surprisingly calm for a show floor cup. Most coffees at events like this are rushed or brewed under pressure. This one tasted like someone took their time.

The company behind the lot

After I asked for the second cup, Andrea introduced me to Unusual Coffee. The brand is based in Switzerland and works with coffee producers and barista champions across the world. Their approach is simple. Each month they release one rare coffee. They choose the lot with the help of a champion or a respected professional. Then they roast it and share it with the people who want to taste something special.

I liked that idea. Instead of a long list of products, they focus on one. It gives the coffee space to be noticed. The concept also makes room for a story. You know who selected it, who roasted it and who grew it. You do not need a long menu when one cup speaks clearly.

It just felt honest

When people ask what stood out at Host Milano this year, I think of that cup. I remember the taste and Andrea smiling when I said I wanted a second pour and him explaining why he chose that lot. Nothing about the moment felt dramatic. It just felt honest. Sometimes that is enough.

Host Milano is full of innovation and competition. Many booths want to impress you. Many brands want to talk about technology or speed. This cup gave me a different experience. It gave me a small moment of calm in a very crowded hall.

Out of all the coffees at the show, this one stayed with me.