How spotting a deer led to the Starbucks Diwali blend

A short story behind this festive season's most exotic coffee

Sid was walking through the beautiful coffee plantations in the Coorg, when he suddenly spotted the deer. There it was, at a distance, looking wistfully at him. Beautiful, serene, at the crack of dawn. He could feel the fresh dew around him, and now the lovely deer just took his breath away.

Sid stood still, and in awe. What a wonderful land this was, the fertile land of Indian coffee, watered by the sacred River Cauvery. He ran his eyes over the white coffee blossoms all around him, now gently kissed by the soft morning sunshine. And he recalled the wonderful, unique arabica coffees that these plants produced. Smooth, delicious and lingering coffees that had always excited his senses. He loved them.

As he looked once again at the deer standing amidst all the coffee plants, he was inspired. An idea took birth in his mind. An idea of making a very special blend of coffee that could evoke the sheer beauty and joy of Indian coffee. That would reach consumers during their own special season of joy, the festival of Diwali.

Sid works with Starbucks, so he discussed this idea with his boss and colleagues when he got back to office. There was immediate resonance. 

“Yes, Sid, what could be better than great Indian coffee for a wonderful Indian festival! When the lights come on this Diwali, let’s present a very special blend to everyone who loves coffee, across the country!”

Starbucks coffee experts soon began choosing the special coffees from Coorg and Tamil Nadu for the Diwali blend. Each coffee had to be carefully evaluated for its taste, flavor, aroma and sweetness. There was palpable excitement, the anticipation that something really special was in the air.

And, indeed, there was a magical moment when the blend was finally born. Coffees from three iconic plantations were selected – Jumboor, Suntikoppa and Valparai. Listen to the stories of these farms, for a moment.

Jumboor in the Northern Highlands of Coorg is renowned for its yellow bourbon arabica coffees, which is grown on moderate slopes, watered with pure mountain spring water. Suntikoppa is a quaint coffee farm that is home to many birds and animals, including the Malabar hornbill, the spotted dove and the barking deer (was it a barking deer that Sid saw, that morning at dawn ?). And Valparai lies on a plateau, in the midst of thick forests and rich soil, where coffee was planted as far back as 1846. All three are known for their wonderful coffees, nurtured by nature, one bean at a time.

When these three coffees were combined, and roasted to perfection, the Starbucks team waited, with bated breath. And finally, when it was time to pay tribute to the wonderful blend that emerged, this was done in the best way possible – by tasting the coffee ! 

The tasters were delighted. What an exotic, pleasurable beverage this had turned out to be. Warm notes of cocoa, that melted into a syrupy body decked with hints of spice, and dried stone fruit. A delightfully complex cup that teased the senses, and delivered a balanced mouthfeel that was simply extraordinary.

When Sid tasted the coffee, he sighed with happiness. “This is truly heaven in a cup”, he told himself, “this is surely a coffee that can be enjoyed after a satisfying Diwali meal, or in the evening times, with a nice festive snack. And it is spectacular on its own too.” He sat back, and gazed into the skies, happy to see that the idea had come alive so well.

His happiness did not end there. His colleagues had created a special, limited edition festive tin for the Starbucks Diwali blend. It was a beautiful, celebratory maroon tin, bearing the imprint of the paisley motif, which celebrates the mangoes of India. And embossed on the tin were gold diyas, the lanterns that brighten up our homes during the festival of lights. They formed a lovely rangoli pattern that spoke the language of beauty, and warmth. Truly, here is a Diwali pack worth gifting, to one’s friends, relatives and to oneself !

As Sid gazed at the maroon tin, and sipped his Starbucks Diwali blend, he could see in his mind’s eye that beautiful deer in the coffee plantation, looking at him once again with wistful eyes, at the crack of dawn. In fact, as he relaxed, he could surprisingly hear it speak too. 

It told him, in a soft voice, because that is how deer speak – “I can smell those delicious aromas all the way here in Coorg, Sid. This is not just celebration, this is the magic of Indian coffee at its best. The next time you are here, give me a sip too !”

Then, the deer vanished, and Sid was left all alone, with his mug of coffee. He sipped it once again. It was incredibly smooth, and left that lingering touch of sweetness behind. A warm aroma overtook his senses, and he sat back, to enjoy a coffee that was simply heavenly. The Starbucks Diwali blend. 

A happy epilogue to this story : The Starbucks Diwali blend is now available to coffee connoisseurs, in every Starbucks store in India.

Harish Bhat, author of this short story, simply loves coffee. He is Chairman of Tata Coffee Ltd., and a Director of Tata Starbucks. His novel "An extreme love of coffee", which was published last year, is a delightful coffee-inspired adventure.