Nestlé Opens Coffee Fragrance Experience Store in Harajuku, Tokyo! Can Baristas Wear Perfume?

The aroma of coffee is strong and pleasant, often attracting passersby from afar. One can smell the rich scent of milk and the roasted fragrance of coffee before even seeing the shop. Finding the nearest coffee shop, pushing open the door to fully immerse oneself in the coffee experience, and drinking it all in one go—yet the aroma lingers long after. As a giant in the coffee industry, Nestlé Coffee has taken significant steps to capture customers' love for coffee aromas. According to Yahoo News, the "Nestlé Coffee Aroma Experience Café" in Harajuku, Tokyo, will open on October 13th, with official announcements indicating this experiential store will remain open for 12 days. According to official introductions, this is an event designed to let customers enjoy various specific aroma experiences, with the aim of maximizing the fragrance of new "Nescafé Gold Blend" and other series products.

For this occasion, Nestlé Japan has collaborated with three aroma professionals: perfumer Yuko Kono, sommelier Risaburo Endo, and sake master Yasuyuki Kitahara. They will taste Nestlé's "Nescafé Gold Blend," "Deepen the Rich," and "Gorgeous Fragrance" series products, and will write coffee aroma descriptions based on the coffee characteristics and their own expressive methods.

The Café Experience

So how will this soon-to-open "Nestlé Coffee Aroma Experience Café" operate? First, when customers sit down, staff will provide them with a menu book. While reading the "aroma descriptions" written by experts, customers can choose their favorite scents based on their own feelings. The aroma descriptions on the menu will change daily.

According to photos, there is a "giant coffee cup-style" seat in the center of the café. This coffee seat uses a special device that can emit coffee aroma from overhead. While drinking coffee, customers can fully immerse themselves in the Nestlé coffee experience. Additionally, Nestlé Coffee has introduced three dessert sets based on different product series: sweet potato chiffon cake, cream chocolate cake, and apple pie. Paired with Nestlé Gold Blend coffee, the tax-inclusive price is 1000 yen (approximately 58 RMB). Do you think it's worth it?

Bringing the Experience Home

For those who can't travel to Japan, how can one have an immersive coffee experience? I strongly recommend trying coffee perfume. I believe many sophisticated individuals have the habit of wearing perfume daily, and coffee perfume is simply a blessing for many coffee enthusiasts. Imagine a crisp autumn day with falling leaves. During a leisurely afternoon, smelling the faint coffee aroma can instantly transport you to your favorite café.

In fact, regular café patrons may have noticed that some coffee shops place freshly ground coffee powder in small aroma bottles before pour-over brewing, allowing customers to smell the dry aroma (which often has subtle floral, fruity, or spicy notes). This method of smelling the dry aroma helps customers choose their favorite coffee beans, which is remarkably similar to Nestlé Coffee's "order by aroma" approach.

A Note for Baristas

Here's a reminder for barista friends: even if you love perfume, it's best to avoid using it while working. When judging whether a cup of coffee tastes good, the sense of smell is just as important as taste. Any fragrance will affect the coffee's natural aroma. Using perfume not only skews your own sensory perception but also affects your customers.

Image source: Internet, FrontStreet Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee) official account

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