Workshop Coffee Cult of Done Review

Workshop Coffee has been one of London’s most serious specialty roasters since opening their first cafe in Clerkenwell in 2011. Cult of Done is their headline espresso blend, and the name tells you something about the philosophy: less overthinking, more doing. Get it in the cup and see what happens.

Workshop’s Approach

Workshop occupies a particular corner of the UK specialty coffee world: rigorous about sourcing and roasting, but without the occasionally alienating earnestness that can accompany high-end coffee culture. Their Roastery in Bethnal Green produces small batches with careful quality control, and the Cult of Done blend has been a staple of their lineup for years.

The blend draws from Central and South American origins, with occasional East African components depending on the season. It’s roasted to medium-dark, which strikes a useful balance between espresso sweetness and origin character.

Aroma

The bag opens with a deep, fruity-chocolatey aroma: cocoa powder, dried dark fruit, a hint of brown sugar. Freshly ground, it gives up a more pronounced cherry note alongside the cocoa. It’s an appealing, complex nose that sets expectations correctly.

In the Cup

Cult of Done as espresso is a confident, structured shot. The dark fruit notes are prominent in a way that distinguishes this from straightforwardly chocolatey blends. There’s dried cherry acidity that keeps things lively without being jarring, then cocoa and brown sugar carrying through the body. The finish is long and bittersweet in a very satisfying way.

The texture is excellent: thick, viscous, with a crema that holds well. This is a cup with character, one that rewards drinking slowly.

With milk it’s also impressive. The fruity notes take on a jammy quality in a flat white, while the cocoa becomes a more prominent milk chocolate. It’s the kind of espresso that makes a genuinely excellent flat white rather than just a functional one.

Extraction

Workshop’s own brewing guidance for Cult of Done suggests 18g in to 36-38g out over 26-30 seconds at 93°C. This is solid advice. The blend has enough complexity that it rewards hitting these parameters accurately, but the medium-dark roast provides a buffer against catastrophic results if you’re slightly off.

Value

At £10.50 for 250g, Cult of Done costs £4.20 per 100g. That’s at the upper end of everyday specialty pricing, though comparable with other premium London roasters. For the quality, it’s fair.

Who It’s Best For

• Espresso enthusiasts who want something more complex than a standard chocolatey blend
• Flat white drinkers who appreciate fruity, jammy notes in their milk drinks
• Anyone interested in what a well-made medium-dark espresso blend can actually achieve
• London coffee culture fans who want the real thing at home

Verdict

Workshop Coffee Cult of Done is a genuinely excellent espresso blend that offers more complexity than its medium-dark category might suggest. The dark fruit and cocoa combination is well-executed, and it performs brilliantly in milk drinks. A serious coffee for serious home baristas.

Rating: 4.5/5

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Workshop Coffee deliver across the UK? Yes, Workshop Coffee ships nationally from their online store. They roast to order, so you’ll typically receive beans within a few days of roasting.

Is Cult of Done good for filter coffee? It’s designed for espresso but works in a cafetiere or Moka pot. For filter methods like V60 or Chemex, Workshop’s lighter single-origin offerings are better suited.

How does Cult of Done compare to Square Mile Red Brick? Both are excellent London roasters producing quality espresso blends. Cult of Done is slightly darker with more prominent fruit; Red Brick is lighter with more delicate chocolate and stone fruit notes. Both are worth trying.