What if specialty coffee could be savoured like a fine fragrance? This is the promise of 1895 Coffee Designers by Lavazza, the Italian group’s exceptional coffee brand. At their invitation, the editorial team of La Revue des Hôtels visited Roland-Garros on Wednesday 3rd June to experience this unique sensory journey, before attending several matches on the Parisian clay courts.
At the heart of this tasting: the Coffee Organ, a device that transposes the language and precision of perfumery to coffee. An approach that has been extended, since 24th May, to two Parisian palaces, the Hôtel de Crillon and the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia.
The Coffee Organ: Coffee Conceived as a Perfume
Designed on the model of fragrance organs used by perfumers, the Coffee Organ is structured around six major aromatic families, from floral to sweet fruits, citrus to chocolate notes, represented by a colour palette that echoes the flavour wheel. The experience begins with an olfactory approach: small bottles, styled with perfumery codes, reveal the aroma families, and each guest is instinctively guided towards the profile that suits them best. At Roland-Garros, the presentation was led by a Lavazza expert and by Henry Genneson, head barman of Bar Les Ambassadeurs at the Hôtel de Crillon.
“Coffeetails” Created by Two Parisian Palaces
Since 24th May, the head barmen of two exceptional establishments have been crafting Coffee Organ-inspired coffee cocktails, dubbed “coffeetails”. At the Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel, Henry Genneson has created two signature drinks at Bar Les Ambassadeurs. L’Éclat de Kafa, centred around Kafa Forest coffee from Ethiopia, combines cold brew, fresh mint syrup, cider brandy, and sparkling water for a vibrant, aniseed signature. L’Amande N°10, non-alcoholic and based on Colombian Flor de Oro coffee, delivers a silky texture and an umami sensation. Before serving, a cold brew spray is misted above the glass to accentuate the coffee notes from the first aroma.
At the Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, Paris, Angelo Forte, bar manager of Bar Joséphine, designs their menu. Le Parfum du Verger, a non-alcoholic long drink, combines Flor de Oro with a chai-infused chardonnay juice, a coffee-vanilla-cardamom syrup, and verjuice, served intentionally without a straw to allow the olfaction to take full precedence. L’Abracocoa, meanwhile, recreates chocolate sensations without cocoa, using rum, cold brew, tonka bean syrup, mango, and amontillado sherry.
A Gourmet Interlude at Roland-Garros
Beyond the tasting, the day continued amidst the electrifying atmosphere of the tournament. Between matches on Court Philippe-Chatrier, the experience was extended with a gourmet lunch, reflecting the meticulous attention that leading establishments now devote to every detail of hospitality. This interlude perfectly summarises the philosophy of 1895 Coffee Designers by Lavazza: to make coffee a true territory of expression, just like wine, perfume, or haute cuisine.
This convergence of specialty coffee and luxury hospitality illustrates a fundamental trend: coffee is now becoming an integral part of the sensory journey in palaces, alongside the finest dining establishments and bespoke bars. A dynamic we closely follow in our selection of French palaces.
Where to Experience This
- Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel · Bar Les Ambassadeurs, creations by Henry Genneson · 10 place de la Concorde, Paris 8e
- Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, Paris · Bar Joséphine, creations by Angelo Forte · 45 boulevard Raspail, Paris 6e
- 1895 Coffee Designers by Lavazza Coffeetails Offer · available from 24th May 2026
Article produced at the invitation of 1895 Coffee Designers by Lavazza.
