Coffee Tasting in Colors… An Innovative Experience in Dubai
Dubai – Qahwa World
I received an invitation from my friend Kobi Tolentino to attend an unusual coffee tasting session. In his invitation, he referred to it as a “coffee tasting in colors”—something I had never heard of before. Upon arriving at the venue, Scarab Café in Al Qusais, Dubai, it became clear that I was about to experience something entirely new: a modern approach to coffee designed by this young company to introduce people to coffee and make the selection process easier through the use of colors.
The event began with a welcoming speech by Mr. Walid Ibrahim, the company’s General Manager. He spoke about his technical background and how he entered the world of coffee, recalling his very first business venture, which started within his family when he persuaded them to buy his personal computer. At that time, the price of a computer was equivalent to that of a small car, like a Fiat—an important investment and a big step for them.
He explained: “I felt capable of achieving something, and from that moment I began. I worked for a while as an entrepreneur in the tech field, and coffee was not initially the main activity I envisioned. But about fifteen years ago, my passion for coffee gradually began to grow, until I felt I could do something real in this field, even if I wasn’t sure exactly what it would be.”
He added: “About eighteen months ago, I realized the time had come to take bold steps, and I decided to turn the ‘Escara’ project into a tangible reality rather than just an idea on paper. That’s where the journey began—early attempts to discover what we could offer, and to identify what would set us apart in the market. We didn’t want to be just another roastery or café.”
He continued: “In fact, it all started in my garage with the team, just like any other startup. We experimented and tasted what we could produce. We invested heavily in ourselves, buying coffee and equipment on our own. Even the large roasting machine took between nine and eleven months to be manufactured and delivered. It took time and effort, but we brought everything together and made it happen here.”
He concluded: “What we aim to provide is not just coffee, but an entirely different experience. We focus on transforming the customer’s journey with coffee, and everything we do revolves around that. The customer is at the core of our work, and we care about them 100%.”
Afterwards, our friend Kobi Tolentino guided us through an engaging lecture, followed by a practical exercise: a coffee tasting in colors. We began to connect colors with flavors and discovered how colors could open up a new gateway to sensory evaluation and a deeper understanding of the coffee world. The experience was truly fascinating and demonstrated how innovation can add an entirely new dimension to coffee culture in Dubai and the wider region.
As Kobi Tolentino noted during the lecture: “Colors are not a substitute for established tasting standards, but rather a simple and friendly entry point that helps people express what they taste more easily.”
Project Background
The idea of “coffee in colors” combines traditional sensory evaluation with color associations to create a more accessible and engaging experience for the public. Research conducted by Scarab revealed that the color brown dominates most tasting sessions, linked to fundamental notes like roast, nuts, and cocoa. By contrast, yellow emerged as a marker of bright acidity in coffees from Honduras and Costa Rica, while pink was tied to delicate floral and fruity notes in some Colombian Gesha varieties.
More “exotic” colors, such as blue and purple, also appeared, representing freshness and dark fruit notes. However, they rarely dominated the tasters’ perceptions. Through this framework, Scarab aims to make evaluation more intuitive, inclusive, and precise, while maintaining professional standards in specialty coffee.
Dubai as a Hub for Coffee Innovation
This experience is not an isolated case. Dubai has become a regional hub for specialty coffee, hosting competitions, championships, and a wave of innovations that are reshaping the way coffee is understood and enjoyed. The “coffee in colors” initiative is a distinctive addition, proving that the city is not only a meeting place for coffee lovers but also a true laboratory for innovative ideas that could redefine the future of the industry.
