What is M&S magic coffee? The drink dubbed the ‘new flat white’

M&S Magic Coffee has started appearing on shelves of Marks and Spencer branches across the UK – and the name alone has certainly piqued our interest…

“What does magic coffee coffee do?,” I hear you ask. Does it give you super powers or summon a genie to grant you three wishes?

While the answer is (unfortunately) not quite, it certainly sounds like a tasty new addition to the supermarket’s shelves.

Let’s delve into the now viral drink, being dubbed the “new flat white”.

Coffee heads, this one’s for you.

Magic coffee has a cult following in Melbourne already (Credit: M&S)

What is M&S magic coffee?

M&S Magic coffee is the latest addition to Marks & Spencer ‘to-go’ machines and food halls (as of 11th January), selling at £3.15 a cup, but it has existed long before Sparks picked it up. 

Originally hailing from Australia, it gets its name because it possesses a so-called ‘magic’ ratio of coffee flavour to milk.

READ MORE: Why you shouldn’t drink coffee on an empty stomach 

It’s said to be a top choice with trendy baristas over in Melbourne (where there are more coffee shops per person than anywhere on the planet), which is why many experts are tipping it to blow up over here, too.

But what actually is magic coffee, and why all the hype? Apparently it’s all in one ingredient. 

If you’re a coffee boff, upon first glance, you might think a magic coffee is a cortado (which is a strong mini coffee you usually order in a 6oz glass). The difference is that whilst the cortado is made with an espresso base, this is made with a double shot of ristretto.

Herein is where the magic happens… apparently.

Magic coffee could soon be all the rage (Credit: Alamy)

What is ristretto, then?

Still following? Ristretto is basically a less bitter espresso shot that uses half the amount of water and more finely ground beans, and has a shorter extraction time than other alternatives.

READ MORE: THIS is the best time of day to drink coffee

Ristretto is said to give a stronger caffeine hit than normal espressos due to the high concentration of ground beans, but the bitter flavour doesn’t smack you in the face as much as a cortado. Win, win, ey? 

In place of the water, more milk is used to fill up the glass in a magic coffee. 

“Latte drinkers like it because it is a smaller latte, flat white drinkers like it because it is still bold and, in testings, even non-coffee drinkers liked it,” said Tom Rawlinson, the head of coffee development at Marks & Spencer cafés to The Times.

We’re liking the sound of this!

Here’s a breakdown of your different coffee varieties (Credit: M&S)

Where else can I get M&S magic coffee in the UK?

Officially? Nowhere, hence the mild hysteria. 

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If M&S’ predictions come true, then you can expect to see it cropping up in coffee shops around the country, though.

But go on…why not head down to your local branch and try it before it goes mainstream?