A great deal of the coffee which is offered for sale is represented as being blended for the purpose of securing a uniform flavor and aroma.

While it is evident that in many cases the blending claims are not justified by the facts, it is still known that it is possible for experts to mix certain strains of coffee in such a way as to secure a mixture giving practically uniform taste and flavor. This, of course, takes away the individualities, and hence, it must be supposed that it will be confined chiefly to the medium or lower grades of coffee. This, however, is not the case, since dealers frequently use the highest grades of coffee in making these mixtures. Why high-grade coffee, which has a character of its own, should thus be reduced to a common level so that its peculiar flavor and aroma are lost in those of other coffees, it is difficult to determine. A person who would blend the high-grade vintages to make a drink of uniform character, would be deemed almost guilty of sacrilege. The mixing of medium or lower grades of coffee might be justified, but from the point of view of the connoisseur there can be little justification for the mixing of high grades. The suspicion is with some warrant, although it may not always be just, that the blending of the high-grade coffees has for its chief purpose the giving of a good flavor to the low-grade coffee, so that the mixture may sell for a higher price than could be obtained for the coffees entering into it when sold alone. This may be a justifiable practice. In other words, a low-grade coffee which would sell at a low price, may be mixed with enough high-grade flavor to give the coffee an additional flavor, so that the mixture can be sold at a higher profit than both of these constituents would bring if sold separately.

It is evident, of course, without argument, that to claim that the coffee is mixed or blended without it actually is so should not be done, and no misstatement should be made respecting the character of the coffees entering into the blend.

Blending may be practised both on washed and unwashed coffees, and the same principle is followed in both, namely, the mixing of an acid and a bitter coffee with a sweet one, namely, to quote the language of an expert, "Blend an acid and a bitter coffee with a sweet one to tone down the qualities of the others if necessary, so that neither quality will be too pronounced."

Washed Bogota and washed Bourbon Santos may be taken as the base for blends, but each must be first tested for its particular quality.

It is the work of an expert to test all these coffees to determine their qualities, then to mix small quantities in varying proportions, drawing the coffee and determining its flavor. He finally secures, by mixing, the flavor which he wishes to establish for his grade or brand, and in subsequent processes he varies the quantities of the different constituents of the blend as those constituents themselves vary in quality, so as to maintain as nearly as possible uniform character throughout.

It is only when an expert of high character blends a coffee that any really good results can be expected.