Episode 22 of the World’s Best Kopi search takes Geowin to Blue Bottle Coffee, and this time the episode begins on a much more positive note.

She likes the concept.

In fact, one of the first things she says is that Blue Bottle Coffee is “quite cute.”

The branding is clean, the cafe feels polished, and the blue bottle icon is instantly recognisable. The Drink Journal can understand the appeal.

Then Geowin notices something troubling.

The cup is not blue.

For a company called Blue Bottle Coffee, this creates an immediate philosophical crisis.

“Why is the bottle not blue for Blue Bottle Coffee?”

A fair question, although perhaps one we should not spend too much time investigating.

There is coffee to drink.

An Iced Latte for S$8.50

Geowin orders an iced latte for S$8.50, making this one of the pricier drinks in the World’s Best Kopi series so far.

The preparation looks careful and professional, and Blue Bottle’s minimalist style carries through from the counter to the cup.

Then Geowin encounters her next problem.

She cannot mix the coffee.

And according to Geowin:

“I can’t mix it.”

Which apparently means:

“If I can’t mix it, I can’t drink it.”

At The Drink Journal, we were left scratching our heads.

Somebody give this woman a straw.

Or a spoon.

Or perhaps simply tell her to drink the coffee.

We are confident a solution exists.

Once She Actually Drinks It, Things Improve

Eventually, Geowin gets past the mixing crisis and tastes the coffee.

And this is where the episode changes direction.

She describes the iced latte as quite flavourful and then goes further:

“Honestly, it is really nice.”

That is a far stronger reaction than we have seen from several recent episodes.

There is no complaint about excessive ice.

No accusation that the drink tastes like water.

No repeated sipping followed by “why is it so bland?”

Blue Bottle actually delivers coffee flavour.

That alone puts it ahead of several competitors from the previous episodes.

Geowin does remain disappointed about one thing, though.

The cup is still not blue.

Apparently this issue is not going away.

A Strong First-Round Score

Geowin gives the original iced latte 6 out of 10.

That score may sound relatively modest considering how positively she describes it, but compared with several recent coffees, it represents a solid starting point.

The drink has flavour.

It is enjoyable.

And Geowin clearly likes it.

The main obstacle appears to be that the coffee does not quite do enough to move into the top tier on its own.

For more stories following Singapore’s cafe and drinks scene beyond the rankings, explore The Drink Journal and its wider editorial coverage.

The White Bottle Returns

With the first round complete, Geowin brings out the familiar addition.

Kopi-O.

This part of the experiment has become increasingly interesting because the bottle behaves very differently depending on the coffee underneath it.

Sometimes it rescues a weak drink.

Sometimes it adds only sweetness.

And sometimes, as Blue Bottle demonstrates, it improves something that was already reasonably good.

The Drink Journal has explored what sets Kopi-O apart from other coffee liqueurs, particularly its ability to add stronger coffee character without completely changing the drink around it.

Better After Kopi-O

After adding a little Kopi-O, Geowin likes the coffee even more.

The improvement is enough to move the score from 6 to 7 out of 10.

Unlike several previous episodes, the addition is not trying to rescue something bland or heavily diluted.

Blue Bottle already starts with a flavourful iced latte.

The Kopi-O simply pushes it further.

That extra depth appears to make the drink more enjoyable without overpowering the original coffee.

It is exactly the kind of result that makes the recurring experiment useful.

Readers interested in how this Singapore coffee liqueur fits into the wider drinks scene can also read why Kopi-O is emerging as Singapore’s defining coffee liqueur.

Blue Bottle Coffee Reaches the A-Tier

With a final score of 7 out of 10, Blue Bottle Coffee earns its place in the A-tier of the World’s Best Kopi Tier List.

Barely.

But comfortably enough.

The result feels fair.

The original iced latte is already flavourful and enjoyable, and the Kopi-O addition improves it further. More importantly, Blue Bottle avoids the repeated problem that has affected several recent competitors: disappearing underneath too much milk, too much ice or too little coffee.

Geowin actually tastes the coffee.

That should not be remarkable.

Yet lately, it almost is.

A Good Coffee, a Questionable Cup Colour

Episode 22 ends on a positive note.

Blue Bottle Coffee earns 7/10 and an A-tier placement.

Geowin likes the concept.

She likes the coffee.

She likes it even more after adding Kopi-O.

The only unresolved issue is the branding.

Why is the cup not blue?

We do not know.

For more on the bottle that helped push Blue Bottle into the A-tier, read The Drink Journal’s editorial look at Kopi-O, or explore how the flavour changes direction entirely in Kopi-O and Frangelico.

Twenty-two coffees down.

Seventy-eight to go.

And Geowin still needs a straw.