Luxury meets coffee in the new rarity that is Starbucks Reserve. Located in the new development of Legacy West, this specialty Starbucks offers small-lot coffees served only at their 32 locations worldwide.

Walking in, customers are greeted with modern architecture and an upscale atmosphere. Unlike the common Starbucks, it is much more spacious with bigger tables and more places to sit both inside and outside.

Although normal menu items are available to order, the main menu above the cash registers displays all the exclusive blends and brews. There are seven unique brewing methods: Clover Brewed, Pour-Over, Cold Brew, Nitro Cold Brew, Coffee Press, Chemex and Siphon.

These brews seem to be carried out by mostly black-aproned baristas or what Starbucks calls “coffee masters.” These specialty baristas have studied the core coffees, like Pike Place and French Roast, as well as Starbucks Reserve rare coffees and brewing methods.

One of the most intriguing brewing methods is the Siphon, which looks a circular-shaped glass connected over a heat source underneath. The glass is filled with water and once bubbling, another longer bottle with a suction-like top is screwed onto the glass.

The hot water in the glass is vacuumed up into the bottle where the coffee grounds are poured into. Then, the barista slowly stirs the coffee into the water, which brews it. After a minute or so, the completely brewed coffee drips back into the circular glass and can be poured into a serving coffee pot or cup.

Another interesting item on the menu is the Cold Brew Float. Cold-brewed coffee is made with cold or room temperature water instead of hot water. It takes at least 12 hours to brew and then can be served over ice, but in this case the coffee is paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream which complements the bitterness of the coffee very well.  

All of the cold-brewed coffees can also be infused with nitrogen by what they call a Nitro Cold Brew. The purpose of the nitrogen is to bring out the coffee’s natural sweetness.

From Siphon to Nitro Cold Brew, Starbucks Reserve serves as a way to enjoy premium and uniquely brewed coffees for under $10 and comes with an experience as the “coffee masters” interact with you, explaining exactly how they are preparing your specialty beverages.