ST. ALi Orthodox Espresso Blend: Our March Coffee of the Month

Every month, we spotlight one exceptional coffee — and for March 2026, we couldn’t look past a Melbourne icon. ST. ALi Orthodox Espresso Blend is the coffee that started it all for ST. ALi: the original house blend, honed over years of craft, and still as relevant today as the day it was first roasted. This March, it’s available at a special price of $66/kg (regular $69) — a rare opportunity to stock up on one of the country's most celebrated espresso blends.

At a Glance

The Coffee That Started ST. ALi

ST. ALi is one of Melbourne's most respected specialty roasters, known for sourcing quality beans and roasting them with intention. Orthodox is their original house blend — the blend that defined their identity and set the benchmark against which everything else is measured.

The name says it all. Orthodox: true to form, reliable, the right way of doing things. It isn't chasing trends or trying to be clever — it's simply a well-crafted espresso blend that delivers every time.

What Makes Orthodox Special

Orthodox is built on a foundation of 60% Colombian and 40% Brazilian beans, sourced from varieties including Caturra, Columbia, Castillo, and Red Bourbon. The medium roast preserves the inherent character of both origins, resulting in a cup that is both bold and smooth — a balance that is genuinely difficult to achieve.

The tasting profile speaks for itself: chocolate, fudge, and apple jam. These aren't abstract descriptors — you'll find the richness of dark chocolate in the body, the round sweetness of fudge on the mid-palate, and a subtle, bright lift of apple jam on the finish. It's a sophisticated flavour profile delivered without pretension.

At a strength rating of 3/5, Orthodox sits in the sweet spot — structured enough to hold its own with milk yet balanced enough to shine black. It's the rare blend that genuinely works across all brew methods and experience levels.

How to Brew Orthodox

One of Orthodox’s greatest strengths is its versatility. Whether you're pulling espresso on a home machine, brewing in a stovetop Moka pot, pressing it in a plunger, or pouring it over, Orthodox adapts beautifully. ST. ALi has also provided a suggested espresso recipe as a starting point:

These parameters are a guide. Your machine, grinder, and water will all influence the outcome — use these numbers as your baseline and dial in from there.

Milk-Based or Black — Orthodox Does Both

ST. ALi describes Orthodox as your go-to for milk-based coffees, and it's easy to see why. The bold, smooth richness of the blend cuts through steamed milk with ease, producing lattes and flat whites that are rich and satisfying without being bitter or harsh.

But Orthodox shines just as brightly served black. At 3/5 strength, with its layered tasting notes, a well-pulled Orthodox espresso or long black offers genuine complexity — the kind of cup you find yourself thinking about after you've finished it.

How Orthodox Compares to Similar Blends

If you’re weighing up your options, here’s how Orthodox sits alongside two other excellent medium-roast espresso blends we stock:

Toby's Estate Woolloomooloo — $56/kg

Toby's Estate Woolloomooloo is Toby's Estate's flagship blend: 100% Arabica, medium roast, with a strength of 4/5. It features butterscotch, chocolate, and dried fruits, with a syrupy, full, and intense profile that performs particularly well in milk. If you prefer a slightly heavier body and more intensity, Woolly is worth exploring.

Campos Superior Espresso — $65/kg

Campos Superior is Campos's signature blend from day one: 100% Arabica sourced from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Colombia, medium roast, strength 4/5. It features sweet caramel, butterscotch, and red-fruit notes in a Southern Italian style. It's a bolder, more fruit-forward option compared with Orthodox's smoother, chocolate-led profile.

Orthodox’s distinction is in its accessibility and consistency. At strength 3/5 it’s more approachable for a wider range of drinkers and brew methods, while the chocolate-fudge-apple jam profile offers elegance without aggression.

Business Customers

Special pricing for ST. ALi Orthodox Espresso Blend is available through our B2B Program to all commercial customers. Our business program provides access to premium coffee solutions at competitive prices and with flexible delivery options.

Your March Coffee Awaits

As summer eases into autumn in Melbourne, Orthodox is the kind of coffee that suits the season perfectly — warm, grounding, and deeply satisfying. This March, ST. ALi's original house blend is available for a special price of $66/kg, saving you $3 on a coffee that has genuinely stood the test of time.

Whether you're a long-time ST. ALi fan or discovering Orthodox for the first time, March is the right moment. This pricing is available only in March.

Order ST. ALi Orthodox Now — March Special $66.00

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Published: March 2026

Special Pricing: $66.00 (regular $69.00) — March 2026 only

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ST. ALi Orthodox Espresso Blend?

Orthodox is ST. Ali’s original house blend — a medium-roast espresso blend made from 60% Colombian and 40% Brazilian beans. It delivers chocolate, fudge, and apple jam tasting notes in a bold yet smooth style.

What brewing methods work with Orthodox?

Orthodox is versatile and works well with espresso, stovetop, plunger, and pour-over. ST. ALi recommends a 20g dose, 46g yield, 26-second extraction at 93°C for espresso.

Is Orthodox better in milk or black?

Both. Orthodox is designed to perform in milk-based coffees like lattes and flat whites, but it's equally enjoyable served black as an espresso or long black.

What size is available?

ST. ALi Orthodox Espresso Blend is available in 1kg bags.

What is the March 2026 price?

This March, Orthodox is available at the special price of $66.00 per kg, reduced from the regular price of $69.00. This pricing is available only for March 2026.

Is business pricing available?

Yes. Commercial pricing is available through our B2B Program.