Treehouse Blend Review: The Ultimate Milk Coffee King | Australian Espresso Style at Home

 During my recent café-hopping trip to Australia, one of my stops was One in a Million in Brisbane. The beans they use come from their own independent roasting brand, Blue Sky Coffee Roasters. Before I even left for Australia, I was browsing their website and instantly fell in love with the illustration on the bag of this Treehouse Blend. As many of you know, I have an entire wall at home covered with coffee bean bags. In that moment, I had only one thought: I have to hang this one on my wall. (Proof that packaging really matters, right? 😂)

When I visited the café, I ordered an espresso made with the Treehouse Blend and was immediately drawn in by its flavor performance. I didn’t hesitate—I bought a bag on the spot. And that’s how today’s review came to life.

Although Blue Sky operates independently from the café brand itself, in many ways it’s the “behind-the-scenes hero.” Beyond committing to direct trade at origin, they place strong emphasis on whether their roast profiles deliver consistent, high-quality flavors for home users. In other words, their mission is to bring the café experience into people’s homes—so everyday coffee lovers can recreate café-level results using simple home equipment.

A Roaster’s Philosophy

I genuinely admire this user-centered approach to roasting. Seeking the optimal solution from the customer’s perspective is, to me, a mark of true professionalism.

Blue Sky’s lineup only features coffees scoring above 89 points in cupping. The Treehouse Blend has been the backbone of the espresso program at One in a Million in Brisbane for over two years. It’s a blend of natural-processed Brazil and washed Rwanda. The roast level sits beautifully between modern light roasting and traditional Italian-style roasting—essentially a well-balanced medium roast. It preserves depth and richness while still offering elegant layers of complexity.

Every espresso-based drink made with this blend carries what I’d call a classic “Australian style.” The composition evolves with each harvest season. The foundational structure typically centers on Brazil and Colombia, with natural Brazil always forming the essential “base note.” The secondary component rotates among washed Central American coffees. For the batch I had—both in the café and at home—it was washed Rwanda. Previous seasons have included Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Mexico.

These regions are known for their mild, balanced profiles. When paired with natural Brazil, the result is a complementary and richly layered cup. The goal is simple: maintain a relatively consistent flavor profile across different seasons.

Espresso Experience

The dry aroma of the freshly ground coffee carries a candied sweetness, layered with hints of nuts and chocolate. But once extracted as espresso, the wet aroma and flavor shift noticeably.

In my extractions, I found the crema slightly thinner than some traditional base blends. The acidity on the palate is remarkably bright—so bright it might even catch you off guard for a second. But it’s not one-dimensional. It’s more like a layer of citrus (or yellow fruit) acidity woven into dark chocolate and nutty tones. The bitterness lingers pleasantly, delivering a classic chocolate-like finish with a gentle returning sweetness.

Espresso, however, is just the appetizer.

The True Highlight: Milk-Based Drinks

This is where the Treehouse Blend truly shines. Honestly, I’d call it a milk coffee champion.

I specifically tested it in both a latte and a flat white to explore how varying milk ratios affect the flavor profile.

In a latte, this blend is simply outstanding—the kind of delicious that makes your eyes widen instantly. You’ll taste milk chocolate, cream cake, vanilla, and a beautifully clean caramel note. These flavors are vivid and expressive, and they perfectly match what I experienced in the café.

With a flat white (less milk), the classic chocolate and caramel notes become even more pronounced and concentrated. The cup is clean, rich, and incredibly satisfying. No matter how you tweak it, it just works. It’s one of those dependable blends that tastes great under almost any adjustment.

Black Coffee Variations

I also tested it as a hot Americano and an orange Americano (espresso mixed with orange juice).

In a standard hot Americano, the bright acidity present in the straight espresso essentially disappears. Nuts and chocolate take center stage, resulting in a very balanced, low-acid, low-bitterness profile. It’s slightly more straightforward and less dynamic, but that’s also its strength—it’s broadly appealing. Those who dislike acidity will love it, while acidity lovers won’t find it bitter either. It’s a crowd-pleaser.

As for the orange Americano—one of my favorite quick home creations—I was curious whether the flavors would complement fruit juice. The answer is yes. The orange juice and espresso combination works beautifully. The caramel notes become even more pronounced, and the overall drink feels harmonious and refreshing. It’s incredibly approachable and enjoyable—honestly, a perfect everyday home staple.

In short, the Treehouse Blend isn’t just about beautiful packaging (though that illustration still has a place on my wall). It’s a thoughtfully constructed, seasonally adaptive espresso blend that performs consistently across milk drinks and beyond.

But if you ask me where it truly belongs?

In a silky, chocolatey cup of milk coffee—right where it reigns supreme.

Double Maker Coffee Brisbane Review | Local Australian Roasters & the Famous Peanut Butter Iced Latte

 Today, I’m continuing our coffee crawl around Brisbane ☕️

And I have to say—I love Brisbane’s weather. It’s a sunny city where it doesn’t rain much, yet it has an incredibly long coastline that works like a natural humidity balancer. The result? A climate that’s gentle, mild, and never sticky. Honestly, it feels like a livability paradise.

The café I’m sharing today is located very close to the Brisbane Botanic Gardens. It’s the perfect plan: start with brunch and a great coffee here, then take a relaxed walk through the gardens afterward. Tell me this isn’t a well-thought-out itinerary 😄
The place is Double Maker Coffee, located at 126 Margaret St, Brisbane City QLD 4000. It’s a well-known local neighborhood café-restaurant, and during peak dining hours, there’s often a short line—clearly a popular spot.

Brunch + Coffee, the Australian Way

I came here for brunch and coffee, which is pretty much how most cafés in Australia operate—they’re usually café-restaurants rather than just coffee shops. I actually love solving meals in cafés: calm, relaxed, and quietly satisfying.

Double Maker features a semi-open, courtyard-style layout. You can see the whole space from outside: the coffee bar sits at the very back, with dine-in seating arranged toward the front. The spatial flow is thoughtfully designed—once you’re seated, foot traffic doesn’t really disturb you at all.

Ordering, of course, came with some friendly conversation. I was pleasantly surprised to see a combo tasting option on the menu—something that’s clearly becoming a global trend. The combo pairs the same coffee bean as both an espresso and a flat white, allowing you to experience how the flavor evolves between black coffee and milk coffee. Honestly, this is one of the best ways to truly understand a bean.

A Coffee-Scented Journey

Naturally, I ordered the espresso + flat white combo, my absolute favorite.
The espresso was incredible—I finished it in two sips. Right away, I got notes of plum and cherry, with a soft acidity. Thanks to its high sweetness, the cup felt beautifully balanced and clean. So good.

The flat white was just as impressive. Once milk entered the picture, the flavors shifted into creamy, milk-chocolate territory. Super approachable, incredibly smooth. I found myself genuinely loving these beans—perfectly aligned with my taste preferences.

A Pleasant Surprise Behind the Beans

Before chatting with the barista, I assumed this was an African natural-processed blend. Curious (and excited), I went up to the bar to ask—and learned something even better.

Double Maker not only roasts their own house blends, but also collaborates with other small roasters. From time to time, they feature guest single-origin espressos (SOE) from Australian roasters. This kind of collaboration creates a shared platform where different roasters can showcase their interpretations of coffee flavor—fantastic for curious drinkers.

Turns out, the combo I ordered was a natural-processed Red Catuai from Honduras. I’ll admit—it made me rethink my long-held bias toward Honduran coffee. This wasn’t anaerobic, wasn’t aggressive, yet it was incredibly clean, bright, fruity, and gently acidic. The espresso genuinely made me happy.

The coffee comes from Finca Las Flores, located in La Paz, Honduras, at elevations above 1,300 meters. The farm is owned by Roger Antonio Domínguez Márquez, who manages several small plots in the Marcala region. These are truly small-scale farms, and being able to taste coffees like this feels rare. From what I gathered, most of these beans are exported to Australia—so encountering them here feels especially lucky.

The roaster behind this coffee is Feind Coffee, also based in Brisbane. On Double Maker’s bean display shelf, you’ll find coffees from many different Australian roasters—it’s a wonderful dialogue and a brilliant showcase for local coffee culture.

The Famous Peanut Butter Iced Latte

When ordering, I couldn’t help noticing a separate insert at the very top of the menu highlighting the café’s most popular signature drink—the No.1 bestseller. Naturally, my curiosity was piqued… though I won’t lie, the price made me hesitate for a second 😅
Post-pandemic, it’s definitely noticeable that prices in Australia have gone up—or maybe Brisbane was always on the pricier side. Honestly, it’s more expensive than Melbourne.

But this signature peanut butter iced latte?
The moment you take your first sip, you completely forgive the price.

On top sits a silky peanut-butter mousse, whipped until smooth and finished with crunchy peanut bits. It comes with both a straw and a spoon—and I strongly recommend pulling the spoon out first and eating the mousse on its own. One bite is pure bliss.

The latte underneath uses the café’s default house bean—a true all-rounder. Despite being a specialty drink, the coffee’s original character still shines through. Nothing overpowers anything else. It’s beautifully balanced, followed by an endless caramel-like sweetness that lingers on the palate. A drink you can both eat and drink—what’s not to love?

Final Note: Brunch Time 🍄

Lastly, let’s talk about brunch.
The dish was called “Mushroom Forest”—and yes, I laughed when it arrived 😂

Eating overseas really requires a sharing mindset. Portions are generous, and this one dish is easily enough for two people.

It features seasonal mushrooms and arugula, sautéed and paired with a creamy, roasted Australian macadamia tofu purée, all served on toasted handmade sourdough. The sourdough is wonderfully chewy and elastic, and once it absorbs the sauce, the texture becomes incredibly satisfying.

I love mushrooms, and these were juicy, full of flavor, and deeply comforting—every bite tasted wholesome and nourishing. Absolute happiness on a plate.

If you’re visiting Brisbane and love good coffee, thoughtful roasting, and creative drinks, Double Maker Coffee is absolutely worth your time.