Kyle McGhie at Cairngorm Coffee

Meet the Scottish semi-pro rugby player who’s competing to be named the UK’s best barista 

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  • Stirling Wolves scrum-half Kyle McGhie didn’t drink coffee before lockdown, but now he’s the “Finn Russell of the coffee world” according to coffee expert Robi Lambie 
  • Cairngorm Coffee barista will compete against the UK’s best on Friday in London 
  • Edinburgh man threw himself into rugby after professional rugby contract was blocked by Brexit
  • UK Barista Championships just days after Kyle watched his younger sister Francesca make her Scotland debut against England in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations
  • Recent survey by Cairngorm Coffee shows one in five Gen Zers (18%) have upped their at-home coffee game as a result of lockdown, while 33% of Gen Z respondents claim that they’ll ‘never drink instant coffee again.’  

A SEMI-professional rugby player who only began drinking coffee during lockdown is now in the running to be named the UK’s best barista. 

Kyle McGhie from Edinburgh is through to Friday’s UK Barista Championships semi-finals in London after success at the Scottish heats last month.

Despite kicking-off his coffee career less than two years ago, the Stirling Wolves scrum-half is now ranked among the UK’s top ten baristas. 

After seeing a professional contract in Romania cancelled because of Brexit complications in 2021, the Edinburgh man found coffee and moved to London to earn his stripes in the coffee game at Origin Coffee Roasters, before returning to his hometown to ply his trade at Cairngorm Coffee in June last year. 

“I want to be the best barista in the world”, said the 23-year-old who has previously represented Scotland U20s at rugby. 

“I found coffee at the right time in my life. I was feeling low being back in lockdown after seeing a professional rugby contract slip through my fingers for political reasons.  I became obsessed with coffee and threw myself into it; it was the story of the beans and the process that captivated me. I began to explore the flavour profiles and it changed the way I thought about coffee.

“I moved to London to immerse myself in that world, but it’s since being back with Cairngorm that things have gone to another level.“

Results from a study released by Cairngorm Coffee last week found almost one in five Gen Zers (18%) have upped their at-home coffee game as a result of lockdown, while 33% of Gen Z respondents claim that they’ll ‘never drink instant coffee again.’  

Kyle continued: “Before lockdown, I had only ever tried instant coffee. Now I start every day at work by tasting up to 10 different espressos to dial them in to make sure they taste as good as possible for our customers. I only drink black coffee, as that’s what we’re judged on. I can sometimes feel a bit jittery by the time I get to training at night. 

“Working at their Frederick Street store, I have access to the best beans, not just from Cairngorm but from the best roasters around. I feel like Charlie in the Chocolate factory. It has been a learning curve for me to have the freedom to dial in so many amazing coffees from around the world, which is different to anywhere else I’ve worked. We have freedom to bring in amazing coffees and brew them how we want. 

“When I’m not working or playing rugby, I spend my time visiting Edinburgh’s coffee shops – the city has such an amazing collaborative scene and all the baristas learn from each other and support each other. “

It’s been a big week for the family – Kyle’s sister Francesca made her debut for Scotland during the TikTok Women’s Six Nations on Saturday. While Francesca was on the losing side, she’ll be cheering on her brother on Friday. 

Kyle added: “I’m so proud of her,  but we’re very competitive and it’s made me even more hungry. Even as a professional, there is a lot of free time in rugby. I still harbour ambitions to make it as a professional rugby player, but I think I can do that alongside my work to be the best barista I can possibly be. 

“I’ve been playing rugby all my life, but I’ve only been making coffee for two years, and I’m already in the final of the UK championships which is mind-blowing. I want to be recognised as the best barista in the world and this is the next step in that journey.

“Your first year is the year you learn the most, then it’s game on. To reach the finals this year has been way more than I thought I would achieve. Now I’m ready to compete on the world stage. 

“If I finish within the top six on Friday, I get through to the finals on Saturday to compete for a place to represent Britain in the World Coffee Championships, the most prestigious barista championships in the world. If I don’t, I’ll drive back up to Scotland to play the Southern Knights in a pre-season game.”

Kyle’s fate will be decided during 15 minutes on Friday morning, during which he’ll present judges with espressos, milk-based drinks and his signature drink –  an espresso based mocktail inspired by a negroni, which comprises espresso, grapefruit zest and juniper berry syrups,  and is charged with nitrogen to create a velvety bubbly texture. “It tastes just like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange”, said Kyle.  

Cairngorm Coffee, which has three stores in Edinburgh – on Frederick Street, Melville Place and at Bonnie & Wild – has sponsored Kyle’s journey to the finals. 

Founder Robi said: “The financial burden can be a big barrier for entry to these competitions, and we’re all about making coffee as accessible as possible, so we’ve been pleased to be able to support Kyle throughout his journey – we think he’s set for big things! 

“At Cairngorm, our mission is to make coffee as interesting as possible for as many people as possible. Kyle shares that passion.  

“Specialty coffee’s quite confusing with a lot of scientific names and species, but Kyle’s proven that it’s accessible. His biggest skill is being able to make people truly understand what they’re drinking within the two minutes it takes to make it for one of our customers. His passion is infectious. We’re very proud of what he’s achieved, and I think Scotland should be proud too. He has exceptional flair – he can be the Finn Russell of the coffee world. “

To find out more about Cairngorm Coffee, visit https://cairngorm.coffee

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