All the immersion in Cambridge inspired me to run a fresh comparison between that ol’university town and my own, in Old Aberdeen. Unbelievably, the summer aura from down south graced Scotland as well and we were basking in Spanish temperatures (more like springtime Spain, to be fair), so a leisurely trek up the northern parts of the city was a pleasure – and I already knew where I would end up after wandering about the King’s College and even making a detour around the botanic gardens. 

I had noted the Wallace Tower with its secret cafe on a previous visit to the area, when it was dull and grey; it was packed then, so I was prepared for a wait now, but thankfully all patrons emigrated to the extended seating area outdoors and the inside of the – rather spacious – extension to the tower was pretty empty. It was quieting down at that time of the Saturday afternoon but there was no indication of a rushed service. I ordered my mocha at the till in the tower proper before taking a quiet seat just round the corner in the light-filled conservatory. 

As I waited, I read the intriguing story of this building; despite its authentic looks, it was a transplant from the city centre in the 1960s, which had sat derelict for many years until the local community trust got together to give it a new lease of life. It was nice to support the cause with my short visit. 

When the coffee arrived, I was rather impressed with the presentation – a latte art that nice always indicates a professional hand at the helm.

The foam on top was, indeed, nice, but separated from the rest of the rather boiling liquid, therefore lacking a smooth, luxurious texture. It had a good flavour, however, and I suspect the use of bitter but high quality chocolate (although I did get a hint of a powdery aftertaste).

Overall, it was a good drinker that rounded off my excursion nicely!

Find out more about Liberty Kitchen on their website.