We all know that espresso cups have no taste- at least not real ones. On the other hand, can a quality espresso cup improve the taste of the espresso? Probably not, but the entire experience that is espresso is synergistic in nature. One example is the many stories about folks coming home from some holiday and raving about the coffee they had in cafe X when in the capital of Y.

I recently received a gift of four mou design Francis! Francis! cups as seen here:
http://www.1stincoffee.com/mou-espressocups.htm
(F!F! is a subsidiary of Illy? Who knew!?)

The day after they arrived I pulled a single into each of a pair of the cups (splitting a double- those two spouts do come in handy). I stretched a bit of milk and topped off the remaining space and then topped it off with just a bit of stiff, dense foam. We both enjoyed these petite beverages quite a bit.

We repeated the experience a few days later and the results were the same. My wife was doing bills with her headphones on, listening to Bruce's "We Shall overcome- The Seeger Sessions," and she got a great big smile when I delivered the beverage to her desk. The cups certainly add to the gestalt of the experience- their weight and shape are pleasing, and they securely fit into their matching saucers. I would guess that properly shaped cups which minimize exposed surface area to also help hold heat, and the right shape might help aim the espresso's delicious aroma toward the nose.

The best explanation is that the reasons don't matter. The espresso was delicious.

Hey Randy,

I have to agree. Maybe I don't have quite the example (or the cool F!F! cups) that you have, but I certainly gravitate towards particular cups for my morning shots (and others). I like the Danesi cups I picked up on ebay and my classic Intelly cup.

It's all part of the experience.