I've been keeping a watchful eye on my drink weight lately since reading your initial post because it took me back to the few 'god shots' I've ever had. It took me back because the best shots I've ever had at a cafe were ristrettos - at least 100%. Cafe Grumpy pulled a triple ristretto, at probably 140% and it was the most flavourful shot I've ever had.

My findings - my espresso is much more to my liking and my consistency with pulling shots that sing has increased dramatically. This is probably mostly due to strictly weighing my output to achieve a specific brew ratio. I've always tried to nail my timing. Time is not irrelevant, but weighing is far more consistent. I found that tight and long pulls don't taste nearly as nice (one noted and heavy) as average flow ristrettos (similar flow to 25-30s normale pulls). Meaning, a shot in the ristretto range tends to be less than 25-30s.

I've always loved Black Cat Classic and get it regularly. I finally started pulling it with strict output parameters and my enjoyment for the blend has increased. I did find that at 100% the blend was very nice, but at about 70% (18g/26g) the blend is exceptional.

I love ristrettos!