Across the world, there are few countries which have such a strong cultural connection and association with espresso as Italy. After water, espresso is reportedly the second most consumed beverage in the country.

In fact, espresso is so integral to its cultural identity that Italy’s Ministry of Agricultural, Food, and Forestry Policies has filed several UNESCO applications to preserve espresso’s Italian roots. Interestingly, none have been successful so far for a number of reasons.