Coffee - It's not only about the name

It is interesting how using the same beans, you can get a different tasting coffee.
Recently, I was at Espressamente, a chic al fresco cafe at the Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur. Let me just say that this is one of the most well made coffee I've ever tasted.
Illy coffee is a blend of Arabica beans from nine different regions, with Brazil-grown beans forming the base of its distinct taste. This taste, Illy promises, is consistent regardless where you buy it, and when you buy it.
When you visit their website, you will find an impressive arsenal of coffee information, from nurturing the coffee plant to getting the right blend and finally the taste, it is clearly and simply explained. I was most impressed with their dedication to the science of coffee making.
When the waiter place the coffee in front of you (and mind you, I was having a latte with NO added sugar), you get a whiff of the wonderful fragrance of coffee, dairy, hint of caramel and dare I even say, cocoa. The crema was wonderfully thick, slightly brownish in colour.
As I put it to my lips, the smell simply flooded the cup and as strange as this sounds, I could FEEL the taste of it.
Suffice to say the barrister had mastered the science of creating this cuppa. It was a luxuriating taste, it was like velvet and with none of that acidic, dry, aftertaste of other poorly roasted beans.
Imagine my excitement when I saw the Illy brand at the Meritus Mandarin just two days ago? Imagine my utter, jaw-dropping disappointment when I put it in my mouth (after praising and shouting about it).
It was thin, almost bland, I couldn't smell anything beyond the coffee - there wasn't a deeper aroma and the crema looked strangely frothy. I was flabbergasted. I was sure I asked earlier if it was Illy coffee beans they used. The enthusiastic waitress gave an emphatic 'Umm!'
I wanted to spit it out and demand an explanation on the injustice they have done to the coffee. I was aghast at the quality of the coffee, and no less, from a hotel. I'm wondering what the brand would say to it if they had tasted the work of this hotel.
I guess, it is a point to note that even if you have the best product in the world, it will be a flop if you don't have the means (in this case, people) to showcase it properly.
I've also learned through this - don't assume on quality. Some companies do amazing branding jobs, creating this 'halo' effect surrounding the products. But, unless you actually try it, never assume that quality will be the same.