Should I use a single origin or blend for espresso?

Blends are specifically designed for espresso — component coffees are chosen to complement each other under pressure and with milk, providing balance, sweetness, and body across seasonal variation. Single origins offer distinctive, often more complex flavors but can taste too acidic or unbalanced in milk drinks. Many home baristas use a trusted blend as their daily driver and experiment with single origins as black espresso or pour over. Neither is wrong — it's personal preference.