Well, I sip and savour, thus, the first three cups are invariably delicious. Nectar. Divine. Sublime. Transformational......
The cups are standard Italian espresso cups, (made by d'Ancap, with the legend 'Espresso di Italiano "Storie di viaggi!"' inscribed inside the cup under the rim) but I sometimes (did I write 'sometimes'? Er, maybe close to 'always' would be a bit more accurate) serve a bit more in the cup than might be found in a standard espresso.
However, while sipping and savouring, I also seem to brood, and ponder, and think and speculate, or worse, even start to read, (coffee and a newspaper or book are just so perfect together, but for a short period of time) so sometimes, time goes sort of missing.
Now, as the pot is metal, and has already been heated on the stove, it retains its heat for quite a while. However, the cups are rather solid, as in ceramically solid, well constructed, and not dainty, and so require (in winter) heating with hot water before pouring an espresso into them.
My sense is that by the fourth cup (that has been poured - I do not speak of quantity in cups) the quality is not as good. Nor is the crema. Mind you, I have sometimes been sitting, lost, for several minutes, many minutes, by then.