Blend Reviews

Evaluated as espresso produced in a 40ml/1.35-ounce shot by the Rivo capsule espresso brewer with whole milk heated separately using a conventional steam wand. Plum, dark chocolate, gently scorched wood in aroma and cup. The roasty fruit shows a slightly salty tendency in the cup, but sweetens again in a pleasant finish. Roundly chocolaty in three parts milk, though with a continued dry, woody edge.

Evaluated as espresso produced in a 40ml/1.35-ounce shot by a Singolo capsule espresso brewer with whole milk heated using a conventional steam wand. Shots from the tested samples of this blend were rather uneven in aroma and flavor, suggesting that blending may not have been sufficiently thorough before the coffee was ground and put in capsules. The mouthfeel was full and syrupy in all shots, but in flavor and finish some shots were dominated by a simple woody molasses, whereas others were livelier, with the wood note more aromatic, the molasses approaching carob, and hints of a tart fruit. The best shots were particularly impressive in three parts whole milk, where they displayed a roundly nuanced milk chocolate.

Evaluated as espresso produced in a 40ml/1.35-ounce shot by the Rivo capsule espresso brewer with whole milk heated separately using a conventional steam wand. Soft, simple, chocolaty. Distinct chocolate, hints of orange and cedar in aroma and small cup. Smooth, slightly lean mouthfeel. Flavor fades in the short finish, but a pleasant hint of chocolate revives in the long. Delicate in three parts milk with the chocolate sensation showing some richness and hints of complexity.

Evaluated as espresso produced in the Nespresso-recommended standard 40ml (1.35-ounce) shot by a Nespresso capsule espresso brewer and with whole milk heated using a conventional steam wand. Sweet-toned, with distinct floral and fruit – mango, apricot – notes in aroma and small cup. Very lightly syrupy mouthfeel; the finish is sweet, clean, simple. Fades a bit in three parts milk, though a delicate floral-toned chocolate persists.

Evaluated as espresso produced in a Nespresso-recommended ristretto 25ml (.85-ounce) shot by a Nespresso capsule espresso brewer with whole milk heated using a conventional steam wand. Rich, deep, dark chocolaty. Hints of cedar and perhaps lemon. The mouthfeel is full, perhaps a bit heavy. Clean, simple, rather deep finish. Imparts a sweet, wood-toned chocolate and syrupy mouthfeel to three parts whole milk.

(As brewed in a Keurig Vue single-serve brewing device using a Vue-Pack capsule on the regular – alternative to “strong” – setting to produce a 6-ounce or serving): Caramel, cedar, hints of chocolate and peach in the aroma. Quiet, sweet-toned acidity. A distinct, pleasingly cedar-toned chocolate dominates in the cup and persists in a mildly drying finish.

(As brewed in a Keurig B70 Platinum single-serve brewing device using a "K-Cup" capsule to produce a 6-ounce serving). Crisply sweet. Dark chocolate, black currant, plum in aroma and cup. Balanced, gently tart acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Sweet finishing; the chocolate and plum in particular linger.

Pungently sweet, buttery, complex. Richly layered berry-toned fruit, dark chocolate, vanilla, hazelnut in aroma and cup. Round, balanced acidity; deeply syrupy mouthfeel. Resonantly flavor-saturated finish. Our five cups were very slightly uneven, for which we deducted one point, but the general impact of this coffee was superb.

Evaluated as espresso. Sweet-toned; lively but deep. Chocolate, almond-paste, tangerine and plum notes with vanilla hints in aroma and, more pronounced, in the small cup. Syrupy body; the finish is resonant though gently drying and eucalyptus-toned. The chocolate and citrus further sweeten and soften in three parts milk; the plum note turns delicately floral.

Evaluated as espresso. Big, deep, complex. Dark chocolate, lush night-blooming flowers, walnut, tangerine in aroma and small cup. Full, dense mouthfeel; chocolate and flowers dominate in a sweet, richly drying finish. Chocolate fudge, walnut and flowers in three parts milk.

(As brewed in a Keurig B70 Platinum single-serve brewing device using a Keurig-compatible capsule to produce a 6-ounce serving): Brightly pungent, lively. Dark chocolate, fresh-cut cedar, black currant, cherry, a hint of a bourbon-whisky-like note in aroma and cup. Tart but balanced acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Rich, resonant short finish, slightly fading and dry in the long.

(As brewed in a Keurig B70 Platinum single-serve brewing device using a Keurig-compatible capsule to produce a 6-ounce serving): Sweet-toned, gentle. Raisin, apricot, vanilla, hazelnut, a hint of flowers in aroma and cup. Balanced, sweetly tart acidity; smooth, lively mouthfeel. Hints of flavor survive and a sweet, gently drying finish.

(As brewed in a Keurig B70 Platinum single-serve brewing device using a Keurig-compatible capsule to produce a 6-ounce serving): Buttery dark chocolate, a marzipan-like almond note with an enlivening hint of slightly tart fruit in aroma and cup. Brisk, roast-influenced acidity; very light but silky mouthfeel. Hints of chocolate and walnut survive in a sweet but drying finish.

(As brewed in a Keurig B70 Platinum single-serve brewing device using a Keurig-compatible capsule to produce a 6-ounce serving): Delicate, crisp. Dark chocolate, walnut, a hint of fennel-like herb in aroma and cup. Delicate, subdued acidity; smooth, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Some chocolate and walnut survives in a simple, sweet-toned finish.

(As brewed in a Keurig B70 Platinum single-serve brewing device using a Keurig-compatible capsule to produce a 6-ounce serving): Caramel, sweet cherry, faint milk chocolate and raisin in aroma and cup. Brisk though rather blunt acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. A rather rich finish fades as the cup cools.

Lightly scorched cedar dominates in aroma and cup, complicated by dark chocolate, cardamom-like spice and hints of flowers and lemon. Roast-muted acidity. Leanish though smooth mouthfeel. Chocolate moves forward in a simple but sweet finish.

Richly pungent: scorched cedar, cardamom-like spice, and, particularly in the cup, a pleasant hint of dark chocolate. Lean mouthfeel with some silkiness. The chocolate hint carries into a rather sweet, rich finish.

Evaluated as espresso. Deep, rich, chocolate- and cedar-toned. Gently scorched cedar, plum, chocolate, and a hint of anise in aroma and small cup. Syrupy mouthfeel. Chocolate and cedar carry into a sweet but drying finish. Dominates two parts milk, but the fruit-toned chocolate rounds and softens in four parts.

Bittersweet, deeply pungent. Scorched cedar, dark chocolate, grapefruit, plum and a suggestion of baking spice in aroma and cup. Roast-muted acidity; lean but smooth mouthfeel. Chocolate and grapefruit carry into a rich though drying finish.

Evaluated as espresso. In the aroma tart plum, soft cedar, backgrounded chocolate and floral hints. In the small cup a tart character dominates, turning the flowers toward anise and suppressing the chocolate. Lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Chocolate resurfaces in the crisply sweet finish. Flavor carries nicely into two parts milk, which rounds without suppressing the tart fruit while predictably intensifying the chocolate.