Summary
Highlights
The presenter introduces his ambitious project: tasting all 36 Nespresso capsules available in the UK. He explains his motivations, including curiosity about flavor variety and a desire to understand Nespresso's popularity, while also acknowledging the ethical concerns surrounding Nestle (Nespresso's owner) and the potential health impact of tasting so much coffee (he will be spitting it out). He outlines his rating system: a 1-10 scale for roast level and another for complexity/interestingness versus genericness.
The tasting begins with standard pods like Cosi, described as a medium-dark roast with generic cereal notes (roast 5/10, complexity 3/10). Chiaro, designed for milk, is similar but less complex (roast 5-/10, complexity 2/10). The decaffeinated option impresses by replicating the caffeinated version's flavor well. Corto is noted for its punch and woody, spicy, earthy profile, making it suitable for milk (roast 7-8/10, complexity 4/10). Scuro, also for milk, surprisingly isn't super roasty but tastes like stale berry cereal (roast 4-5/10, character 6/10).
Moving to single origin Master Origins, the Costa Rica Black Honey shows fermented notes but is overshadowed by roast (roast 6/10, character 4/10). The Indonesia pod, with its wet-hulled characteristic, is muted by the 7/10 roast level, lacking the typical strong, earthy notes. Ethiopia stands out as the most interesting so far, clearly showcasing its natural process with fruit notes despite a 5-6/10 roast, earning an 8/10 for character. The Colombia pod introduces welcome fruit acidity alongside an upfront roast (roast 6/10, character 7/10). The India pod, featuring monsooned robusta, is intensely bitter, harsh, and woody, representing a disappointing experience (roast 9/10, character 1/10).
The La Cumplida Refinada pod initially offers fruit and fermentation, but finishes with overpowering bitterness and roast, likening its finish to burnt caramel (roast 7-8/10, character 6/10). The 'Reviving Origins' section begins with Congo, tasting like generic Nespresso with heavy roast (7-8/10 roast, 2/10 character). Zimbabwe, a new origin for the presenter, offers an unusual and characterful profile with blackberry and vegetal notes and a late, sharp acidity, making it interesting but not entirely pleasant (roast 6/10, character 7-8/10). Uganda is another disappointment, tasting merely of roasted coffee without any distinct floral notes (roast 7-8/10, character 3/10).
The World Exploration series, rebranded Lungo capsules, starts with Cape Town, which is intensely bitter, burnt, and woody due to robusta and high roast (roast 9-10/10, character 3/10). Tokyo Vivalto Lungo, surprisingly, offers complex floral notes and acidity, breaking the generic mold (roast 5-6/10, character 7/10). Shanghai Lungo, a blend of Kenya, China, and Indonesia, has noticeable berry notes (from Kenya) and is intriguing despite not being loved (roast 5/10, character 7/10). Stockholm Fortissio Lungo is criticized for its malty and 'savory' roast that is offensive (roast 8-9/10, character 2/10). Vienna offers a moment of complexity after initial genericness but ultimately aims to be inoffensively coffee (roast 5/10, character 5/10). The final World Explorations pod, with a 4/10 roast level, is baffling due to Nespresso's consistent use of 'cereal' as a tasting note which the presenter finds undesirable, leading him to halt the tasting for the day.
Refreshed, the presenter resumes with the Italian-inspired collection. Venice is roasty (8/10) with little character, simply a dark roasted coffee (complexity 3/10). Florence, a North-South Italian blend, presents chocolatey notes but is also heavily roasted (8/10 roast, 3/10 complexity). The decaf Florence is woodier than its caffeinated counterpart. Napoli, the highest strength at 13/13, is potent, incredibly bitter, and dominantly robusta (10/10 roast, 4/10 character). Rome lacks character, offering only 'linear coffeeness' despite promises of finesse (7/10 roast, 2/10 character). Palermo is the least favorite, described as brutally bitter with a harsh robusta flavor, reminiscent of cheap coffee (10/10 roast, 3/10 character due to disliked characteristics). Genova, from Northern Italy, is unexpectedly bitter, harsh, and cerealy despite a lower roast rating (7/10 roast, 3/10 complexity).
The Ristretto capsule, boasting a dual roast for body and fruit, is very roasty (9/10) with textural fluffiness but a bitter aftertaste (complexity 2/10). Surprisingly, the decaf Ristretto is preferred, offering more acidity and complexity (8/10 roast, 4/10 complexity). The Novecento, a limited edition representing 1900s coffee, is a classic, clean robusta profile (7-8/10 roast, 7/10 character). Millennio, the 'new school' version, lacks distinct fruit and transparency, tasting like a generic lighter roasted Nespresso (6/10 roast, 4/10 complexity). The tasting concludes with flavored pods: Vanilla Eclair (woody, fake vanilla), Caramel Creme Brulee (much sweeter and more enjoyable if you like artificial caramel), and Cocoa Truffle (awful, off-tasting, almost moldy, a disservice to both coffee and chocolate).
The presenter concludes his tasting journey, acknowledging it wasn't always fun but was insightful into how Nespresso showcases (or fails to showcase) coffee flavor. He encourages viewers who enjoy Nespresso to explore beyond the brand. He asserts that superior and more diverse coffee experiences, often at a lower price per gram, exist both within compatible pods from other roasters and in the wider world of specialty coffee. He emphasizes that if one enjoys Nespresso, there are many more exciting and fun coffee journeys to discover without high risk or expense.