All Nespresso Limited Editions pods ever
Ever is a bold claim, but it is close to a full list of all Nespresso Limited Editions that were released since the beginning.
Across their nearly 3 decades’ old history, Nespresso has not only released tens of capsules for both their Original and Vertuo lines, but dozens of Limited Edition pods. These pods weren’t present at the initial release of the Nespresso single serve machines, but were born only in 1994. The very first was a selected pod called “Special Club” that every year had a different type of coffee inside. That was 8 years since the introduction of the first Nespresso machine on the market, in 1986.
Since then, every year Nespresso has released a handful if not more of Limited Edition capsules. These stay on the market only until supply lasts, which usually means 2-3 months at most. Sometimes they get re-released next year or later; more often they are not repeated, being available just a few weeks and then gone forever. Limited Editions are often flavoured, with the first flavoured capsules being released in 2006. A lot of the Limited Edition capsules were meant specifically for iced coffee. A large part of them are inspired by food recipes, local coffee drinks or rare and fine single origins across the world.
We thought that a complete list of all the Limited Editions made by Nespresso had never been published, so we are attempting it now. We say attempting as only a selection of all the Limited Editions was released worldwide, in all markets where Nespresso is present. Many others were only available locally, in different years than here stated or with completely different names. Knowing every capsule ever released in any country in the world is a feat that we claim no capability of achieving ever. Yet we hope this list is at least historically interesting and can spark a lively discussion on the history of these capsules.
What follows then is surely an incomplete and littered with imprecisions list of all the Limited Editions ever released by Nespresso (for the Original line). It’s then far from perfect, but at the same time probably the best list of Limited Editions pods ever made.
- (1994-2001) Special Club: this edition was updated every year with different origins till 2001. Some of the countries involved were Kenya, Costa Rica, Yemen, Guatemala, with a few specific single origins from Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, Montana Verde, Kilimandjaro, Sulawessi Kalossie, Genuine Antigua.
- (2001) Sumatra: Blue Batak coffee.
- (2002) Sidamo, Mysore.
- (2003) Korgua, Tarrazu.
- (2004) Yunnan, Ixhuatlán.
- (2005) Sandona, Senang.
- (2006) Bourbon Amarelo, Ensibuko. First Variations (Vanilla, Aniseed, Spicy Apple) were released this year.
- (2007) Oà, Jalayatra, Almond, Chocolate Orange, Cardamom.
- (2008) Goroka, Jinogalpa, Caramel, Crystallized Ginger, Mandarin.
- (2009) Singatobain, Gingerbread/Pain d’Epice, Chestnut Cream/Crème de Marrons, Apricot.
- (2010) Tanzaru, Kazaar, Vanilla, Almond, Caramel. The Special Club line is discontinued.
- (2011) Onirio, Dhjana, Dark Chocolate, Vanilla Blossom, Cherry, Selection Vintage Colombia.
- (2012) Kazaar, re-released as a limited edition capsule before it would enter the standard line next year, Naora, Crealto, Hawaii Kona Special Reserve, Hazelnut, Macadamia Nut, Coconut.
- (2013) Trieste, Napoli, Cioccorosso, Masala Chai, Liminto.
- (2014) Cubania, Colombian Terroirs, Maragogype Special Reserve, Hazelnut Dessert, Chocolate Mint, Apple Crumble.
- (2015) Monsoon Malabar, Perú Secreto, Tribute to Milano, Tribute to Palermo, Suluja ti South Sudan, Vanilla Amaretti, Ciocco Ginger, Vanilla Cardamom.
- (2016) Sachertorte, Apfelstrudel, Linzer Torte, Cafezinho do Brasil, Cafecito de Cuba, Tanim de Chiapas, Umutima Wa Lake Kivu Rwanda, Suluja ti South Sudan – 2nd Edition.
- (2017) Confetto Snowball, Confetto Orangette, Confetto Licorice/Liquorice, Barista Scuro, Barista Corto, Barista Chiaro, Intenso On Ice, Leggero On Ice, Laos Bolaven Plateau, Kenya Peaberry, Selection Vintage 2014, Colombia Aguades, Aurora de La Paz, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe.
- (2018) Macaron, Praline, Paris Black, Ispirazione Salentina, Ispirazione Shakerato, Aurora de La Paz re-released, Republica Dominicana Valle Del Cibao, Hawaii Kona, Galàpagos Santa Cruz, India Mylemoney, Nicaragua Las Marias, Robusta Uganda, Arabica Ethiopia Harrar.
- (2019) Nordic Almond Cake, Nordic Black, Nordic Cloudberry, Cafecito de Puerto Rico, Café Venezia, Café Istanbul, Long Black Over Ice, Flat White Over Ice, Tamuka mu Zimbabwe, Esperanza de Colombia, Costa Rica. Republica Dominicana, Cafecito de Cuba, Hawaii Kona, Cafezinho do Brasil, Tribute to Trieste, and Tribute to Milano get re-released.
- (2020) Italia Il Caffé, Italia Torta di Nocciole, Italia Amaretti, Perú Organic, Aged Sumatra, Freddo Intenso, Freddo Delicato, Yemen. Hawaii Kona, Cafecito de Cuba, Esperanza De Colombia, Tamuka Mu Zimbabwe, Cafecito de Puerto Rico, and Umutima Wa Lake Kivu Rwanda get re-released.
- (2021) Jamaica Blue Mountain, Special Reserve Galapagos, La Cumplida Refinada, Amaha awe Uganda, Coconut Flavor Over Ice, Novecento, Millennio. Esperanza de Colombia, Cafezinho do Brasil, Cafecito de Cuba, Hawaii Kona,Tamuka Mu Zimbabwe get re-released.
- (2022) Miami Espresso, Papua New Guinea, Paris Espresso, Rio de Janeiro Espresso, Istanbul Espresso, Liminha Over Ice. Kahawa Ya Congo, Amaha awe Uganda, Tamuka Mu Zimbabwe, Esperanza de Colombia, Peru Organic, La Cumplida Refinada, Aged Sumatra, Cafecito de Cuba get re-released.
Quite a list of rare and sometimes exceptional coffee. As said before, if you notice any mistakes or, especially, know of any other Limited Edition and the exact year it was released, do let us know in the comments. We will update this list as soon as we can. Your help here is truly vital as Nespresso releases very little info on their past capsules in general.
12 Comments
Karsten Pontoppidan
Thanks for the list!
But it is full of errors!
I found all these:
2006: No Cinnamon!
2007: Kilimandjaro? Is that Jalayatra?
Tanzania Special Club: Never heard about this, can’t find any info online. Proof?
2008: Oà, Kilimandjaro (Jalayatra?): Don’t think they where re-released? Just released in other contries?
2011: Selection Vintage Colombia? This is properly Selection Vintage 2011 from 2017 confusing you?
2014: Colombian Terroirs: Was Santandor & Cauca.
Selection Vintage 2014 was released in 2017.
2016: Gingerbread, Pumpkin Spice Cake, Banana Bread was for VertuoLine!
Suluja ti South Sudan – 2nd Edition was also released.
2017: Cafe Joe Costa Rica, Cafe Joe Colombia, Cafe Joe Cuba: Why include these??? Selection Vintage 2011 was also released.
Columbia Aguades & Ethiopia Yirgacheffe was also released.
2018: Cafecito de Cuba & Aurora de la Paz was re-released.
Nicaragua Las Marias & India Mylemoney was also released.
Café Venezia, Café Istanbul was released in 2019.
2019: Pumpkin Spice Cake was for VertuoLine.
Republica Dominicana, Cafecito de Cuba, Kona Hawaii & Cafezinho Do Brasil was re-released.
Costa Rica, Esperanza De Colombia & Tamuka Mu Zimbabwe was also released.
2020: Pumpkin Spice Cake was for VertuoLine.
Cafecito de Cuba, Esperanza De Colombia, Tamuka Mu Zimbabwe, Cafecito de Puerto Rico & Umutima Wa Lake Kivu Rwanda was re-released.
Kind regards
Karsten
Nespresso Guide
Thanks for your inputs and sorry for any mistakes!
Answering you bit by bit:
2006: there’s Cinnamon 🙂
2007: Kilimandjaro is different from Jalayatra. But we found this and will update the list accordingly. Also check this pdf.
2008: Probably released in other countries as definitely Kilimandjaro wasn’t available everywhere. But can be also as you say.
2011: They should be two different capsules
2014: Not according to Nespresso, as per previous pdf. 2017 might be a re-release.
2016: You’re right, both times. Post updated, thanks!
2017: Definitely our mistakes, corrected now.
2018: Cafecito e Aurora first release was when? Also thanks for catching the Indian and Nicaraguan ones.
2019 and 2020: thanks for your corrections!
Karsten Pontoppidan
It’s OK. 🙂
I have spent so many hours on the internet finding info of the Nespresso capsules. I have made a large spread sheet with all the info I have managed to find: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d601ai57pzlu3pt/AAAoixVUr89lJiYu39gh8JXPa?dl=0
My answers to your answers:
2006: Spicy Apple (with cinnamon), not both. 🙂
2007: Oa is the coffee from Kilimandjaro & Tanzania. I of couse know of the Nespresso History Sheet. There is a copy paste error in it: The line “Oà Limited Edition and Kilimandjaro & Tanzania Special Club” is repeated by the picture of the Pro capsule and Jalayatra is pictured but not named. No re-releases!
2008, 2014, 2017: The two Selection Vintage was both released in 2017. Like Aged Sumatra it is aged coffee from 2011 and 2014. One or the other where released in different contries.
2018: Aurora de la Paz was released in 2017 and re-released in selected contries in 2018. In Denmark (where I live) is was only available to Ambassador members.
Nespresso Guide
Ah it’s you the author of that excellent spreadsheet. Thank you a lot for creating it!
Regarding the limited editions:
2006: we found references to both Spicy Apple and Cinnamon, thus we thought they were separated capsules. Given the similar taste, it’s more probable as you say, the same capsule, but released with slightly different names in different markets. Or people just mistook the apple taste for cinnamon 🙂
2007: let me try to understand. Oa is the name of the capsule with coffee from Kilimandjaro and Tanzania? A capsule that was NOT re-released in 2008? Oâ et Jalayatra is a different capsule from 2007 or a different name for the same Oa from Kilimandjaro and/or Tanzania?
Corrected the double Selection Vintage and the Aurora de La Paz first and second release, thanks!
Karsten Pontoppidan
Yah, it’s me. You’re welcome. 🙂
2006: Cinnamon is a spice, so… 😉
2007: Oâ (orange capsule) was made of coffee from Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Mount Kenya in Kenya. See this: https://www.sybarites.com/2007/05/oa-limited-edition-nespresso-coffee/
Jalayatra (Blue capsule) was made of coffee from Malabar. See this: https://vimeo.com/431648
Nespresso Guide
Ok, thanks for pointing all this out. It’s still a bit confusing to be honest; we corrected again, and we hope to have this right by now 🙂
Steve Pearce
I loved Nordic Black – hope they bring it back at some stage!
Luke
It is my understanding that the Special Club continued every year until 2009. Some that you have named 2002 – 2009 were Special Club.
I invite you to take a look at the Pod: Coffee Capsules app which includes all of the limited edition capsules for the OL: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/pod-coffee-capsules/id1547170152. Let me know what you think!
Nespresso Guide
The history of Nespresso pdf we linked a few comments earlier shows that the denomination “Special Club” lasted till 2001 but also depicts the same capsule every subsequent year till 2009. It is our understanding that until 2001 the capsules were called “Special Club” only, with different blends of coffee in them every year; then between 2002-2009 they retained the aspect of the capsule but the name was changing every year according to the origin of the coffee chosen that year. Thus, they were sort of still Special Club but not called just so.
That’s our understanding. Happy to see official proof that it was otherwise. Besides, none in our team has a recent iPhone to check that app, sorry!
AF
The 2009 Apricot was amazing (I know, it sounds questionable, but it was a stunner!). Great list. Thanks for putting together.
Nicole Fletcher
Is there a complete list of all Vertuo line flavors?
Nespresso Guide
As far as we know, no. For the current flavors you can of course check the Nespresso website but collecting info about all the past pods is a gargantuan task that we never saw being accomplished so far.