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Cocoa Truffle review
Brown foam. Definite smell of cocoa. More acidic at first taste than one’d expect, with of course the cocoa flavor being the dominant one. Acidity subsides at lower temperatures. Medium bodied. Overall much lower cocoa tones than in the old Ciocattino, making for a balanced cup. Inconsistent crema. Perhaps the medium roasting didn’t marry well with the flavoring. Whereas Ciocattino was resembling of a dark chocolate bar, this is like the cocoa powder of a truffle, indeed, or of that over a tiramisù. A different flavoring, definitely.
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Nordic Almond Cake review
A Nordic Variations Limited Edition from 2019. Light brown foam. Sweet aroma, of a good intensity. Very much almond-like. A medium-heavy cup, with hints of cereals and meringue mixed with some bitterness. Low acidity. Closely resembling a more subtle version of the Macaron limited edition. A blend of cream, meringue and almond flavors over the Livanto base. Delicate and flavorful.
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Nordic Cloudberry review
A Nordic Variations Limited Edition from 2019. Light brown foam. Strong and pungent aroma of berries, completely overcoming the coffee aroma. At a first sip the cloudberry and acidity are prominent, with little bitterness. It barely resembles a cup of coffee at first, fruits and berries flavors cover any hint of coffee, especially at higher temperatures. A light-bodied cup. Not particularly sweet, with hints of citrus flavors instead. One of the least standard cups of coffee among the whole Nespresso line.
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Macaron review
A Festive Limited Edition from 2018. Brown foam. Intense aroma, half of roastiness and half of almonds/macarons. The sweetness of the smell immediately identifies it as a macaron aroma. A medium bodied, dry cup, probably medium roasted as well. Possessing a distinct but not overwhelming acidity. At higher temperatures it is more acidic, while at medium ones the roastiness balances it and makes it less sweet. A cup of coffee that is much more bitter and roasty than the name and the aroma would have led to believe. Definitely a capsule that is greatly enhanced with the addition of a teaspoon of sugar, as that makes the flavor of macaron…
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Praline review
A Festive Limited Edition from 2018. Light brown foam. Distinct smell of almond. Sweeter smell than the actual taste though. In the mouth results quite dry. Low acidity. Sweet notes during the tasting, more like caramel with hazelnut than almond. It belongs to the same category of the strongly flavored blends, Ciocattino, Vanilio and Caramelito.
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Vanilio Review
Light brown foam. The aroma of vanilla is strong and immediately recognizable. Biscuits notes underlines it. Quite a dry coffee, with bitterness and some acidity in the aftertaste. Acidity more prominent at low temperatures. A light-medium bodied pod, it distinctly works better as a ristretto as it may result being watery in longer cups. Not sweet, the vanilla flavoring is dominating, overcoming nearly completely the Livanto‘s malt and cereal notes. Moderately bitter and of average intensity, Vanilio greatly benefits from added sugar or a splash of milk as they can accentuate the vanilla flavor and mitigate the bitterness. A gentle cup of coffee, not flavorful but strong in vanilla notes.
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Ciocattino Review
Light brown foam. A scent of cocoa, dry, not like in a hot chocolate, is immediately felt. Peculiar and strong. Some sweetness, like of cocoa butter, in the aroma as well. Pretty thin as a coffee, dry and with an aromatic aftertaste. A light-bodied pod. Bitterness wins over sweetness and acidity but all are on the weak side, neither being particularly noticeable. Sweetness in particular is nearly absent, and acidity quite low. The taste profile is akin to a dark, bitter, chocolate bar. A bit of black pepper flavor in the aftertaste, along with undertones of licorice. Decidedly a dark cup of coffee but not overtly bitter nor much intensity.…
