• Starbucks Espresso Roast
    Reviews

    Starbucks Espresso Roast Review

    Brown foam. Very sweet aroma, with strong roasting notes. Overall a very enjoyable aroma. The sweetness is not immediately noticeable at the taste, where saltiness, a heavy body and a good deal of bitterness are stronger, at medium and hot temperatures. High intensity. The roasting notes, present throughout the tasting, make the bitterness a pleasant one, highlighted by a noteworthy combination of saltiness and dryness. At lower temperatures some acidity takes the lead, but it remains an accompanying factor more than a protagonist. The coffee remains a salty, roasty, with hints of cocoa, molasses and a vague sweetness. The crema is quite persisting. Not a flavorful cup, more like a…

  • Starbucks Caffè Verona
    Reviews

    Starbucks Caffè Verona Review

    Brown foam. Intense, pungently spicy aroma. Clearly a dark roast already from the aroma, strong, permeating, sweet and bold. Crema is quite thick. Quite dry, with a medium-full body. Some spiciness, like black pepper and turmeric, can be noticed in the aftertaste. In general, a dark chocolate, averagely bitter, cup of coffee, with notes of caramelized sugar due to the dark roasting. Very low acidity, barely noticeable when hot. Easier to drink than the strong aroma would have hinted at. The dryness marries well with the spiciness. High intensity, for a blend that is a good morning cup but works also well as an afternoon one, as it isn’t as…

  • Starbucks Pike Place Roast
    Reviews

    Starbucks Pike Place Roast Review

    Brown foam. Intense, very roasty, nutty aroma. Acidity, apple-like, and sweetness can be both discerned from the smell already. Quite intense at the tasting too, with a thick crema and a very good body. Dry, partly velvety, with a feeble acidity that grows as the coffee cools down. Vague sweetness and only a hint of bitterness. Malted cereals, nuts, biscuits and undertones of chocolate are the main flavors. Strong, heavily dry and increasingly bitter as the coffee becomes cold, aftertaste. Precisely at lower temperatures the aftertaste acquires a pungent, spicy quality. A convincingly pepper flavor remains on the back of the palate, along with weak apple and citrus-like acidity. Overall…

  • Starbucks House Blend
    Reviews

    Starbucks House Blend Review

    Dark brown foam. Strong aroma, well-round, very roasty. Malted cereals and a distinct sweetness, hinting at a good body and a dark roasted cup. Strongly bitter at first, confirming the medium/dark roasting. The acidity comes out mostly in the aftertaste. Good body, medium intensity. Cocoa, some nuttiness, cereals, hints of toffee, with plenty of roasted notes and bitterness are the main characteristics of this blend. A basic sweetness, caramel/toffee-like, can be discerned. Persisting and thick crema. A pungent acidity, typical of quality Arabica, resists amid the general roastiness. A blend that seems born to be paired with milk, for a strong cappuccino or macchiato. Overall a capsule that is moderate…

  • Starbucks Blonde Roast
    Reviews

    Starbucks Blonde Roast Review

    Light brown foam. Nutty and markedly sweet aroma. A bit of grapes’ acidity can be smelled too. Initially way more bitter than the aroma would have suggested. A delicately roasted taste, with a gentle nuttiness and cocoa notes that make up the source of the bitterness. As soon as the coffee isn’t scorching hot, acidity comes to the fore. Apple and grapes-like acidity. A medium intensity blend, as medium is the body too. At lower temperatures the acidity prevails, accompanied by a smooth and milky sweetness. The bitterness instead takes a step back and becomes much less noticeable. Persisting crema. A gentle and smooth cup, where apple and grapes-like acidity…