Here's the first of the taster pods from Nifty Goods (@niftygoods on Instagram), the Caffe Tiziano Bonini Strong Espresso! This shot gave off an amazing woody and toasty scent when it was pulled, creating a rich full-bodied coffee with a powerful chocolatey flavor. The taste is well balanced and finished pleasantly, with less and less bitterness towards the end of the cup - 4/5!

The manufacturer describes this as a soft-roasted blend of Arabica and Robusta beans from four regions, to create a coffee with notes of roasted barley, malt, chocolate and nuts. It has a rated intensity of 9. Things are looking good for this brand so far - I've got quite a few more from the same brand to go and I'm looking forward to it!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Time to give Nespresso's coconut flavored summer drink another try! This time, I pulled a shot into warm, frothy milk, making a more comfortable creamy drink charged with the sweet vanillary flavors of coconut. Now this becomes a very pleasant beverage, especially if also sweetened. Works well both hot and cold - 4/5!

If you're into coffee strictly for coffee flavors, then perhaps this one isn't for you. But if you're open to mixing and matching to create sweet, flavored beverages, having a pod like this gives you lots of room for creativity. Definitely a fun pod, and I'm glad I had a chance to give it a try!

As Espresso:

I jumped at the opportunity to try out Nespresso's limited edition Coconut over Ice, since coconut is a flavor I love! Nespresso recommends brewing this as an espresso over 90g of ice, which is what I have done here.

When brewed, my kitchen filled up immediately with a powerful coconut scent, which is actually rather overwhelming. Indeed, I could not detect any of the natural flavors of the coffee at all, not especially over its heavy acidity and bitterness. The same is true for its aftertaste, which lingers unpleasantly. I do believe this drink has a lot of promise, but it needs milk and sugar if you want it to be a refreshing enjoyable beverage. As it is - 2.5/5.

Nespresso's Barista Creations line is a curious one indeed, featuring coffees that are flavored and/or designed to go with milk. The description on this one is pretty scant, it speaks of roasted, caramelly notes and hints of vanilla, which I unfortunately failed to pick up on. Keep your eyes peeled on this space - I'm going to try a few variants soon to hopefully do this coffee better justice!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

We kick off our first review with the Nicaragua pod from Nespresso's Master Origins series! When brewed, this pod filled my kitchen with a deliciously powerful chocolatey smell. The shot was clean and light, sweet and very welcoming. I rate this 4/5, and would love to go back to this flavor in the future!

Described as Sweet and Harmonious by Nespresso, with tasting notes of nectar, a standout point about this coffee is in the "Black Honey" processing of the beans, a labor intensive process that produces a lot of sweetness and richness. This can be served as an espresso, a lungo, or with milk. Each pod is priced at SGD$0.90, so it's not the cheapest option you can get, but for its taste, I'd say it's worth the price!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

I found these pods completely by accident in a neighborhood supermarket - The Delipresso Saigon Moment, a Viet-style coffee roasted right here in Singapore!

What struck me was that the coffees it produced were very bitter, but also smelt really nice - Roasty and chocolatey, with some subtle spicy hints. Unfortunately, the bitter taste, which lingers long after you've finished the cup, really does take away from the experience. 3.5/5 - It's good, but be ready to wash it down.

The wording on the box notes that this is a medium roast that is smooth and balanced. Not entirely sure about that, as the bitter taste suggests otherwise.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

I found the decaf version slightly more muted, with a touch less sweetness and just a bit more harshness in the bitterness. The regular is brighter and overall more pleasant - 3.5/5 for similarity.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

I previously tried the Starbucks Colombia Espresso as an espresso shot, but found the intensity too overpowering for my taste. This time, I brewed it as a lungo instead, which is another recommended way of preparing this coffee. To my surprise, the spicy notes became much clearer and the overall experience was a lot more pleasant.

Although the bitterness is still very much present and lingers as an aftertaste, the flavors can show more clearly when prepared as a lungo. There's a light fruitiness to the taste, but it's the spiciness that really makes this coffee delicious. Overall, I would give the Starbucks Colombia Espresso brewed as a lungo a rating of 3.5/5 for its improved flavor profile and enjoyable spiciness.

As Espresso

I was struck by its chocolatey, fruity and toasty aromas. However, the very bitter and intense taste, while not "artificially" so, was too overpowering for my liking. Very bitter, and it finished with a strong acidic burn. Rating: 2/5.

According to the manufacturer notes, this coffee is balanced with nutty notes and a juicy taste, and has an intensity rating of 7. It can be brewed both as espresso and lungo, and I think the latter might be more suitable for those who prefer a milder taste!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

The Duchess Ruanjuan coffee pod boasts a toasty and chocolatey aroma that's complemented by a slight floral fruitiness. Upon first sip, a good balance of sweetness and acidity greets the palate, with a slight smokiness in the background. While the taste is toasty and somewhat vegetal with a hint of smokiness, there's a bitter aftertaste that lingers.

However, as you work your way down the cup, it becomes sweeter and more acidic, with a fruity note. While it's quite enjoyable, the bitter aftertaste is a drawback. Rating: 3.5/5.

The manufacturer describes this coffee as full bodied, silky, creamy and buttery, good with milk or on its own. It is rated with a

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

N-Cap's Espresso Royal by Mr Coffee is an intense, chocolatey coffee pod that delivers a pleasant, light flavor with subtle earthy notes. While the taste becomes more bitter towards the end, the balance of sweetness and acidity remains. The nutty and slightly sweet notes are followed by a fragrant, somewhat bitter aftertaste, making this an enjoyable coffee with a pleasing aroma.

Rating: 3.5/5 - The earthy notes detract from the coffee somewhat, but it's still pleasant overall.

The manufacturer describes this pod as one with an intensity level of 7, with fruity, floral, sultana and chocolate notes. I'd say these are fairly accurate, though the slight earthiness isn't really accounted for.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

As expected, this was extremely bitter, and also really acidic - The latter of which being somewhat suppressed by the milk in the earlier review, while the former continuing to shine through. Surprisingly though, this wasn't too off-putting, as the pod also carries a very rich, chocolatey scent, which isn't too prominent when taken with milk before. All in all, 3.5/5 - Be prepared for a lot of bitterness with this pod!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

We're going back to basics today with an Ispirazione-series pod from Nespresso itself! This is the Italiana Livanto, and pod that immediately wowed me when I started the brew. The fragrance is incredibly intense, filling my kitchen with a nutty and chocolatey flavor. With a sip, I realized that the coffee is really quite intensely bitter, not unpleasant, but it could be overpowering if you're not expecting it - 3.5/5. If this pod was sweeter and less bitter, this would've been a perfect one!

The Livanto is marketed by Nespresso as a balanced coffee with an intensity rating of 6, which I found rather surprising considering how bitter it tasted to me! Nespresso describes this coffee as one with cereal and caramel notes, and recommends brewing it as an espresso or with milk. At SGD$0.74 a pod, this coffee sits comfortably at an average price point, and would be a great option if you like your coffee intense, by every definition of the word!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Here's another one of Nespresso's time-limited collaboration coffees, the Infiniment Espresso! I love how roasty and chocolatey this coffee smells. There is a slight eartiness and nuttiness to it, and it tastes sweet, balanced with a slight acidity, which turns into a subtle fruity bitterness in the aftertaste. Overall, 3.5/5!

Nespresso markets the Infiniment Espresso as a well-balanced drink with an intensity level of 6 with cereal and fruity notes.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

I'm always intrigued at how coffee and alcohol mixes, so I was very interested to see how the Bailey's Irish Cream Mocha version would work - You might remember ages ago when I tried the Bailey's Original Irish Cream pod, awarding it 3.5/5.

The primary flavor of this pod is still the prominent alcoholic tang, which I've also noted in the original pod. There is a vaguely chocolatey and vanilla scent, though the latter is significantly more detectable than the former. I remember describing the original pod as somewhat chocolatey as well, so all in all, I'm really not too sure what the differences between these two pods really are.

Overall - 3.5/5. It's nice, but I'm struggling to find differences between this and the original pod.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Here's a flavored coffee by Tiziano Bonini, a Hazelnut flavor! Unlike some of the other flavored coffees I've tasted, this one is surprisingly pleasant on its own - Primarily acidic with a fair amount of sweetness, with more bitterness in the aftertaste. Of course, the flavoring still masks the fragrance of the underlying coffee, so it's still not great on its own, though I believe it'd be much better with milk - 3.5/5. Probably one of the more surprising flavored coffee options!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

It's time to revisit Coles' Urban Coffee Culture line! This is their Intense pod, rated by the manufacturer as a drink with an intensity level of 12.

The primary flavor profile to expect here is the richness of dark chocolate, with some hints of earthiness. Overall a very strong, bitter coffee with a subtle sweetness, that leaves behind a lingering but not unpleasant bitterness. 3.5/5 - "Intense" is apt labelling here, be prepared to be hit hard by that bitterness, but if that's the kind of flavor profile you like, this is ideal for you!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Time for another review from PPP Coffee's (@ppp.coffee) selection! This time, we're looking at the San Antonio Chaguite. A primarily acidic drink, expect chocolatey and nutty scents and citrusy notes thanks to the acidity. The bitterness only shows in the finish and aftertaste, and isn't harsh. Overall 3.5/5 - The flavors are pleasant as long as you can look past the acidity, which could be overwhelming if you're not a fan.

A single-origin coffee from Guatemala, the manufacturer claims that this coffee has notes of citrus, chocolate, and macadamia nuts - Quite similar to what I had experienced with it! At $1.20 a pod, this is certainly a premium pod, but I think it's worth the price - Even if I wasn't the biggest fan of this particular flavor profile, you can tell that the coffee has character and is unique!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

When I first bought my coffee taster pack from Nifty Goods (@niftygoods), this was the one option I was super excited to try - The Bailey's Irish Cream! Yes, that's the cream liqueur, whose primary ingredients are cream, cocoa and Irish whiskey!

When brewed, this coffee gave off a super fragrant aroma that is mocha and vanilla like, with subtle liquor notes. The coffee itself is primarily bitter and acidic, though surprisingly, both these tastes were more reminiscent of that of alcohol rather than coffee. The drink even finishes with a slight burn that's very alcohol-like.

This coffee seems to serve a very similar role to Nespresso's Barista Creations line - Flavored drinks that bring about a new dimension of flavor, but also one that may not stand very well on its own without milk or sugar. 3.5/5 - I'm eager to buy more of this flavor to test it out with milk and sugar to create what I'm sure will be a delicious beverage.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Now that I've become more wary about more "Intense" drinks, I went out of my way to find a pod with a lower intensity. Enter the Buenos Aires Lungo from Nespresso's World Explorations series. With a listed intensity of 4, I had hoped for milder and sweeter flavors. And sure enough, that is what I got!

The coffee from this pod has a subtle sweetness, with cereal and spice notes. It gives off a woody, berry-like scent, and is well balanced between sweetness and bitterness. 3.5/5 - I like the flavor profile, but I wish it were more pronounced.

This coffee tastes like a somewhat muted version of L'Or's Profondo Lungo. If you like a stronger alternative to this coffee, you might want to give that a try!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

A little late to the party (as some have reported this flavor running out!), but it's time to look at one of Nespresso's time-limited collaboration flavors, starting with the most interesting-looking flavored option - The Infiniment Fruit!

This is a raspberry-flavored pod, which, truth be told, is a rather unusual combination right off the bat. When brewed, you get a nice raspberry scent reminiscent more of fruit preserves than of artificial flavoring, which is of course a good thing! As an espresso, this pod is acidic with a subtle sweet fruitiness. The aftertaste gets very bitter after a while, which I struggled with a little. Of course, it's not easy to get any specific tasting notes under the flavoring, but I do detect a slight nuttiness. Overall - 3/5. I find it a little hard to enjoy it on its own, but I might have better luck having this as a beverage with milk and sugar!

At SGD$1.00 a pod, this is undoubtedly a somewhat more premium pod. Fun to try, I suppose, but not my favorite amidst Nespresso's very strong lineup.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Here's another flavored pod I tried - This time, it's the Rich Hazelnut flavor from Little's! Interestingly, this pod still feels rather vanilla-ry, similar to the Bailey's pods reviewed previously. However, unlike some of the other flavored pods, I found that these were surprisingly pleasant on their own. Despite the slightly weird aftertaste and its bitterness, this coffee is still sweet overall - 3/5. It's good, but it still needs milk to really shine.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Here's a pod from Marks & Spencer food that is marketed as a ristretto pod, something I love for usually meaning sweeter and stronger coffees. I brewed this "by eye", cutting off the shot to achieve about half of the usual volume.

I found the coffees made this way to have intense spicy notes, very bitter with a lot of acidity, while not devoid of sweetness. There's a bit of earthiness and nuttiness, and in subsequent tries when I made the cup a little smaller, there's also a somewhat chalky feel to it. Overall - 3/5. I think brewing this as an espresso, against the manufacturer's instructions, might have been a better idea.

I got these on discount at SGD$0.824 a pod. Not one of my favorite coffees from Marks and Spencer, less so at full price. Having said that, I've tried both their Colombian Espresso and Classic Decaf, both of which I enjoyed far more, so perhaps consider those instead!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Time for yet another taster pod from Caffe Tiziano Bonini - This is their Colombia Espresso! I found the scents of this coffee to be somewhat woody and earthy. Expect quite a bit of an acidic kick to this coffee, which finishes quite bitter. Overall - 3/5, I'd say it's absent of defects, but the flavors tend to the side of off-putting for me.

With an intensity rated at 7, the manufacturer describes this coffee as a light one, with citrusy and floral notes. This seems to be fairly consistent with what I've experienced here!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Hook Coffee's Brazilian Tan again, opens with the dreaded earthy notes, but thankfully, this dissipates quickly, giving way to light floral and chocolatey scents that are quite enjoyable. There is a subtle sweetness hiding underneath this otherwise primarily bitter coffee, leaving behind a rather acidic aftertaste once it all goes away. 3/5 - This is a very bitter, intense coffee, a little too much for my tastes!

The manufacturer tasting notes for this coffee bittersweet chocolate and sweet earthy chestnuts, which is more or less in line with what I got! With a listed intensity of 11/12, you can imagine that the bitterness of this coffee is by design.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Nespresso's Stockholm Lungo from its World Explorations series is surprisingly intense, even as a Lungo, putting out roasty aromas from the moment the first drop hits the cup. Its aromas are fairly muted, with subtle berry and chocolatey scents. The drink has a fair amount of sweetness counterbalanced by an equally perceptible bitterness, finishing quite bitter, and leaving behind a bitter and acidic aftertaste that's a little hard on the throat. Overall, 3.5/5.

Nespresso markets this pod as an all-Arabica Swedish coffee with a malty savory note, at an intensity level of 8. At SGD$0.82 a pod, this coffee is a good buy if you prefer larger coffees with milk and sugar, since you can be sure it's intense enough to cut through milk. Even my family members, who have previously been drinking instant coffee, found this pod (with coffee and sugar) a good first step into the world of Nespresso!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Here's another pod out of the Hook Coffee (@hook_coffee) shotpods taster pack - The Godfather! This is one of those big, intense coffees, bitter with an acidic hit, but not overwhelmingly so - You can still taste the hints of spice and nuttiness under the bitter notes. The aftertaste is also bitter, but doesn't linger in a bad way. Overall, 3/5 - It's not off-putting or bad in any way, but I do prefer coffees with a bit more sweetness.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Today's coffee is from Coles' Urban Coffee Culture line, and is simply known as "Medium" with an intensity level of 6. Despite this labelling, I found this to be quite strong, with a heavy toasty aroma containing a hint of berries. The taste is a cross between sweetness and acidity, though its bitterness becomes more apparent in its aftertaste. Tempering this with milk makes it far more agreeable. Otherwise, on its own, this is a 3/5.

While marketed as having hints of milk chocolate and cinnamon, and with a sweet caramel aftertaste, I, unfortunately, had quite a bit of trouble pinning down these notes. At SGD$0.68 a pod, this is a comparatively affordable option. A decaffeinated variant is also available, which we'll try next time!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Our first review of the Segafredo Zanetti brand opens with the Brasile single-origin coffee. Each pod gives you quite an intense coffee, bringing heavy roasted notes in a fairly bitter cup. There are some subtle woody and nutty flavors, but I am otherwise not getting much complexity in the flavor. The finish has just a touch more sweetness, but the aftertaste lingers on with quite a bit of bitterness - 3/5.

Pods from this box sometimes have the "clear start" problem - Where water finds its way around the pod at the beginning of the brew, causing the first few drops to come out clear.

Described by its manufacturer as a medium roast 100% Arabica coffee with an intensity of 8, this coffee comes out at SGD$0.68 a pod. Not too shabby, and I'm looking forward to trying out the rest of the line!

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

When brewed, I was immediately hit with a whiff of chocolatey aroma, followed by a slightly worrying earthiness. I found that the coffee was quite strongly bitter, which takes away somewhat from the scents. If you look for it, you'll find a kind of nutty intenseness. Overall - 3/5. The bitter aftertaste detracted somewhat from the overall experience.

Unfortunately, there's next to no information I could find, both on the box and online, other than the fact that it is a medium-to-dark roast, 100% Arabica pod. I can only add that Wawee is a Thai coffee chain, and that's where I purchased this pod.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

This is Torrie's Energy pod - I was intrigued by the "Energy" branding of this pod, which the manufacturer claims is because the pod contains 30% more caffeine than your average pod.

Firstly, the oddly-shaped pod meant my machine couldn't correctly puncture it every time. One time it got so bad that I was dispensed a cup of entirely clear water.

As for the drinks it makes, they smell earthy, which as you know is a flavor I really don't like. Apart from that, the taste was surprisingly flat. It is quite bitter, but not unpleasantly so. The earthy smell thankfully dissipates as you continue with the drink, but the aftertaste is rather unpleasantly bitter.

2.5/5 - A typical showing from a third-party pod that I really wouldn't recommend.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

Upon brewing, I noticed a significant clear start issue, with a substantial amount of water being dispensed before the coffee began to flow. This resulted in a diluted flavor and a noticeably thin consistency, despite a distinct bitterness.

The coffee exhibits a strong earthy and vegetal scent, which, while not entirely off-putting, does dominate the overall aroma profile, leaving little room for other notes. The taste, much like the scent, is largely earthy and lacking complexity. There are some subtle hints of coca if you look really hard - 2.5/5.

Information about this coffee on its box is scant, beyond its intensity rating of 8. Online retailers also describe it with words like sweet, caramel and cinnamon, which I unfortunately did not detect.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.

o far, I have not had a great time with Pod & Parcel's taster pods, so you can imagine that I was a little nervous trying the Bancroft pod from the same line, and doubly so when, upon extraction, I detected the dreaded earthy scents that I really struggle with. Thankfully, it was far more moderate with this one, which also has some hints of dried fruit. Taste-wise, the coffee has a lot of acidity and a little sweetness, giving it a fruity profile. 2.5/5 - Not for me, but I can see why someone would like this!

The manufacturer describes this coffee as one that goes well with milk, at an intensity of 11/13. It's supposed to have notes of cocoa, nougat, and pomegranate, though honestly, I'm picking up a lot more of the latter than the first two. The official writeup doesn't seem to recommend having this straight at all, so perhaps it's worth another shot in the future with milk.

Cupping Method:This Nespresso capsule review was added to Coffee Roast with the permission of coffeepodthoughts. See profile for more information.