Pod and Parcel

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.

I've unfortunately not had very good luck with Pod & Parcel pods - Maybe I've got a box of duds? I'm really not sure, and I'm tempted to revisit this brand to see if that's really the case.

Either way, we're looking at the Fasoli today, which again, has that ashy, earthy flavor that I'm not a fan of. There's also a plum-like acidity here, which is rather off-putting and unpleasant. There are some hints of sweetness, but there is also a rather strong bitterness in the aftertaste. Unfortunately, the "plumminess" is really quite overwhelming - 1.5/5.

The Fasoli pod is marketed by its manufacturer as a pod with an intensity of 8/13, with tasting notes of plum, berries and caramel - So I wasn't wrong with the plummy notes at least! This coffee is a blend of Arabicas and can be taken with milk or on its own.

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

Time for another pod from Pod and Parcel. This is the Florentino, and I'm going to cut to the chase this time - Yes, unfortunately, like the others I've had in the sampler pack, these are chalky and earthy, acidic, and weird - 0.5/5.

Supposedly designed to be taken with milk, this pod consists of a significant proportion of robusta beans. According to the manufacturer, this coffee has walnut, cocoa, and blackcurrant notes. Again, unfortunately, I'm not getting any of these notes!

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

Time for another Pod & Parcel taster pod again, and I'm afraid that once again, yes, you're going to hear me go through the same set of criticisms. This also has the chalky and earthy notes characteristic of all the other Pod & Parcel pods in my taster pack, again leading me to wonder if mine had just gone bad. There is some acidity and sweetness in this pod, but I really can't get past the chalkiness - 1/5.

My plan now is to push through with the remaining pods I have from this taster pack on the off-chance I find one that doesn't taste like this. When it's all gone, I'll look for more from this brand, perhaps from a different seller, in a sealed box, and see if my observations here still hold.

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

We're sampling a Pod & Parcel pod again - A line which I've had a lot of trouble with in the past. This one has woody, earthy notes but is also deeply chocolatey. The texture is chalky and there's a lot of bitterness in here. The earthiness is off-putting and the finish lingers with an unpleasant bitterness and acidity. 0/5, unfortunately. This was not enjoyable in any way.

The Calexte is supposed to be a blend of Colombian and Tanzanian coffee, with an intensity level of 5/13 and notes of dark toffee, caramel and pistachio.

Unfortunately I've not had much luck with this round of sampler pods from Pod & Parcel, and I'm beginning to seriously consider if my pods were defective or damaged somehow. Take these reviews with a pinch of salt - I'll try to get my hands on more pods from this brand and we'll see if this is really what they taste like.

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

I don't exactly like earthy smells in coffee, and unfortunately this particular taster pod is exactly that. This is the Mbeya pod by Pod & Parcel, which packs an acidic punch followed closely by a subtler but no less jarring bitterness. I seemed to have detected a faint scent of dates which could have been quite nice, but unfortunately that's overpowered by the rest of the flavors. With apologies to the manufacturer, I must unfortunately rate this 0/5.

The official wording says that this coffee, which has an intensity of 9, has notes of raspberry, stone fruit and syrup. Perhaps the acidity is somewhat reminiscent of fruit, but unfortunately the only syrup this brings to mind is cough syrup. Reviews of this pod from other places seem to be generally positive, so maybe I just got a dud? Who knows.

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