This Nespresso Ispirazione Italiana 2021 Ispirazione Millennio explores the relatively small, new trend that began in the early 2000s that eschews the full roasts and Robustas of Italian tradition and the dark roast Arabicas popularised by Starbucks in favour of fruity and more acidic, yet still intense, Arabicas.

It’s a split roasted blend of lighter and shorter roasted Brazilian and Colombian Arabcias, darker and short roasted Indian coffees. It has an intensity of 8 out of 13 and comes in a marbled white capsule.

The espresso was an opaque black-brown colour with an intense, spicy aroma. Prepared as a long black with a 1:1 water-to-espresso ratio, the coffee began with a smooth roastiness followed by a subtle spiciness that developed in intensity into the body. A fine acidity emerged in the finish before an enjoyable roastiness returned to linger in the aftertaste. For an intense coffee, the coffee was very well balanced, with the bitterness well restrained by the spicy body and the fruity undertone.

This Nespresso Ispirazione Italiana 2021 Ispirazione Millennio contained 10 x 5.5 g. capsules. It was produced in Switzerland and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2021.