NESCAFÉ Dolce Gusto Coffee Capsules, Grande Intenso, 48 Single Serve Pods, (Makes 48 Cups) 16 Count (Pack of 3)

I was terribly excited when I heard that Nescafé had finally decided to just touch on the idea of carrying a wide array of flavors and intensities for straight espresso (I've always been so jealous of Nespresso's collection of capsules) by introducing a new single-shot Intenso. As I've been stuck making double-shots of their fairly disappointing Espresso option for ages, I've decided to do a little comparison in reviewing this new and exciting addition.This is what we're working with: the Espresso has 6g of coffee in each capsule, while the Dark Roast Caffé Grande has 10g. As I noted in my Latte Macchiato review: a generally accepted typical single shot of espresso is made up of 8g of ground coffee with the final shot sitting at no more than 35mL. The Espresso's instructions recommend ending up with 60mL of liquid, which seems to be a light amount of coffee for so much water (the Dark Roast doesn't do much better, recommending 200mL for 10g). For my taste-tests, I was able to pump out a fairly heavy 50mL single-shot espresso, while I kept the Dark Roast to about 150-160mL(NOTE: the tips I give in the previously mentioned Macchiato review for really squeezing every mg of coffee out of these capsules I have a feeling only work with the Dolce Gusto machines that allow you to completely control the flow; while my machine has that ball-point silver lever pointing up out of the head of the dispenser (like the Melody 2 and Circolo), it seems the machines Nescafé just released this past month (specifically the Creativa) are somewhat automated).Right off the bat, as I dispense the Grande I notice the thicker, creamier color and texture of the coffee, which it retains for a good 30 seconds until it settles into a deep brown with even less noticeable light passing through (compared to the Espresso). Even though my pour started pushing 160 mL, the thickness is far greater than the Espresso, with absolutely no hint of water. Literally, the liquid itself feels heavier and richer in your mouth. The Espresso just pales in comparison in regard to taste, aroma, and texture. I'm definitely not an expert when it comes to pinpointing descriptive flavors in espressos, but I'd say the espresso here has something between a sweet and bitter dominating taste. On the other hand, the Grande lacks any resemblance to the Espresso, and if anything I'd say there's a warm, spicy flavor that mixes quite well with the overall dark roast qualities.Ofcourse, to those who know anything (and definitely more than me) about coffee, you might just say, 'Well, you're comparing a dark roast to a regular espresso'. Yes, I guess I am, and thus I should expect these differences. However, for the past three years now Nescafé has only had one option when it came to a strong single-shot, the Espresso (the other choices were Caffé Lungo and then the Americano, both of which got further and further from deep and strong drinks). So, I guess giving this new Café Grande Intenso a try has ultimately given me a worthwhile competing option for the espresso-based choices. And I can finally enjoy a drink from my machine that only requires one capsule (the espressos could only do the trick in double-shots). For those of you who've been in a similar situation, this review should give you an idea of what to expect (and what you're missing out on!) with this new choice.As usual, buying the boxes from Amazon.com with the Subscribe and Save is the most inexpensive option I've found.Also, make sure to sign-up online at Dolce Gusto's website for the award points you get with every box. With a box of three from Amazon (through Subscribe and Save), AND factoring in the 5 (sometimes 10) award points you get with every box (with which you may eventually redeem Amazon gift cards), the price per box drops to a little over 6 dollars (compared to ~9 dollars a box at Sur la Table and other retailers).Nescafé has finally entered the realm of differing strengths and flavors for its espresso line, and those who felt the brand's mild espressos just weren't quite hitting the spot, this is a must-have and will easily be my go-to single-shot drink from now on!

I've tried several different varieties of Dolce Gusto coffee capsules and so far this is my favorite. It's the most versitile too. It makes a great expresso if you use a demitasse cup, cappuchinno if you add your own milk, or a 14 oz mug of American-style coffee. I'm so hooked I drink two big mugs a day - one truly delicious vice.This coffee is strong and dark but not harsh or bitter. Other strong or "full-bodied" coffees often have a burned taste - as if burning the beans is the only way to add flavor to an inferior bean.Nescafe, the largest selling brand of coffee in Europe, has developed a fantastic coffee. I also love the convenience of individual servings.

Great coffee if your looking for a larger cup instead of an espresso, also great foam on top when brewed. Would recommend.

The coffee product arrived undamaged and delicious as always.. However, shipping to a snowy climate like Colorado in winter requires a more substantial box...not just the thin cardboard sleeve in which the 3 boxes of pods are marketed. I ordered the coffee for my mother, but when she picked it up from her front porch, it had gotten wet from melting snow, and was falling apart.

This my favorite coffee. It is strong and bold. When I make a cup of coffee in the am, the aroma when brewing is a wonderful eye opening experience. With coffee mate chocolate creamer gives it the taste of a cafe mocha drink, when I want a mocha I don't have to run into town for Starbucks cafe mocha. I can now have amazing coffee in the morning at home and without the cost.

The coffee itself is great, and the machine is also very well designed. My only gripe is that the Nescafe brand of coffee is hard to locate and there are few options of the coffee type. I cannot find them locally anywhere. If it were not for Amazon I would have a useless coffee machine. Even Amazon cannot offer a variety of coffees for the machine, and they sometimes come from England or elsewhere and take a month to arrive. Another minor gripe is that the coffee comes in boxes of 16 servings or in cartons of three boxes (48 servings), but often the description does not indicate whether I am buying a single box of 16 or a carton. I once ordered what I thought was a carton and received single box of coffee, and had to wait a month to receive it because it had to come from England. If I had to start over with a new coffee machine I would probably buy a K-cup compatible machine, solely because the coffee for them is available everywhere, including grocery stores. I can't fault Amazon, because they know their business better than anyone. I suspect the problem is with Nescafe, which apparently failed to set up enough distributors of the coffee.

Everyone seems to jump on the Keurig bandwagon, but I'm here to tell you Dolce Gusto is FAR better coffee. The primary difference is that it's pressure brewed, while Keurig is drip brewed. Big difference!!! I highly recommend this.

I first bought the dolce gusto circle maker for the one cup action so I don't have to brew a pot. I bought the American house blend and I could not get a good flavor for myself with the cream and sugar so I was kind of disappointed. I then tried the dark roast and after the third cup I had the right amount of cream and sugar and now I love it more than any coffee place. I go through a box per week which is probably not a good thing for my body but what are ya gonna do. Enjoy.