For many coffee drinkers, "the real Italian espresso" is the ultimate benchmark. But how does this coffee taste? How is it prepared? And what beans are used for it? We tasted your 20 favorites. Three coffees stood out from the crowd.
In barista courses, we often hear that coffee always gets better as soon as someone travels south. Those who drive through the Gotthard Tunnel or over the Brenner Pass are supposedly treated to a "really good espresso" on the other side.
Is that really true?
It's quite possible that the expectation, the holiday feeling, the sight of the machine, and familiar bean brands play a role in the moment, making the espresso perceived differently than when it's made at home.
Or perhaps, the ratio of coffee grounds used to the extraction volume in the cup differs significantly from what is common north of the Alps.
So, in our extensive test, we aimed to clarify two main questions:
- which coffees does our community identify as good Italian espresso?
- and how exactly should it be prepared?
For the first point, we asked you in September 2024 which coffees we should taste. Over 2000 votes were cast. We sourced the top 17 with the help of Philipp from Vettore, and three other coffees were selected by connoisseurs of Italian coffee: Philipp Vettore himself, Giovanni Meola, and Antonio Nurri. For the second point, preparation: in our first video on Italian espresso in 2019, we prepared the coffees on a Nuova Simonelli Black Eagle. Our standard recipe of 18g in and 45g out at 93°C brewing temperature would not have served all coffees, according to the comments.
So we invited Antonio Nurri, who traveled to Basel with his own machine (Nurri Leva). Antonio is a coffee roaster in Naples and develops his own coffee machines, which already have cult status for many.
Antonio was assisted by Gianni Marzinotto, who performed successfully at the Home Barista Championship 2023 organized by us. Together, Antonio and Gianni found individual recipes for all test coffees and prepared them on the Nurri Leva.
Tasting Criteria and Test Procedure
Extraction
- individual recipes from Antonio and Gianni on the Nurri Leva
- the test was conducted double-blind: Damian from the roasting team coded the original bags and then provided the test bags with a new code. Neither Antonio and Gianni, nor Benjamin and Philipp knew which coffee was being tasted
Sensory Evaluation - decisive for the table
In the evaluation of the overall taste impression, we distinguish various criteria
Good/Bad Bitterness
There are different types of bitterness. Some are pleasant, others can inhibit perception. We evaluate here based on intensity and quality. More on bitterness in coffee in this article and video.
Sweetness-Acidity Balance
Here we examined the coffee for the ratio of sweetness to acidity. The perceived sweetness in a coffee supports the acidity – the more sweetness we can perceive, the more pleasant the acidity becomes.
Body and Texture
The body of the coffee is less than half the battle: we can always brew coffees to be as full-bodied as possible, but that might come at the expense of texture:
Texture - here we analyze the so-called mouthfeel, i.e., how the coffee spreads on the tongue. If the coffee is silky, creamy, watery, velvety, etc., we reward it with a high score. If the coffee is rough, dusty, chalky, or floury, we deduct points.
Aroma Spectrum
Here we describe the diversity of aromas. If the coffee is in the chocolate range, does it branch out into nutty, or even slightly fruity notes?
Evaluation of physical bean quality
The evaluation of physical bean quality had no direct influence on the final ranking. Indirectly, however, we rated coffees with a poorer bean appearance lower because physical bean defects can have a marginal to strong influence on the sensory experience.
Breakage
Does the coffee consist of many broken beans, or do we find none at all? Broken green coffee beans burn during roasting and can bring strongly burnt notes into the coffee.
A mixed bean quality with breakage, husks, craters from hot roasting, and a lot of oil
Oiliness
How oily is the coffee? The more coffee oil appears on the surface, the faster the coffee can turn rancid in taste.
Transparency Evaluation
As with the physical bean quality, we did not include transparency and sustainability in the sensory ranking, but we examine and evaluate each coffee for these aspects in the individual analysis below.
Roasting Date
Is the roasting date known?
Green Coffee Specification
Which green coffees are used, in what ratio?
Traceability
Does anyone limit themselves to the minimum specification "Arabica/Robusta"? Who names the countries of origin, or describes exactly where the coffees come from?
Certifications
Does the coffee have certifications or not?
In search of transparency
The Results: Best Italian Espresso
We tasted all coffees on one day. In the end, there were 19 instead of 20, as one package did not reach us on time. Antonio and Gianni created individual recipes, and Benjamin and I tasted the coffees.
We observed significant differences in green coffee quality, as well as in roasting intensity. Some coffees fit very well into the notably broad definition of espresso italiano. Other coffees surprised us because we would not have classified them as "classic Italian espresso."
In this table, you can see the overall winners. The analysis of the individual coffees follows below.
The Winner: Illy Classico
Sensory Profile:
Floral notes in the aroma give the coffee character. Low to medium body, silky texture. Citrusy, delicate acidity. Balanced, caramel notes in the finish.
Bean Quality: relatively uniform, some breakage
Recipe: in: 18.1g, out per cup: 14.7g, Ratio: 1:1.62, Time: 34sec
Bean Oiliness: 2/5
Roasting Date: yes
Green Coffee Specification: no, only: 100% Arabica
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Second Place: Manaresi
Sensory Profile:
Very smooth texture with a high balance of sweetness to acidity. Diverse flavor notes, from intense hazelnut, macadamias, licorice to dried fruits and tobacco. A pleasant aftertaste and a medium roast.
Bean Quality: mostly uniform size, little breakage, good
Recipe: in: 18g, out per cup: 17g, Ratio: 1:1.89, 20sec
Bean Oiliness: 1.5/5
Roasting Date: no
Green Coffee Specification: no, only 100% Arabica
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Third Place: Omkafè Diamante
Sensory Profile:
Oily texture, dense body. Lots of nougat, dark chocolate, full brown sugar spectrum, a touch fruity (stone fruit), long aftertaste with medium-dark roast and medium acidity.
Bean Quality: very good bean appearance
Recipe: in:18g, out per cup: 15.6g, Ratio: 1:1.73, Time: 34sec
Bean Oiliness: 1/5
Roasting Date: no
Green Coffee Specification: only ratio: 92% Arabica, 8% Robusta
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Slitti Extra Black - the Robusta-Heavy
Sensory Profile:
Very dark roast with pleasant and soft bitterness. Dense body and creamy texture. Notes of cocoa, caramel and a lot of wood in the aftertaste, caramel sweetness. Slightly coating in the aftertaste.
Bean Quality: Bean Oiliness: 1.5/5
Recipe: in: 18.1g, out per cup: 15.8g, Ratio: 1:1.75, Time: 33sec
Roasting Date: yes
Green Coffee Specification: only ratio: 35% Arabica, 65% Robusta
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Caffè Moreno - like a dash
Sensory Profile:
Very dark roast with tobacco and woody notes. Heavy body. Low complexity and high bitterness, low acidity.
Bean Quality: an above-average amount of Broca and breakage
Bean Oiliness: 4/5
Recipe: in: 18.1g, out per cup: 16g, Ratio: 1:1.77, Time: 20sec
Roasting Date: no
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Nurri 100% Napoletano - from the South
Sensory Profile:
Lots of creaminess with a dense texture. Notes of dark chocolate, caramel, and cashews. A very long, sweet aftertaste with pleasant, soft bitterness.
Bean Quality: relatively uniform bean appearance, some breakage
Bean Oiliness: 2/5
Recipe: in: 18g, out per cup: 19g, Ratio: 1:2.1, Time: 33sec
Roasting Date: yes
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Lavazza Gran Espresso - the market leader
Sensory Profile:
Medium body, rather thin texture. Balanced in sweetness-acidity. Simple in the aftertaste with positive bitterness. Few characteristic notes, a lot of roasted almonds. A bit “normal”.
Bean Quality: relatively uniform, a few crushed beans
Bean Oiliness: 3/5
Recipe: in: 18.2g, out per cup: 18.9g, Ratio: 1:2.08, Time: 20sec
Roasting Date: no
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
New York Extra - Hot Tobacco
Sensory Profile:
Burnt almonds, cocoa, and woody notes. A strong bitterness with a long aftertaste and standalone acidity. Medium body and a somewhat hollow texture.
Bean Quality: Breakage and some craters from the hot roasting
Bean Oiliness: 2.5/5
Recipe: in: 18.1g, out per cup: 17g, Ratio: 1:1.88, Time: 26sec
Roasting Date: no
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Hausbrandt Superbar - strong and dark
Sensory Profile:
A "strong coffee" - very dark, somewhat sharp aftertaste. Creamy body, dominated by very dark sugars. Bitterness initially soft, then harsh.
Bean Quality: relatively uniform, some Quakers
Bean Oiliness: 3/5
Recipe: in: 18.2g, out per cup: 16.1g, Ratio: 1:1.77, Time: 27sec
Roasting Date: no
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Haiti Golden Class - Old, old school from Rome
Sensory Profile:
Medium body with a hollow texture. Acidity is dominant, while dark aromas prevail. Malty and dark caramel notes. The aftertaste appears somewhat burnt and a chalky bitterness defines the finish.
Bean Quality: relatively uniform, some Quakers and breakage
Bean Oiliness: 2/5
Recipe: in: 18.1g, out per cup: 20g, Ratio: 1:2.21, Time: 25sec
Roasting Date: yes
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Mago Barbera - no balance
Sensory Profile:
Lots of texture with medium acidity. Notes of tobacco and strong roast, some nougat. Acidity does not balance the coffee. The oxidized note, together with the intense roasting, gives the coffee a rancid aftertaste.
Bean Quality: relatively much breakage and crushed beans
Bean Oiliness: 2/5
Recipe: in: 18.1g, out per cup: 16.2g, Ratio: 1:1.79, Time: 26sec
Roasting Date: yes
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Maisto Scugnizzo - dark, oily, is this the South?
Sensory Profile:
A "strong, Italian coffee". Very heavy, dark roasted. Some molasses. Very high bitterness due to the dark roast. A little salty (Robusta quality?) in the aftertaste.
Bean Quality: partly brittle beans due to dark roasting
Bean Oiliness: 5/5
Recipe: in: 18.3g, out per cup: 13.3g, Ratio: 1:1.45, Time: 28sec
Roasting Date: yes - but only month
Green Coffee Specification: only 65% Arabica, 35% Robusta on pack, but precise on product sheet
Traceability: supplied in the product sheet: breakdown of green coffees
Certifications: no
Danesi Classic - is classic good?
Sensory Profile:
Very dark roast with high bitterness. Notes of ash, wood, and molasses. No acidity. Heavy body, hollow texture. Sweet-bitter aftertaste.
Bean Quality: many brittle beans due to dark roasting
Bean Oiliness: 2/5
Recipe: in: 18.3g, out per cup: 16g, Ratio: 1:1.75, Time: 25sec
Roasting Date: no
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Toscaffè Oro
Sensory Profile:
High intensity of Robusta flavor. Acidity not precisely defined. Medium body, medium texture, long aftertaste with high bitterness. Slightly salty.
Bean Quality: some Quakers
Bean Oiliness: 2/5
Recipe: in: 18.1g, out per cup: 14.8g, Ratio: 1:1.64, Time: 28sec
Roasting Date: no
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Tre Forze
Sensory Profile:
Dark nougat, dark nuts. A heavy, creamy body with poorly defined texture. High bitterness that lingers in the aftertaste. Barely any acidity.
Bean Quality: relatively uniform, some breakage
Bean Oiliness: 2.5/5
Recipe: in: 18.2g, out per cup: 16.3g, Ratio: 1:1.8, Time: 24sec
Roasting Date: no
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Kimbo Napoletano - a lot of everything
Sensory Profile:
Dark roast, emphasizing dark sugars. Dark wood in the aftertaste. Roastiness dominates, acidity does not help with balance. Long bitterness in the aftertaste, rather harsh and metallic, little sweetness.
Bean Quality: relatively much Broca and breakage
Bean Oiliness: 5/5
Recipe:vin: 18.2g, out per cup: 14.5g, Ratio: 1:1.6, Time: 28sec
Roasting Date: yes
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Passalacqua Mehari
Sensory Profile:
Almost foamy body. Very dark roast notes, ashy, coaly, no sweetness left. A harsh and chalky bitterness dominates the aftertaste.
Bean Quality: Breakage and some Broca as well as green coffee husks
Bean Oiliness: 5/5
Recipe: in: 18g, out per cup: 13.5g, Ratio: 1:1.5, Time: 28sec
Roasting Date: no
Green Coffee Specification: no
Traceability: no
Certifications: no
Borbone Miscela Blu
Sensory Profile:
“Straightforward” coffee, high body, full body, somewhat hollow texture. Limited aroma, barely any acidity, simple.
Bean Quality: relatively uniform bean appearance
Bean Oiliness: 4/5
Recipe: in: 17.9g, out per cup: 15.3g, Ratio: 1:1.7, Time: 26sec
Roast date: Yes - but only month
Green coffee information: No
Traceability: No
Certifications: No
Caffè Armeno Penelope
Sensory Profile:
“A coffee like a straight line - no left, no right.” Hardly any body. No acidity. Lots of bitterness, somewhat grainy. Astringent aftertaste, unpleasant bitterness.
Bean quality: Relatively high amount of Broca damage, craters from very hot roasting
Recipe: In: 18g, Out per cup: 15.6g, Ratio: 1:1.73, Time: 32sec
Oiliness of beans: 3/5
Roast date: No
Green coffee information: No
Traceability: No
Certifications: No
What is a classic Italian espresso?
There is no clear answer to this. In our survey, coffees were selected which we then tasted blind and did not consider to be “classically Italian” in that setting. Strong coffees, darker roasts, full body, some with a higher Robusta content and low acidity – these descriptions are often heard.
However, the coffees from Manaresi (rank 2) and Omkafè (rank 3) do not correspond to this definition. They showed a clear acidity, the roasts were medium-dark, and if Robusta was in the blend, we couldn't taste it.
A coffee that we described as a "congruent Italian espresso," meaning a coffee where the imprecise idea of the category seemed consistent with the product in the cup, was the espresso from Hausbrandt.
In tasting mode
Italian Espresso: dark, darker, darkest?
Not at all. We tasted a whole range of roast levels. Medium roasts from the top 3, as well as medium-dark roasts from Caffè Armeno, Lavazza, Treforze or Nurri, right up to the very dark coffees from Maisto, Moreno or Passalacqua.
Here too, it's clear: there is no uniform roast level for what is considered a classic Italian espresso.
In addition to oily, dark beans, we also tasted medium roasts
Italian Espresso: Robusta bombs?
Partly. We had coffees that showed floral notes (Illy), others that claimed 100% Arabica, and some that used high-quality Robusta beans. Some roasters focused on Robusta (Slitti) and thus emphasized body and woodiness.
Freshness - consumers are left in the dark
What is standard for specialty roasters apparently does not apply to many Italian roasters: only six out of 20 roasters precisely stated the roast date: Slitti, Kimbo, Illy, Nurri, Haiti, Mago. Two roasters at least indicated the month: Maisto, Borbone.
Twelve of the 20 roasters leave consumers in the dark. It is quite possible that you might get coffee that is already a year old or even much older.
Arabica-Robusta ratio – little information
Here too, we were surprised by the brand's self-image, which apparently trumps transparency. Only three roasters indicated "100% Arabica" on the packaging: Illy, Manaresi, Slitti.
If we used this statement for wine, it would be as precise as: 100% wine from red grapes. That can be done better. Only three roasters break down on the package how many parts Arabica and Robusta the blends consist of: Omkafè, Maisto and Slitti.
Not a single roaster communicates the actual origin of the beans used on the packaging.
A third describes them as “the best beans from the best growing regions in the world” – these roasters thus align themselves with the marketing jargon of the largest supermarket roasters.
Transparency and Sustainability. Far from it
Even if seals do not offer total assurance that the coffee used has been produced sustainably, they guarantee a minimum standard. A standard that all 20 roasters ignore.
None of the tested roasters use seals (FairTrade, Organic, Rainforest, etc.), or at least do not state it on the packaging. Furthermore, all roasters refrain from precisely describing what kind of coffees are used. This means the question of where the coffee actually comes from is not even raised. Only Maisto includes information in the leaflet about how the blend is composed.
Superficial data is mentioned, as traders would describe the coffees, which gives an idea of where the coffee comes from, but not exactly from whom. While this is little on a 2024 scale, it is a lot and commendable in this panel.
Almost all tested espressos in this panel, from small and larger roasters, thus rely exclusively on their brand strength as a guarantee of good work.
This is astonishingly anachronistic in 2024 and shows how much catching up needs to be done.
We would like to see significantly more awareness from roasters regarding sustainability issues and their communication.
Conclusion
We tasted a limited selection of Italian coffees, but clearly saw that there is hardly any internal coherence within a distinct category. We also know that the Italian coffee world extends beyond the 20 espressos tasted.
Large roasteries performed very well to well in our test. This is a testament to the fact that these companies invest heavily in consistent green coffee quality, standardize quality controls, and perhaps prioritize consistency over history.
Smaller roasteries often receive some initial praise and benefit from the charm inherent in smaller businesses. However, this charm is not perceptible in a blind tasting. That's where the qualitative wheat is separated from the chaff. We had coffees from smaller roasteries that selected very good green coffee and roasted it precisely. We also had coffees from smaller (and also larger) roasteries that selected mediocre green coffee and roasted it either too quickly or too hot, so that in some cases only the roast notes dominated.
Sugar
We tasted all coffees without sugar. Because sugar masks the quality of the coffee. As long as a coffee is only enjoyable with sugar, then the feeling and brand loyalty clearly outweigh the pure sensory analysis.
We were surprised at how little transparency and sustainability played a role in the selected coffees. Many supermarkets are more transparent here when they write the roast date on the packaging. The roast date must be a no-brainer, no matter what type of coffee. We had no coffee that was advertised with a certification – at least not on the packaging.
Even "Italian Espresso" consists of coffee beans. And all roasters are confronted with the same challenges of the coffee industry. We would like to see more dedication to transparency and verifiable, assumed responsibility along the coffee chain.
Next time 30 espressos?
The 19 espressos tasted gave an impression of what is drunk and appreciated as Italian espresso. We remain interested and open to forming a comprehensive picture - however diverse it may be - of Italian espresso.
So, if you miss a coffee on the list, feel free to write in the comments what we should taste next time. And perhaps in a few years it will be 30, and no longer 20.
