Nespresso has launched a new collection of Christmas coffee blends for the holidays, and one of the stars of the show is the Festive Double Espresso. Unlike some of the other flavors (such as Cinnamon and Candied Tamarind), this coffee isn’t infused with extra seasonal spices; instead, it gets its flavor from fruity arabica beans, which are medium-roasted to bring out a toasty taste.
I’ve been testing this year’s whole Festive Collection, and I was curious to see whether these purple-and-blue swirled pods would taste markedly different from Nespresso’s existing range of arabica blends.
The Festive Double Espresso comes in both Nespresso Original and Vertuo pods, so you can pick the one that will work with your coffee machine. Vertuo pods, which are dome-shaped, are only compatible with Nespresso Vertuo machines. They have the advantage of coming in a range of different sizes, and your machine will recognize which one has been inserted and brew the appropriate volume.
Each Festive Double Espresso capsule makes 80ml of coffee, which is a generous measure (a typical double espresso is usually around 60ml, so bear that in mind when choosing which cup to use).
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Nespresso Original pods, shaped like little top hats, are compatible with third-party machines like the Ninja Prestige DualBrew System (which recently earned a place in my guide to the best Nespresso machines) and the De’Longhi Lattissima One. When you use one of these pods, the volume of your drink is dictated by the coffee machine.
I own a Nespresso Vertuo Pop, which is one of the smallest and most affordable Vertuo machines around, and fits nicely into my compact kitchen. It holds just enough water to brew two Festive Double Espresso pods, or one mug-sized drink. If there are several coffee drinkers in your household and you want something that doesn’t need refilling so often, the Vertuo Pop+ is exactly the same, but with a bigger water tank.
I popped a pod into my machine, waited while it pierced the foil and forced hot water through the grounds, and within a minute I had a long, strong espresso with lots (and I mean lots) of thick crema on top. I had to switch from my usual espresso cup to a demitasse to accommodate it all.
The flavor was punchier than I’d expected, and definitely woke me up (perhaps even more than the caffeine). This is a split roast, meaning some beans are roasted longer than the rest, and you can really tell that most of them are on the darker side.
I found the cereal notes more prominent than the fruit, which meant it paired well with milk for a (rather huge) latte or cappuccino. The Vertuo Pop doesn’t foam milk, so you’ll need to prepare it using a standalone device like the Dreo Baristamaker or Smeg Mini Milk Frother. It’s worth the effort, though, and takes some of the edge off if you find the Festive Double Espresso a bit too punchy by itself.
Presented with the full Nespresso Christmas collection, I still found myself reaching for the Cinnamon and Candied Tamarind pods most frequently just because of the flavor’s novelty, but the Festive Double Espresso has the advantage of being less seasonal. This is coffee you can enjoy all year round, and it’ll certainly wake you up if you’re feeling groggy on New Year’s Day.
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