Nespresso has expanded its range of coffees for professional use with the addition of Ristretto Intenso Grand Cru – its most intense blend yet.
Ristretto Intenso is based on the Kazaar Grand Cru coffee, a much sought-after Grand Cru which was first introduced as a limited edition and called back twice by consumer demand. The new blend made its UK debut at this week’s Hotelympia trade show in London Excel.
It is now part of the permanent range of Grands Crus in pods for bars, pubs, restaurants and cafés, where Nespresso has grown distribution after introducing its Aguila model (pictured) for out-of-home use.
Oliver Perquy, head of out-of-home at Nestlé Nespresso SA, said: “Nespresso Grands Crus are loved around the world at home. It is a natural progression that we should make the breadth of those coffee experiences that our club members and coffee lovers enjoy at home as an out-of-home coffee experience.”
The intense and syrupy Ristretto Intenso Grand Cru is rich in roasted notes and reaches 12 on the Nespresso coffee intensity scale, higher than the previous intensity level of 10 with the Ristretto Origin India.
Nespresso experts identified a gourmet Robusta blend and included a rare washed bean which ensures the blend is intense yet not harsh. Nespresso worked with its coffee farmer partners in Brazil to move from a mechanical high-temperature drying process for the green bean to drying this Robusta variety naturally in the sun.
The second Robusta bean is sourced in Guatemala and was also treated differently to the mechanical manner – treated through the wet drying method which ensures smoothness while keeping the intensity intact.
The Ristretto Intenso Grand Cru blend also includes an Arabica from South America which is separately roasted. This split roasting technique brings out the best characteristics of each coffee variety. The intense roast brings out the strong bitterness and body of the Robustas and the long roast of the Arabica brings out finer notes and natural sweetness.
Extremely intense as well as bitter, coupled with highly aromatic qualities, the Ristretto Intenso Grand Cru boasts a creamy texture, high density and pepper notes, leaving a pleasurable aftertaste. It also has powerful and distinctive aromas from its spicy and woody notes.
The Nespresso Business Solutions coffee range now comprises nine different Grands Crus across four families, Ristretto, Lungo, Espresso and Decaffinated.
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