Looking to up your coffee tasting game? Did you know that slurping can actually help you taste your coffee better by engaging your sense of smell? To provide some expert advice on the right way to taste your coffee, Nespresso Coffee Ambassador Mitch Monaghan is here to share his top tips on how to find your go-to coffee blend.
So, forget traditional etiquette and start by smelling your coffee before taking a sip, then follow it up with three sharp sniffs and a slurp to awaken your senses. And if you need a palate cleanser in between tastings, grab some plain white bread and water crackers. Plus, Nespresso is re-launching its ‘Find your Favourite’ collection, featuring a selection of its most popular coffee blends, to help you create cafe-quality coffees at home that hit just right every time.
Find a little Q&A with Mitch below…
Q: Do you have any tips for new coffee drinkers to find their favourite coffee blend?
For all new coffee drinkers, there are a few key considerations to bear in mind when selecting a coffee blend to suit you:
1. Complete the coffee profiler quiz on the Nespresso Australia website. It will match you with 4 coffee capsules you may enjoy.
2. Think about flavours you enjoy (e.g. shortbread, toffee and chocolate) and look for three to four different coffee blends that contain these notes so that you have points of comparison.
3. Approach a coffee tasting similar to wine tasting – always start with the lightest coffee first and work your way up to the higher intensity so you can appreciate the nuances between them and to not overwhelm your palate.
4. To better understand how your coffee tastes with milk, try it black first so you can experience its profile in full. Then add milk to appreciate how the profile evolves.
Q: Do you have any tips on how to choose your coffee blend based on the type of milk you drink?
Consider the type of milk you like before choosing a coffee blend. While dairy milk will pair with any coffee blend, one thing to bear in mind is that plant based milks must be paired with coffee blends that have a higher intensity or darker roast. This is because they are lower in acidity and are therefore less likely to split when mixed with plant based milk (which has a lower fat content).
Q: What flavours do Australians like when it comes to coffee?
Based on data from Nespresso Australia’s online coffee profiler, we know that Australians prefer coffee blends with toffee, biscuit and chocolate notes. Which is why, Arpeggio with its strong cocoa notes is Australia’s favourite coffee capsule.
Q: What advice would you give existing Nespresso customers that are looking to try something new?
For existing Nespresso drinkers, I’d recommend visiting your local Boutique. The Coffee Specialist will confirm your favourite coffee notes are, review which blends you’ve tried from the Nespresso range before, and recommend new blends based on your preferences. One of our Coffee Specialists may also advise of new limited-edition coffee blends that may be available to try.