EXPLORE THE 3 DIFFERENT COFFEE PROFILES OF THE WORLD

You love your coffee but how much do you know about it? Far from being just a beverage, it’s an art and a luxurious experience that many savour all around the world. While making a coffee has been simplified to just a press of a button with your Nespresso machine, every sip is still a labour of love that’s the result of several factors — all the way from the growing process to the roasting and packaging of the final product.

Coffee characteristics are typically affected by temperature, type of soil, humidity, altitude, processing technique and roasting. But did you know that the region in which the beans for your beloved caffeinated beverage is grown also affects its flavour profile? There are hundreds of coffee flavour profiles that make up the wide array of delectable nuances for each cup and they all come from 3 main regional coffee flavour profiles spread across the “Bean Belt”: Latin America, Africa and Asia. Let’s take a look at how the origins of the humble coffee bean influence how they taste!

The Latin American region is home to the world’s top coffee-growing country, Brazil. However, it’s far from being the only top coffee-producing country in the region. Colombia, which is also from the Latin American region, comes in at a close third place on the list of top 50 coffee-producing countries. Other notable coffee growing countries in this region include but are not limited to, Honduras, Venezuela, Peru, and Costa Rica.

The coffees from this region are best known for being smooth and mellow with a light to medium body as well as a balanced and clean mouthfeel. Their flavour profile is strikingly similar to dark or milk chocolate with hints of syrupy, honey-like notes — not unexpected considering the beans come from the same regions where the cacao is just as widely planted and equally treasured as a crop. The primary types of coffee beans grown in this region are arabica and robusta. While arabica prefers higher altitudes, the robusta style beans fare better at sea level. These terroir factors contribute to the acidity of the final product; beans grown at higher altitudes yield a brew of medium acidity and a full–bodied caramel sweetness, while those grown at a lower altitude are far less acidic and are nuttier, sweeter and more chocolatey. If your curiosity is piqued, why not try the pride of Latin America’s harvests out in the form of our Nespresso capsules? For a taste of the sweet, honeyed richness, opt for the Nicaragua coffee capsule or if you fancy a fruitier brew, perhaps the Colombia may be more your cup of choice.

Coffee is believed to have originated in Ethiopia, also called the Horn of Africa and it’s no surprise considering most of Africa lies across the “Bean Belt” which has the perfect growing conditions for coffee — hot and humid with acres of rich, fertile volcanic soil. Ethiopia, Uganda, Côte d'Ivoire, Tanzania and Kenya are the top 5 African coffee-producing countries with Ethiopia and Uganda dominating the region’s coffee production.

The African region is known for producing some of the fruitiest coffees in the world with flavour profiles that boast of their bright acidity and floral-fruity nuances. Coffees from this region tend to be clean and light on the tongue. Many African coffees may also have delicate floral aromas and even a hint of berries, making them highly prized by coffee lovers all over the world. In the case of our Ethiopia Nespresso coffee capsule, the coffee is a dry-processed Ethiopian Arabica that exudes a decadent aroma of ripe fruit and florals layered over the natural sweetness that comes from dry-processing coffee.

The Asian region has no shortage of coffee-producing countries with some of the most well-known ones being Vietnam, Indonesia and India. In fact, Vietnam is the second largest coffee producer in the world while Indonesia comes in at fourth place and India at seventh.

Coffee in the Asian region is as flavourful as the many spices used throughout its cuisines with the coffees produced being rich, earthy and almost herbal with dark chocolate nuances. They are also typically richer, smoother and full-bodied with a low to moderate acidity. It is believed that the coffee beans derive their spiced or herbal notes from the conditions in which they are grown — typically surrounded by a variety of cacao plants and other exotic spices. If darker, bolder flavours with an earthy touch is your cup of choice, then perhaps the India Nespresso capsule will pique your interest and taste buds.

No matter what type of coffee preferences you have, there’s sure to be a flavour profile that will enchant your senses — and a Nespresso capsule that will take your taste buds on a first-class trip to caffeinated bliss. Ready to travel all around the world in just one cup? Explore our curated range of Nespresso coffee capsules today and find your new favourite journey!