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Coffee Aim’s Rating
| Espresso Quality | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Easy to brew | 4.7 out of 5 |
| Flavor | 4.6 out of 5 |
| Aroma | 4.4 out of 5 |
| Strength | 4.8 out of 5 |
| Body | 4.3 out of 5 |
| Acidity | 4.1 out of 5 |
| Bitterness | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Crema | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Intensity | 4.7 out of 5 |
| Value for money | 4.2 out of 5 |
| Brand Reputation | 4.5 out of 5 |
| Coffee Aim’s crux: Nespresso Alto Intenso XL is a dark-roasted blend of washed Guatemalan Robusta and Costa Rican Arabica beans. You would not find this rare blend in any other Nespresso capsules. This alto Vertuo pod kicks you for the day with a bold character, smooth texture, high intensity (7) and caffeine content (228-350 mg). It adds bold, woody, dark caramel notes to your cup and lets you kick start your day with a clear head. |
I don’t drink coffee to wake up. I wake up to drink coffee. A strong cup of coffee gives you a kick for the day and makes your morning enjoyable. I prefer to start my day with a well-balanced cup of Nespresso coffee. Nespresso fulfills your caffeine need with its wide range of capsules in the comfort of your home. Compared to Starbucks and Keurig K-cup pods, Nespresso capsules deliver delicious coffee cups with dense crema.
One of the Nespresso pods, i.e., Alto Intenso XL, delivers intense beverages and gives you perfect for the day. Let’s study this capsule in detail.
Features of Alto Intenso XL Vertuo
- Product Line: VertuoLine
- Intensity: 7
- Roast Type: Dark roast
- Caffeine: 228-350 mg
- Coffee Type: Arabica + Robusta beans
- Volume: 414 ml
- Aromatic Profile: Intense Notes
- Body: Dark, bold, strong, and smooth
- Flavor: Woody, cereal, and dark caramel notes
- Finish: Bitter notes
Nespresso Alto Intenso XL Vertuo Taste Test
My Nespresso Alto Intenso XL pod was emerald green with silver streaks. It looked fantastic and was a unique addition to the world of coffee. It was a Vertuo pod, so I brewed it with the Nespresso VertuoPlus machine. While brewing, I felt a lovely scent. My 14 oz perfect-size drink had thick crema on the top. The color of the drink indicated it had intensity 7. When I tasted it, I felt rich woody notes. My drink had intense Robusta bitterness and mild acidity. It was a smooth coffee that gave me an excellent mouthfeel and burnt (charcoal) aftertaste. It is best for the morning as it will give you a kick for the day with its intense notes.
I frothed the milk in the next shot and added it to the brewed Intenso XL coffee. The light brown color of the drink looked cool. I felt chocolate and caramel notes on my palate. It also had Robusta bite and woody notes. However, the milk softened the bitter note and made my drink smoother. It was a pleasant coffee cup with decent flavors.
Nespresso Alto Intenso XL pod guarantees coffee freshness and delivers well-balanced and highly textured milk and coffee recipes. Brew it in the morning and afternoon, and pair it with chocolate or coffee cake; this Vertuo pod will always surprise you.
| What We Like | What We Don’t Like |
| Intense aroma | Not best for light roasted coffee lovers |
| Work well with milk | Not best for caffeine sensitive people |
| Dark, strong, and smooth coffee cup | — |
| Mild acidity | — |
| High and balanced bitterness and intensity | — |
| Bold character | — |
| Woody, cereal, and dark caramel notes | — |
| Bitter aftertaste | — |
Nespresso Alto Intenso XL Vertuo Features — An In-Depth Insight
Below are the main attributes of the Nespresso Alto Intenso XL Vertuo pod. These features differentiate these Alto pods from all other Nespresso capsules. These characteristics also make you understand when you should brew this pod and whether it is best for you or not. Let’s study its features in detail.
Origin — Costa Rican Arabica And Guatemalan Robusta
Nespresso Alto Intenso XL is a dark-roasted blend of two Central American Origins. The washed Arabica coffee from Costa Rica adds sweet malty notes to balance the boldness of the high-altitude Guatemalan-washed Robusta beans. The strong personality of this blend arises due to the harmony of the low-grown Robusta and Costa Rican Arabicas.
Roasting Level — 4 out of 5
In Nespresso Alto Intenso XL, the beans are split-roasted. In the first split, the Guatemalan-washed Robusta beans are roasted dark for a long time to develop the singular intensity. In the second split, the Costa Rican Arabicas are roasted dark for a shorter time to counterbalance the overall intensity.
Aroma — Intense Notes
While brewing this Nespresso Vertuo pod, I noticed a robust aroma. The high extraction temperature results in heavy and intense notes, while the medium flow balances the pleasant intensity and guarantees coffee freshness.
Acidity — 1 out of 5
When I brewed my Intenso Alto XL long black coffee, I felt mild acidic bites across the middle of my tongue. This mild tang-like acidity makes my cup enjoyable.
Bitterness — 4 out of 5
The Intenso Alto XL Vertuo pod delivered me a dark, bold, and bitter coffee. It was perfect for my morning as I needed a kick for the day. The dark roasting of Guatemalan Robusta and Costa Rican Arabica beans adds intense and bitter notes to your cup.
Body — 3 out of 5
When I tasted my Alto Intenso XL coffee, I felt it was smooth and strong. My drink had dense, thick crema, which gave me a smooth, intense flavor experience and great mouthfeel.
Flavor — Woody And Dark Caramel
My Intenso XL coffee had intense notes. These notes made my morning unforgettable. In my long black coffee, the intense woody notes hit my palate. The dairy, dark caramel and chocolate notes danced on my palate when I brewed it with milk. These Vertuo pods give you a complex coffee cup; each sip allows you to experience a new flavor.
Intensity — 7 out of 11
My Intenso XL coffee was dark and intense. The intensity balance is achieved/maintained with the dark roasting of Guatemalan Robusta and Costa Rican Arabica beans. The high caffeine content delivers bold and bitter cups with heavy and intense notes.
Caffeine Content — 228-350 mg
Nespresso makes sure to fulfill your caffeine need in the comfort of your home with its wide range of capsules. These pods do not allow you to run to the coffee shop and give you a perfect start for the day. Nespresso Alto Intenso XL is a Vertuo coffee pod containing 228-350 mg of caffeine. These pods deliver dark coffee cups with intense notes due to their high caffeine content.
Finish — Bitter And Burnt Notes
When I finished my Intenso XL coffee, I felt a bitter aftertaste. This bitter finish was neither harsh nor sour but was enjoyable. These Vertuo pods balance the boldness and deliver dark coffee cups with bold character and distinctive notes of dried wood and dark caramel. The persistent bitterness and well-balanced drink make your morning unforgettable.
Do Notes Of Dark Caramel Arise In This Blend?
Nespresso Alto Intenso XL is a dark roasted blend of two Central American Origins; Guatemalan Robusta and Costa Rican Arabica beans. The distinctive notes of dried wood and dark caramel arise in this rare blend. These Vertuo pods deliver dense, thick crema, smooth texture, bitter finish, and strong coffee cups, making your morning unforgettable.
Difference Between Alto Intenso XL And Alto Dolce XL Capsules
| Features | Nespresso Alto Intenso XL | Nespresso Alto Dolce XL |
| Origin | Guatemalan Robusta, Costa Rican Arabica | Costa Rican and South American Arabicas |
| Roasting | Dark roasting | Light roasting |
| Intensity | 7 | 4 |
| Flavor | Cereal, woody, and dark caramel notes | Caramel and toasted bread notes |
| Texture/body | A smooth, intense, dark, and strong cup | Smooth, well-balanced, and mild coffee cup |
Alto Intenso XL Compatibility
Alto Intenso XL is a Vertuo pod and is compatible with only Nespresso Vertuo-Line machines. Insert your Alto pod in the Nespresso Vertuo machine, and the device will deliver you a 14 oz perfect bold and dark coffee cup in no time.
Alto Intenso XL Reviews
Our readers sent us 5235 reviews via email. 96% of reviews were positive, indicating that our readers highly recommend this Nespresso pod.
Is Nespresso Alto Intenso XL Vertuo Coffee Pods Best For You?
If you want to kick start your day with strong and intense long black coffee, Nespresso Alto Intenso XL is meant for you. The blend of dark roasted Guatemalan Robusta and Costa Rican Arabica beans brings bitterness, boldness, and intense wood and dark caramel notes. The dense, thick crema, smooth texture, bitter finish, mild acidity, and high caffeine content (228-350 mg) make your morning unforgettable. However, if you want to;
- Taste a coffee blended with Costa Rican and South American Arabicas, has 228-350 mg caffeine, a size of 14 oz alto, intensity 4, and caramel and toasted bread notes; purchase or search for Nespresso Alto Dolce XL.
- Taste a coffee blended with Ethiopian and Kenyan Arabicas, has 165 mg caffeine content, a size of 7.7 oz coffee cup, intensity 4, and cereal and white floral notes; purchase or search for new pods, i.e. Nespresso Giornio.
- Taste a coffee blended with Ethiopian and South American Arabicas, has 170-200 mg caffeine content, a size of 7.7 oz coffee cup, intensity 5, and pumpkin and spicy notes; check out Nespresso Pumpkin Spice Cake capsules.
FAQs
Did Nespresso Discontinue Alto Xl?
Nespresso Alto XL Intenso coffee pods are not discontinued, available in stock, and on many online stores such as Amazon, the Nespresso brand, Bed Bath Beyond store, and many other sites. It is better to buy these coffee pods from Amazon as it is a reliable online site, offers reasonable shipping (free standard shipping) and return policy, and delivers a sleeve of 10 Alto XL Intenso coffee pods.
What Nespresso Pods Are Being Discontinued?
Nespresso has discontinued only four coffee pods of single origin. Nespresso is planning to launch new capsules with better flavor and drink quality to amaze you.
What Is Nespresso Alto Intenso?
Nespresso Alto Intenso XL is a dark-roasted blend of two Central American Origins. The Costa Rican-washed Arabica coffee adds sweet malty notes to balance the boldness of the high-altitude Guatemala-washed Robusta beans. This blend’s strong personality reaches a pleasant intensity due to the harmony of the low-grown Robusta and Costa Rican Arabicas.
Which Nespresso Alto Capsules Are The Strongest?
Nespresso Alto Intenso XL is a rare find capsule that delivers 14 oz strong, dark, and bold coffee cups with intense notes. The blend of dark roasted Guatemalan Robusta and Costa Rican Arabica beans and high caffeine content balance the boldness and deliver bitter cups with dried wood and dark caramel notes.
