The Starbucks Whole Bean Coffee We Won't Be Purchasing Again

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

From its very first location, Starbucks has built a name for itself based around its roasts. From its original warehouse location on the corner of Virginia and Western in Seattle, to its iconic cafe in Pike Place Market, for which its signature coffee got its name, Starbucks has always been about the beans. But, even with its thousands upon thousands of locations across the U.S., you don't have to actually go to a Starbucks cafe to get your fix. Starbucks whole bean coffees can be purchased directly from most major grocery stores, but there is one variety that Tasting Table's taste testers wouldn't recommend. Of all the Starbucks whole bean coffees we tried and ranked, the French roast is one we won't be purchasing again.

Even though French roast coffee is supposed to be one of the darkest of all coffee roasts — and Starbucks' has been known to over-roast the majority of its beans, giving it its nickname of "charbucks" — our taste tester found that its French roast whole beans lack the intensity inherent to the roast styles' flavor. While the roast does deliver some ever-so-slight notes of charred caramel, we were left feeling disappointed by its overall taste.

Other reviewers echoed similar disappointments in Starbucks' whole bean French roast. One Target customer wrote, "This one does not taste similar to other French roasts that I've tried in the past." Someone else said, "I don't get much flavor out of this coffee. It may be too gentle, too mild for my taste."

While there are ways to make it better, with the grind size being a key way to enhance the flavor of your dark roast coffee, you may want to consider another dark roast option entirely. If you're a dark roast drinker craving the deep, intense, and charred taste of a true French roast, you may want to consider other Starbucks whole bean options. This will require you to open your mind to other varieties of Starbucks whole beans — ones that aren't labelled as dark roast. For example, our taste testers found that Starbucks' House Blend leans more towards the dark end of the spectrum than the medium label it boasts. The same thing goes for the bags of Caffé Verona whole beans and its iconic Pike Place roast, which our taste testers ranked particularly high.