Review: Nespresso's RTD Master Origins Coffee Isn't Strong Enough For Its Price Tag

Nespresso revolutionized the at home espresso market for more than four decades now. So, it's no surprise that the company (which reportedly sold over 14 billion pods in the year 2020 alone, according to The Guardian) is ever-expanding how it delivers its coffee products to our doors.

When you think of this brand, the colorful Nespresso pods, familiar hum of the machine, and a tasty hot espresso you can enjoy as quickly as you brewed it are usually what come to mind. (And, let's be honest, nice hotel rooms.) However, the brand is attempting to enter into the rapidly growing iced coffee market with a new product: a canned and ready-to-drink coffee labeled under Nespresso's Master Origins series, which is sourced from Colombia.

It might seem counterintuitive that the brand would launch a chilled product as the temperatures are beginning to dip, but with more and more people consuming their caffeine on ice year round, it's no surprise that Nespresso wants to capitalize on this growing trend. So, we got on the scene to try Nespresso's newest product and determine whether or not it's worth the purchase.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

The new iteration of Nespresso's Master Origins Colombia coffee comes in a ready-to-drink canned product, which the brand launched earlier this month. The limited edition cans are sized at 7.6 fluid ounces and blend Nespresso's Master Origins Colombia coffee with another limited launch: a jar coffee blossom honey. 

What makes this U.S.-only launch really special is that the coffee beverage contains raw honey harvested from bee colonies that pollinate the same flowers that eventually grow into Nespresso's Colombian-sourced coffee. This brings a whole new level to the old adage, "if its grows together, it goes together." Harvesting and combining honey and coffee of the same origin is an interesting step in enhancing the brand's sustainability by allowing it to incorporate more regenerative agriculture practices into daily operations.

The java that is used for Nespresso's new ready-to-drink product is the same that goes into its Colombian-sourced Vertuo Master Origins pods. They are single-origin, washed Arabica beans, roasted to a medium intensity. The notes for the coffee, according to Nespresso, are "juicy [and] fruity, with hints of candied apple and red berry". Autumnal and complex are also mentioned, and while the coffee base is low in bitterness and body, it's high in acidity. The addition of honey to the canned product is designed to cut right through the acid, softening it on your palate.

Nespresso's website does not list nutritional information for either the Master Origins Colombia ready-to-drink cans, or the coffee blossom honey. According to the label, one can of the coffee beverage contains 100 milligrams of caffeine, 50 calories, and 12 grams of sugar.

The nutritional label on the coffee blossom honey jar states that one tablespoon equals 60 calories and has 17 grams of sugar. Though it will hardly give you a jolt, the honey may also contain trace amounts of caffeine according to Nespresso's product page. The health benefits of honey have long been revered, and the National Library of Medicine states that "honey could be considered as a natural therapeutic agent for various medicinal purposes." So, in addition to adding some brain-loving carbohydrates to your morning jump of java, you also may be staving off illness when you choose to add the amber colored sweetener to your cup.

Both the ready-to-drink cans and coffee blossom honey sold out on the Nespresso website within 24 hours of the launch. If you were able to snag either item, or have a Google notification set up for a restock, the Master Origins Colombia cans retail at $66 for a case of 12. The honey is priced at $18. That comes out to $5.50 per can before tax and shipping, though, if you sign up for an Nespresso account, shipping is free in the U.S. for spends over $50. 

At only 7.6 ounces, we're talking roughly 73 cents per ounce of coffee here. Compared to the Vertuo Master Crafted Single Origins pods, which are priced at $1.35 per capsule, you'll pay quadruple for the ready-to-drink version.

I reached out to a public relations representative for Nespresso and asked about when the products will be available again. They replied that "the brand is currently navigating when they will restock." Coffee blossom honey may be a rarity, but there is a Brazilian-sourced coffee honey alternative from the company 1992 which can be purchased on Amazon.

Cracking open the can, you can really taste the honey in the coffee without it being saccharinely sweet. I have never understood the appeal of black coffee with sweetener, but the honey added a pleasant compliment of flavor, different than a spoonful of white sugar. Given that honey is far thicker than sugar, Nespresso's RTD can actually a really nice mouthfeel. It was slightly tackier than a normal can of black coffee, but smooth. If I'm adding sugar, I also want the creaminess of dairy (or nondairy plant milk, in some cases) to round out my java and add a more pleasant viscosity to the drink. In this case, I didn't miss the cream at all.

In fact, I felt that the addition would compromise the taste. To test out this theory, I poured a little bit of the ready-to-drink coffee into a cup and added a splash of milk. It didn't have a bad flavor, but it completely masked the taste of the coffee. The honey and coffee combination straight from the can strikes the right amount of balance — floral, slightly biting, and rich. Nespresso also recommends trying the canned product over ice. However, the chance of watering down a coffee that isn't especially robust is high. The most exciting notes of this drink are actually subtle, so consider whether or not you want to dilute them. 

While this drink is interesting and tasty, in my opinion, it's not worth the cost. $66 for a case of 12 cans comes out to is quite expensive, even for a luxury coffee brand. In contrast, a 12-pack of La Colombe black cold brew goes for half the cost, and is an equally high-quality coffee. While the coffee honey does add a unique nuance that you won't find in many other ready-to-drink javas, it's easily masked by the addition of cream or even ice. The inability to be able to appreciate this coffee in different forms limits it's ceiling. 

I would recommend purchasing the coffee blossom honey when it's restocked (or whatever honey you have on hand) and using the Master Origins Colombia capsules. This way you can also control how sweet you would prefer your drink to be. After you stir the coffee and honey together, you will have achieved the same taste for less (and you also have the option of drinking it hot instead of iced. In truth, the value of this coffee comes down to the convenience of having everything ready to go when you're rushing out the door, or want to have a stash in your work fridge or car. For those instances, purchasing the ready-to-drink cans might be your best option.