Our Least Favorite Nespresso Vertuo Master Origins Pod Is One Of The Strongest Brews

Nespresso's lineup of coffee capsules is ever-evolving, as the company keeps releasing new blends and flavors. Most of its pods contain blends of coffee from different geographic regions, thus creating unique blends and flavor notes. But there is something special about drinking coffee that was fully sourced in one single country — for that reason, Nespresso introduced single-origin pods. Master Origins is a Vertuo single-origin line that currently offers five pods in the U.S., sourced from five different countries. Our writer and former barista, Sophia Beams, tested all the Master Origins pods and ranked them, finding Mexico to be the most underwhelming in the lineup.

Despite ranking as the worst, this is still good coffee — but it's the type of coffee you need a specific personal preference for. It has a strong flavor with hints of bitterness and is rated 7 on Nespresso's intensity level scale, which measures the strength of each pod's flavor and texture. According to this scale, Mexico is one of the most intense pods in the Master Origins line, rivaled only by Costa Rica. Its flavorful intensity is perfect for people who love a strong brew that's characteristic for a dark roast ... but it might be too much for those who don't enjoy spicy and bitter notes in their morning cup of java.

Each Mexico capsule is made only with Mexican coffee, yes, but there is still variety in the pod. It's a blend of arabica and robusta beans, two different types of coffee plants that significantly diverge in flavor intensity. Arabica is gentler, sweeter, and slightly fruity; robusta is stronger, more bitter, and woody — in other words, it makes a more robust cup of coffee, pun intended. The robusta in the Mexico pod is also double-washed, a coffee processing technique that lowers the acidity and enhances flavorful complexity. All of this awards Mexico the heavy-bodied and powerful aroma that some love and others can't tolerate.

If this pod is sitting in your kitchen cupboard because it's too intense for you, there are still some ways to soften the punch. You can start by brewing the pod with more water and later adding half-and-half to the cup. You can also turn the pod into a creamy latte by pairing it with around four ounces of frothed milk. Finally, you might just have to think outside the box and serve this pod like you would a cocktail — salt on the rim with a side of lime, per Nespresso's peculiar recipe.