April 8, 2008

Review: Nabob Café Crema T-Discs for Tassimo

Review from Single Serve Coffee.com - Coffee Pod Reviews

Nabob has been one of Canada's premier coffee companies since being founded in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1896. The brand is very well known among many Canadian coffee drinkers for its unique range of roasts which are made primarily with 100% Arabica beans. Nabob decided to follow most American coffee companies & recently joined the Rainforest Alliance to help maintain environmental, social & economic sustainability for their coffee farmers & workers.

Making a cup of the Nabob Café Crema using the Tassimo brewer.

Much like their 100% Columbian, Nabob's Café Crema has a surprisingly light & mellow taste... to the point where it could be considered one of the lightest-tasting cremas available for the Tassimo. Those of you who are hoping for a long-lasting, thick crema cap will be somewhat disappointed as this variety starts off with a very light one which quickly disappears after only a few minutes.

Unlike the more common Mastro Lorenzo or Gevalia varieties, Nabob's crema will yield a full 8oz cup instead of the usual 6oz or 4oz serving you've come to expect. Its uniquely bittersweet aftertaste plus overall mellow nature may cause some crema fans to consider this blend a bit too "watered-down" for their liking, so be warned if you're expecting the intensity usually found in European brands. In its defense, the somewhat subdued taste could still make for a welcome addition to the casual coffee drinker's collection or for those who don't like an excessively strong-tasting coffee.

Aroma - 5 - Slightly roasted, a bit stronger than Nabob's 100% Columbian.
Acidity - 6 - Medium, not overpowering, surprisingly mellow.
Body - 6 - Light to medium body, very light crema cap, medium to dark color.
Flavor - 6 - Medium, very mellow with interesting hints of sweetness in the finish
Mouth Feel - 5 - Subdued for a crema, somewhat velvety, mildly bitter aftertaste is balanced by sweetness
Coffee Drinker - Light enough for a casual drinker, just enough strength for occasional medium coffee drinkers.

Overall Rating: 78 - Fair

Nabob has come forth with an interesting twist for a crema coffee... as an alternative to letting the drinker sprinkle sugar on top of the cap, they decided to incorporate hints of sweetness in the aftertaste... something you wouldn't normally expect from a traditionally dark & intense coffee.

The Nabob Café Crema T-Discs will work in your TA1400 and TA1200 Tassimo hot beverage systems, as well as the new Bosch models which are slated for launch this September. Pricing is $5.99 CAD for 14 discs at most Canadian supermarkets or online for $4.99 at the Canadian Tassimo eShop. This T-Disc flavor is not currently available on the American market.

Looking for Tassimo T Discs in the US? Click here for a large selection of T Discs available including T Discs from Starbucks.

A special thanks to SH our Canadian single serve coffee correspondent for this review.

Read how we review and rate single serve coffee and other single serve coffee beverages here.

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