Introduction
The Nespresso Chiaro, is a Barista Creations series capsules. These are particularly designed to go well with milk. The Chiaro uses arabicas from Kenya and Indonesia and a split roast is used. I have a Creatista Uno and used this to prepare the steamed milk. In this case I’ve only had four sample packs to test out the Chiaro capsules to evaluate.
Aroma
With milk added, the Chiaro reminds me of light scented flowers, but also reminds me of candy floss.
Without milk, the aroma is very light and a little woody and chocolate smelling.
Taste
I brewed the Chiaro as an espresso size cup and added milk to fill up to around a Lungo size cup total (110 ml / 3.7 fl oz) volume. The milk doesn’t drown out the coffee taste. On the first sip of the Nespresso Chiaro, it hits you with light spiciness to it. It hits the bitter part of the tongue. It does have a light milky bitter taste to it, but it is pleasant.
I’m guessing less milk might make the coffee taste stronger. So maybe a ristretto amount of milk or a tad more may be better.
Without milk, the Nespresso Chiaro has a bitter and sour taste to it, so it is not that pleasant.
Result
This is a coffee you’ll like if you want lighter tasting coffee, as it is not as strong as the Scuro but still has strong notes to it. Personally, I’m not fond of any of the Nespresso Barista Creations capsules. Although this is pure coffee, but adding milk does add the milk flavor, and thus it’s definitely not a capsule that I would want to order.
Even without milk, because of the bitter and sour notes it’s not a coffee that I would want to drink regularly.
Alvin Bunk 