It may once have been a luxury enjoyed by only a few, but to most Australians today coffee is an essential part of everyday life. So essential in fact, we’ve become famous for it. We’re now a leading nation when it comes to coffee trends, with other countries looking to Australia for inspiration.
Our cities are increasingly defined by the quality of the cafés that sit on every street corner. And the picture of Australia overseas is one of sun, surf and… flat whites. Especially flat whites, because this is a true original Aussie coffee: one arguably invented Down Under and gifted to the world. And even as its popularity has spread around the globe, the flat white remains among the best-loved coffee choices in Australia.
In general, Aussies favour milk-based coffees. While there are many who start their day with, say, a long black – another homegrown invention – or an espresso, there are significantly more who do so with a flat white, cappuccino or a latte.
It’s a sign of how Australia has developed its own unique coffee culture since Italian immigrants introduced the first espresso machines to these shores in the middle of the 20th century.
And that’s something that, at Nespresso, we’re keen to celebrate.
Bianco Piccolo
We know Australians love a milky coffee. That’s why we co-developed the Bianco Piccolo and Bianco Doppio blends with Nespresso Australia’s Coffee Ambassador, Mitch Monaghan. They’re capsules that come alive when paired with silk-smooth milk.
Monaghan explains that the decision to hone in on the Australian palate all came down to the nation’s love of milk. “We wanted to develop a new global range of café-quality coffees specifically for milk, with a velvety texture that could push through the milk to deliver an exceptionally smooth beverage,” says Monaghan.
“Australia has a unique cafe culture which is largely anchored in milk coffees; our research revealed 91% of the country’s coffee-drinkers opt for milk in their go-to coffee order, so it made sense to take inspiration from the coffee notes and flavours that work well locally”.
The Vertuo Bianco Piccolo capsule is everything Aussies tend to love in a blend: it’s rich, sweet and smooth. It’s truly an international brew too, thanks to its mix of Chinese, Colombian, Brazilian and Ethiopian Arabicas.
Despite what you might think by its name, Bianco Piccolo is not a Piccolo coffee. When you add milk to your Bianco Piccolo it is pure synergy; intense yet smooth in taste you can expect notes of roasted nuts that provide the perfect balance to the velvet texture of frothed milk. That’s what makes this Nespresso coffee capsule ideal for making cappuccinos, latte macchiatos or flat whites.
Its sweetness shines through in hints of biscuit and caramel, but, thanks to a darker roast, it never risks becoming sickly. Just perfect.
Bianco Doppio
The same can be said for the Vertuo Bianco Doppio.
This blend, made from split-roasted Kenyan, Nicaraguan and Colombian beans, shows beautifully sweet caramel notes and a hint of fruitiness.
Don’t be fooled by its light roast and lack of bitterness: this is still a coffee that dances with flavour and offers surprising complexity. Along with caramel and fruit, there’s a touch of cereal, too, and a smooth, creamy texture when combined with milk.
And, make no mistake, you’ll want to combine it with milk. Because it’s a capsule that’s been specially designed to suit longer cappuccinos and flat whites.
The ideal weekend morning indulgence perhaps, or even the best possible way to start a workday.
Arpeggio
One blend remains undoubtedly the nation’s favourite coffee capsule: Arpeggio.
Perhaps it’s because of Arpeggio’s intense taste and velvety texture that it’s so popular. Or maybe it’s the beautiful combination of cocoa notes with something sweeter and fruitier.
Or, of course, it could be the careful balance of the flavours and aromas that make this short-roasted Arabica coffee such a delight.
This capsule covers every option: enjoy it as a light, milky treat, or as a rich, full-flavoured black coffee. Either way, it will surely captivate you, as it has so many Nespresso members.
Booktopia book recommendations to pair with Nespresso's Australian inspired blends
Elevate the taste of Australian-crafted coffee with some of the best books written Down Under.
Where our new Nespresso capsules have been inspired by the sights, sounds and tastes of Australia, our friends at Booktopia have created a list of books that have taken their inspiration from the same source.
What could be more complementary than enjoying the two together?
From Kate Morton’s bestselling mystery novel, Homecoming, to the elegant, eloquent reconsideration of Indigenous history in Bruce Pascoe’s Dark Emu, this is a list that abounds with the wonder of Australia. Check out the list in full.
