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You know you like your coffee strong, but that doesn’t mean you have to be overwhelmed by the infinite choices presented to you. Italians have long been renowned for their coffee-making prowess and illy, one of the world’s leading coffee companies, has taken coffee innovation to the next level. That innovation is what makes illy special, even as more micro-roasted varieties are created.
The illy Forte is an extra dark roast, and the illy Intenso is a bold roast. The Forte is roasted for a bit longer than the Intenso. Some people might be scared off by the Forte’s intense flavor, but it is well-balanced and not bitter. It’s definitely worth a try. But before we get too far into the differences between the two, let’s start out with a little bit of the history of what makes illy such a special brand.
illy’s History
illy was founded by Francesco Illy, who was born in the Austria-Hungry Empire but moved to Italy during the First World War. After his time in the army, Illy started a cocoa and coffee business. The main focus soon became coffee when Illy invented the first automatic coffee machine in 1935. Illy also invented the system of pressurized coffee can packaging to maintain the oils and aromas of coffee. This is what led to their classic tin containers, which are perfectly designed to maintain freshness. When Illy’s son took over, he continued and expanded on Illy’s research and innovation. The company even set up a coffee university. Illy’s grandson is the chairman of the company today.
The Sustainability of illy Coffee
As a certified B-Corp, illy takes sustainability extremely seriously. Being a B-Corp means that the company needs to account for multiple layers of social, environmental, and governance best practices for their business. Coffee farming, production, and distribution can be ethically complex, and knowing that illy has won multiple awards for sustainability, including being listed as one of 2022’s Most Ethical Companies, will put many consumers more at ease.
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Extra Bold
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Bold
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Notes of dark chocolate and an intense aroma of toasted bread
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Intense, robust and full flavored with notes of deep cocoa
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Ground coffee, capsules for illy machines, Nespresso, and K-Cups
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Ground coffee, Moka, whole beans, capsules for illy machines, and K-Cups
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Both of these coffees are robust and aromatic for those who love a strong coffee.
illy Forte
Here we have a premium gourmet extra dark roast. Each illy coffee is made of 100% Arabica beans with a blend of 9 different sources. The Forte is an extra bold roast and is the darkest roast that illy makes. It has a slight dark-chocolate taste and a slight smell of freshly toasted bread.
It’s quite a coarse grind, so should be used with drip coffee machines. There are also illy Forte coffee capsules for Nespresso, and Keurig pods.
illy Intenso
The flavor is a little more balanced and is slightly less dark than the Forte. It has a lovely subtle taste of choco.
You can also buy Moka ground coffee, Nespresso classic capsules, and Keurig pods.
Alternatives
If you’re looking for a medium roast, you definitely should check out the illy Classico. It’s got the same sustainability and quality that the Forte and the Intenso have, but it’s even more subtle than the Intenso and has delicate notes of caramel, orange blossom, and jasmine. I personally like to have a variety of roasts to enjoy, depending on my mood.
The Final Verdict
If you look at the capsules, your decision will probably come down to how robust you like your coffee. For the ground coffee, it’s about how you prefer to brew your coffee. illy produces fantastic, top-quality coffee, the best coffee will be the one you like to prepare.