TRAVEL WITH NESPRESSO’S MASTER ORIGIN

What if I told you that you can travel the world without even leaving the coziness of your apartment, simply by putting your Nespresso machine on? You’d ask me how, and I would simply introduce you to Master Origin, Nespresso’s latest launches. Intrigued? Follow the guide!

Master Origin is a brand new range of coffees that are mastered by craftsmen and inspired by their lands. There are five coffees from around the world, each with its own distinct taste and aroma; Indonesia – rich and woody, Ethiopia – flowery and bright, Colombia – fruity and vibrant, India – intense and spicy, and Nicaragua – sweet and harmonious. The aim of this new collection is to allow us, coffee lovers, to discover unique craftsmanships and techniques born from a close collaboration between Nespresso and local coffee farmers. Five very different locations then, yet it is not only the countries that vary in Nespresso’s Master Origin, but also the production types. Indeed, each coffee is doted with a particular method of production and roasting, and each technique is refined to the maximum to develop such perfectly-crafted coffees. When I started testing these Nespresso Master Origin newbies one by one, I’ve been amazed by the large palette of aromas and flavors I found in them. So far, three sorts have won a permanent place on my coffee shelf:

MASTER ORIGIN INDONESIA

Imagine Indonesian weather conditions : the heat, the 70-90% humidity all year round, the rainfalls. Ever wondered how on earth could coffee be produced there? Well Master Origin Indonesia is unveiling the secret, and is it a real race against rain : as it is crafted in the very humid climate of the northern Sumatra, this coffee has a specific production method developed by local farmers and called « wet-hulling ». Basically this technique consists of pulping the coffee beans while these are still wet ( I did that during my Nespresso masterclass, and let me tell you one thing : it’s not easy) – removing the beans’ parchment makes it dry faster. This creates Master Origin Indonesia’s rich texture and a woody, almost cured tobacco-like aroma.

And to add an additional shine to Master Origin Indonesia, this coffee is the Nespresso’s first FairTrade-labelled permanent coffee. This is all about the product’s quality and the respect of sustainable agricultural practice – and for local farmers, being able to sell their products on FairTrade terms means that they will be doing more than just making a living, they will be able to make great improvements for their community and ensure the future viability of their local industry.

MASTER ORIGIN COLOMBIA

Fruity and vibrant, Master Origin Colombia is in my opinion the brightest aroma of the collection. To create this unique sort Nespresso introduced the late-harvest technique to its most trusted Colombian farmers. Instead of handpicking the coffee cherries when these are red (as it is the case for another favorite of mine, the Rosabaya de Colombia), the cherries are left to ripen on the branch a bit longer, until they become purple and high-grown. As you can imagine this is a risky process – an extra day could spoil the fruit, this is why everyday each cherry is individually checked and handpicked by those coffee farmers that dare to wait longer before harvesting their crop. The reward? The extra fruitier notes of course.

MASTER ORIGIN NICARAGUA

If you have a sweet tooth, try Master Origin Nicaragua and thank me later! This smooth and honeyed coffee, that is produced high in the foothills of western Nicaragua, has a very interesting and rare method of treatment called « Black Honey ». It consists of pulping the freshly collected coffee cherries but not entirely, some of the fruits’ sugar is left on the bean on purpose. Then it is turned in the sun for weeks to soak up in those natural sugars of the fruits – this sugar will become black on the bean, giving it a caramelized aspect and taste. This technique is rare as it calls for meticulous monitoring and a great attention, thus Nespresso is very careful when choosing its partners. 

In collaboration with Nespresso

Pictures by Charles Legrand