illy Espresso Tasting Pack - coffee beans - 2 x 250 grams

This tasting pack contains whole coffee beans: two tins of 250 grams, illy Classico and illy Intenso. So you grind the beans yourself, ideally just before brewing. If you are looking for ready ground coffee, choose the illy Espresso tasting pack in ground coffee. Mixing up beans and ground coffee is the most common ordering mistake, so do check it in your basket before you pay.

illy Classico is the standard, red roast: smooth and balanced, with the aroma illy is known for. illy Intenso is the dark roast, which used to be called illy Zwart, and gives a stronger cup with a longer finish. It is the same 100 percent Arabica blend, only the roast level differs. With this tasting pack you can compare the two at home side by side.

Because these are whole beans, you need a grinder: a bean to cup machine with a bean hopper or an espresso machine with a separate grinder. For espresso you grind fine. According to illy, the illy Intenso also lends itself well to a coarser grind for a French press or a cafetière. If you do not have a grinder at home, choose the ground version of this tasting pack.

The pack contains a total of 500 grams of coffee beans. For a double espresso you allow about 16 to 20 grams of ground coffee, so you get roughly 25 to 30 double espressos out of it. If you make single espressos or use a slightly lower dose, it will go further. We recommend weighing your coffee instead of scooping it, as that gives the most consistent result.

Unopened, the illy tins are packed oxygen free and under pressure, which keeps the aroma intact for a long time. Store them cool, dark and dry. Close the tin well after opening and preferably use the beans within a few weeks after that. Do not put coffee in the fridge: moisture and odours there come at the expense of the flavour.