What is in the Kicking Horse dark roast bundle?
Two 10oz bags of ground dark roast, and the listing disagrees with itself about which two.
The title says Grizzly Claw plus Kick Ass. Both feature bullets say "1 bag of Kicking Horse Coffee, Kick Ass, Dark Roast, Ground, 10 Oz", listing the same coffee twice.
A duplicated bullet is a more likely mistake than a wrong title, so it is probably Grizzly Claw and Kick Ass. It is not certain, and this review is not going to pretend it is. If the second bag matters to you, check with the seller before ordering.
Why pairing two dark roasts is more useful than it sounds
Dark roasts are assumed to taste the same, and these two are a good demonstration that they do not.
Kick Ass is published on chocolate malt, molasses and licorice with an earthy finish and a smoky aroma. Grizzly Claw is published on dark chocolate, cacao nibs, brown sugar and roasted hazelnut, with an aroma of condensed sugar cane.
Same roaster, same roast level, same certifications, and one is savoury and smoky while the other is sweet and nutty. Brewed side by side on the same machine, that difference is obvious, and it is a genuinely good way to learn that "dark roast" describes a process rather than a flavour.
Ground, which decides who this is for
Both bags are pre-ground, so the buyer is somebody without a grinder.
That is a coherent choice for a comparison bundle: if you owned a grinder you would buy the whole bean bags, which are fresher and the same price. Pre-ground means most of the aromatics are long gone before the bag is opened, which flattens exactly the differences the pairing is meant to show.
So it works as a convenient two-coffee supply and less well as a tasting exercise. If comparing them properly is the point, the Kick Ass and Smart Ass bundle has one whole bean bag, or buy the singles.
Is the bundle worth it?
Worth it as a resupply. Poor value as a gift, because it is not packaged as one.
Two certified organic and fairtrade dark roasts at a supermarket-adjacent price is good buying. What it is not is a gift set in the presentation sense: no gift packaging, no message option and no box are published.
Compare that to a Cooper's Cask box set, which is built to be given. This is two bags in a shipping carton.
Kicking Horse publishes no origin country, farm, altitude, varietal, processing method or roast date on this listing, and no price comparison against buying the bags separately. And the contents are contradicted on the page itself.
Who should buy it (and who should not)
Buy it to keep two dark roasts in the cupboard without a grinder.
It suits a drip machine household that gets through coffee steadily and wants the certifications.
Do not buy it as a present, because nothing about the packaging is presented as one. Do not buy it if you grind fresh. And check what the second bag actually is first.
Frequently Asked Questions
What two coffees are in it?
The title says Grizzly Claw and Kick Ass. Both bullets say Kick Ass. The seller contradicts itself, so confirm before ordering.
Is it whole bean or ground?
Ground, both bags.
How much coffee is it?
Two 10oz bags, 566g in total.
Is it certified?
Certified Organic, Fairtrade and Kosher, as with the rest of the range.
Does it come gift wrapped?
No gift packaging or message option is published. It is two bags.
