Intelligentsia El Diablo Blend vs Intelligentsia Organic Decaf House Blend

people who want chocolate + molasses from a direct trade roaster

Scores higher on value per kilo.

people who want apple + raw sugar from a direct trade roaster

Scores higher on sourcing transparency & ethics.

• +A dark roast priced level with the medium blends rather than discounted below them.
• +Single country of origin behind a dark blend, which is more coherent than most.
• +The only dark filter blend in the range, so it fills a real gap on the menu.
• +Roast profile, flavour profile and origin all published as structured tags.

• −Dark roasting narrows what any coffee can show, whatever the roaster intends.
• −Only two sizes, and the larger is 2.27 kg to keep fresh.

• +Water process rather than solvent decaffeination, which is the more expensive and better method.
• +Organic certification and Direct Trade on a decaf, which almost no roaster bothers with.
• +Only a dollar over the caffeinated House Blend, a smaller decaf premium than usual.
• +Named origin and published roast and flavour profile, same as the caffeinated range.

• −Decaffeination costs any coffee some of its aromatics, whatever the method.
• −The only decaf in the range, so there is no choice of roast or origin.
• −Only two sizes, and the larger is 2.27 kg to keep fresh.