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Intelligentsia Coffee, Medium Roast Whole Bean Coffee - Black Cat Classic Espresso 12 Ounce Bag

  • Based on 4,603 reviews
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Availability: Only 6 left in stock, order soon!
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Arrives Thursday, Jul 3
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Flavor Name: Black Cat Classic Espresso, WB


Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)


Features

  • Contains one (1) 12 Ounce Bag of Intelligentsia Black Cat Classic Espresso Whole Bean Coffee
  • Black Cat Classic Espresso: This syrupy sweet espresso blend has been the staple of our lineup since the very beginning. Supreme balance and a wonderful sweetness make our Black Cat Espresso truly a classic
  • Direct Trade: Our commitment to direct trade allows us to cut out unnecessary importers and exporters, and enables us to truly partner with our growers to bring you the sweetest coffees in the world
  • How to Brew: For espresso, we recommend a fine grind and your finished espresso should weigh 2.5 times as much as your coffee dose, which provides an excellent total extraction and maximizes flavor
  • Seasonality: The components of our blends change throughout the year to incorporate new arrivals. We ensure freshness and optimize quality while the profiles remain consistent

Description

Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso is our flagship espresso blend and has been a staple in our line since the day we opened back in 1995. Designed to be a manifestation of Intelligentsia’s style and substance, it's hallmarks are sweetness, cleanliness, and complexity. Notes of cherry, cola, and orange provide a syrupy sweet flavor profile that is perfect for specialty coffee lovers looking to explore the sweeter side of espresso

Brand: Intelligentsia


Item Form: Whole Bean


Flavor: Black Cat Classic Espresso, WB


Caffeine Content Description: Caffeinated


Roast Level: Medium Roast


Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 3.2 x 4.4 x 5.8 inches; 12 ounces


Item model number ‏ : ‎ 510199


UPC ‏ :


Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Intelligentsia


Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ USA


Frequently asked questions

If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Thursday, Jul 3

This item is non-returnable:

Non-returnable due to Food safety reasons

View our full returns policy here.

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • Light Roast, Whole Flavor
Flavor Name: House Blend, WB Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)
I'm not really a big coffee aficionado so I can't personally attest to the flavor profile. I did not see a roast date on my package which many people commented on in their reviews. The beans were not dried and shriveled up like on other reviews. I used 2 cups of beans which wasn't even half the bag, so hopefully this bag is good for a month of use in a 1 person/1.5 cups per day household. I mostly got this as a way to stop paying for the canned harbucks coffees in the stores which are absurdly costly and take time out of my week to get. 10$/mo is a lot better than 90$ for the cans. The cold brew did not produce a black color which shocked my coworker, but the flavor was very high after a short 11 hour brew. The flavor is significant dulled after a shot of milk and vanilla. Both my taste testers thought the coffee was great. Coffee grounds are great for composting (green material) and your coffee bean grinder can also grind dried disinfected eggshells. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2024 by Amazon Customer

  • Fresh and Delicious
Flavor Name: Black Cat Classic Espresso, WB Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)
These beans were delicious and fresh. I am extremely happy I tried these. It took a little to dial in at first as it was a little sour. I had to grind a little finer and pull a 1:2.5 ratio (18g in, 45g out) with a 30s bloom on my espresso and the flavor was magical! If you have the money, time, and patience to try this coffee, I strongly recommend it! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2025 by Odissia57

  • Awful
Flavor Name: House Blend, WB Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)
I really didn’t want to believe the reviews so I ordered this coffee despite the bad reviews. We had this type of coffee in Chicago years ago and it was amazing. So amazing that I have never forgotten it. Unfortunately this is not the same thing and something is terribly wrong with these beans. There is literally zero flavor. With my normal coffee I usually use 5 scoops to make a 12oz batch. The first batch of Intelligentsia I used 5 scoops and it was literally like water. I tried 7 scoops and it’s still very bland- I can’t taste any underlying hints of flavor the way I could from our yummy Intelligentsia coffee in Chicago. Anyways, I’ve now made only a few pots and the whole bag is gone- wasted half of it trying to get it to be strong enough- and I won’t be buying again. Sidenote- the beans are BONE dry. Not sure if that could have anything to do with it but most coffee beans have a bit of oil residue to them. Do not recommend if you’re looking for true intelligentsia coffee. If you like hot tea, that’s basically what this will give you. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2025 by JHellek

  • Excellent Espresso (IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT WEIGHT)
Pros: Very complex Rich Excellent for doubles and triples Cons: A bit expensive Merely adequate for singles Overall: I very much like Black Cat Espresso. I consider it the bar against which other espressos are measured. I like it more than Kicking Horse, Lavazza, and Stumptown. Its flavor profile is very complex. It has its fair share of caramel and chocolate, but it also has a spicy, savory nature to it, and very fruity notes that come out well in singles. This is not a large-scale, homogenized coffee. Different regions and roasts result in different flavors from each bag. Sometimes that spiciness becomes a sort of salty flavor, and the fruits can turn very flowery. It is an easy espresso to make. Even shots that aren't perfect come out tasting pretty good. It's also a forgiving blend in that the shots are not prone to channeling. Singles are good, because any good coffee becomes light and toasty in a single, as opposed to the rich, crema-bombs of doubles and triples. Still, this espresso is very much intended for doubles or triples. In drip coffee, it's alright. And by drip, I mean any immersion process, be it French press, Aeropress, drip, pour-over, etc. The flavors get blown out, with the spices overwhelming the chocolates and caramels and resulting in a coffee that's not terribly smooth. Of the immersion processes, Aeropress tasted the best, probably because it most closely approximates espresso. Black Cat is a bit expensive, but not terribly so. Especially when one considers the increases in coffee as of late, -even Starbucks Tribute was $14 per pound- the price isn't crippling, but it is definitely above many other brands. You can save a little money by buying in five-pound bulks on Intellgentsia's website, but it's not a good idea to keep coffee beans around for that long when you can just as easily get it fresh. All said, Black Cat is espresso that more often than not finds its way into my machine. UPDATE: Something that I forgot to mention in my initial review is that Black Cat is a very complex blend. That means that cheap stepped grinders WILL NOT grind the coffee correctly for espresso. Some higher-end stepped grinders will do the job, like the Rancilio Rocky, but you'll want a good, stepless grinder to fine-tune the grind. This is especially important if you have an espresso machine that's very picky about grind. Finally, this is not a terribly cremariffic espresso, which means to get a good amount of crema out of it, and thus really have a good canvas for latte art, you're going to have to prepare triples. UPDATE #2 ABOUT WEIGHT: It is very important to realize that the various sellers selling this are NOT SELLING THE SAME PRODUCT. The beans are the same, and most of the sellers are selling freshly-roasted beans. They are selling different weights, though. Need Caffeine is selling one-pound bags (16oz), whereas Trade Concepts and Abernook are selling 12oz bags for the same price. If different sellers than the above mentioned become available, e-mail the seller to ask the weight of the bag. It's the only way to ensure that you are getting a full pound. This is supposed to be the product page for the full-pound bag. That's why there is a separate product page for the 120z bag. I am very disappointed in Trade Concepts and Abernook. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2011 by Aaron Martin-colby

  • Fantastic product
Flavor Name: Black Cat Classic Espresso, WB Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)
This coffee is increadably smooth with chocolate overtones and an inherent sweetness! We will be buying more of this!
Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2025 by TomC

  • whoa its marshmellowy
Flavor Name: Black Cat Classic Espresso, WB Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)
I did not see the 'raw sugar' and 'marshmallow' notes, so my bad, but I cant believe the smell coming from the beans and it only got stronger once ground and the shots were pulled, it completely overpowers the "coffee" taste. I am not familiar with this brand and I noticed that the beans are much smaller than others. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2025 by Scott O'Hara

  • One of the best tasting beans purchased so far !
Flavor Name: Black Cat Classic Espresso, WB Size: 12 Ounce (Pack of 1)
I’ve been using Lavazza dark roast for some time run through a Krups espresso and would adjust flavor with grind but, I recently purchased a G3(Marzocco) and there are various ways to “adjust” the intensity, aroma , flavor… with this machine. I still have a Barista “Virtuoso” that’s going on 10 years(burr grinder) . Decided to try one of the many bean blends now available and roasted in house. You can now purchase a coffee bean roaster for your home but blending beans is the tricky part and uber retentive (at least in my part) but after several 12 ounce sampler pack I purchased here on Amazon , this one is my most favorite. It’s not an oily bean so don’t expect a lot of “crema”but , I can taste the chocolate , a little caramel and toasted brown sugar in my brew. Definitely will keep this one on my shelf ! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 17, 2024 by mostdangerous city in the usa El Paso

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