Italian coffee is best known as a way of preparing coffee than a variety.
Perhaps, because it is the place of origin of espresso and other culinary specialties rather than Italian coffee as an ingredient. Like affogato coffee, desserts like tiramisu or fried broth.
Italy is the second-largest producer and exporter of roasted coffee in Europe. From there, excellent brands have emerged.
Thanks to a meticulous effort to improve the flavor and aroma of preparing espresso coffee. Perfecting the drying, roasting, and grinding processes.
Among them, the most recognized are the Illy and Lavazza brands. Two companies that compete fiercely to be the best Italian coffee in 2021.
Both are of excellent quality and deserve to be known by any beginner or professional coffee fan.
Keep reading this article where I detail the similarities and differences of Vero Italian coffee.
What is the Illy brand like?
The Illy brand was born in 1933 with the dream of offering the best coffee in the world. A family business founded in Trieste and which today is managed by the third generation of Francesco Illy, its founder.
It is characterized by mixing 9 types of 100% Arabica beans from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, India, and Ethiopia. As well as perfect three levels of superior quality roasts: regular, dark and decaffeinated.
They present their products in three formats or packages: ground, grain, and capsules. It uses state-of-the-art technology to preserve its freshness and durability with pressurized containers.
I suggest you try the Illy Classico Medium Roast, it is a mid-range presentation, but with a very balanced flavor and nuances of chocolate and caramel. It is offered in whole grain, ground, and capsules.
In addition to producing, it has spread throughout the world of coffee manufacturing machines and accessories.
What does Lavazza offer?
The Lavazza company was founded in 1895 in Turin, Italy. When Luigi Lavazza started testing different blends to produce coffee.
He personally checked the beans from Brazil, and other parts of the world, until he reached the excellent combinations that we enjoy today.
The great contribution that Lavazza made to the culture of coffee was the use of two-layer paper packaging. That improved its preservation and therefore increased the volume of sales. As early as 1947 they created the first snap-lid canned coffee
Lavazza uses grains from Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Uganda, Mexico, and the United States. And it develops sustainable production plans in each of these countries.
For example, in the line of high-end ground coffee is the Lavazza Qualità Oro Perfect Symphony. Made with 100% premium arabic beans from Central and South America.
Excellent refined coffee, with golden cream and nuances of fruity and sweet flavor that I invite you to try.
Like Illy, it offers its products in capsules, ground coffee, and beans.
As you will see, they are companies that coincide in many things, both in their definition as a brand and in the type of product they make.
Let’s say you are not wrong when choosing one or the other.
What makes the best Italian coffee different?
The first difference is made by the variety of coffee they use.
As you know, there are differences between arabica and robusta that influence the quality, taste, and caffeine levels. In addition, it has a certain bitter hue that it adds robustly when mixed.
The robust variety provides higher levels of caffeine, although it is cheaper. What makes the infusions have a stronger effect.
In the Arabica variety you find a sweeter flavor, less strong, and with fruity, floral, and chocolate nuances.
In summary
- Illy uses 100% Arabica beans
- Lavazza mixes Arabica and Robusta in some presentations and only Arabica in others.
- Lavazza is preferred for moka preparations
- Illy is a favorite for Italian espresso.
- Illy is more expensive but is very popular, especially for medium roast mocha ground coffee.
- Regarding the flavor profile, in general, Illy coffee has a smooth, bright, consistent flavor and an excellent extraction result. With nuances of caramel, chocolate, fruits, almonds, and some honey in the aroma.
- Lavazza provides a profile of mild acidity and sweetness, with deep chocolate tones and hazelnut notes. Ideal for espressos.
Finally, when it comes to choosing the best Italian coffee, it will depend on the expectation you place on your cup. Well, both brands carry out extraordinary processes to maintain the quality of their products.
There should be no doubt about it.
Lavazza assists modest coffee budgets and offers robust, tangy flavors.
Illy is softer, sweeter, more refined, and well worth your investment.
If you want to be sure, prepare a round of tasting and compare with a third brand.
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