Berries, Dark Chocolate
If you like your coffee dark and full of character, this Sumatra Mandheling from Wogan is worth a look. Taken to the very edge of second crack, it delivers smoky depth alongside red berries and dark chocolate, finishing with a creaminess that pulls it all together. It comes in fully recyclable, Nespresso-compatible aluminium capsules - so the convenience is there too.
Dark, smoky, berry-laced pod espresso
Sumatra Mandheling is Wogan's darkest roast, taken through the beginning of second crack to produce a coffee that's bold and smoky without losing its character. The cup opens with red berries and dark chocolate, finishing with a creaminess that softens the intensity - it punches, but it doesn't blunt you.
It comes from the Permata Gayo co-operative, founded in 2006 with a focus on full traceability and consistent quality at every stage of production. The processing method is particular to Indonesia - known as Giling Basah, or wet-hulling - where green coffee is dried to three different humidity levels as it descends the mountain. The result is a raw bean with a distinctive slightly blue hue and a flavour profile you won't find anywhere else.
Scoring 84 on the SCA scale and grown at 1,200 to 1,600 metres, there's real substance here. The capsules are uncoated aluminium, Nespresso-compatible, and fully recyclable through home recycling.
So if you're after a dark, characterful pod that doesn't compromise on what's inside or what happens to the packaging afterwards, this one's worth your time.
About the Roaster
Wogan Coffee has been part of Bristol's fabric for over fifty years, now run across three generations with one branch in Bristol and another in London. As a wholly independent family company, they've spent decades learning not just how to roast well, but how to do it responsibly - paying the living wage, running solar-powered roasteries, and delivering locally by cargo bike.
