by Nigel Ong
Aside from its line of fragrances and tobacco, Davidoff also has a respectable line of instant coffee. I have tried the Davidoff Fine Aroma and found it quite good for a premium instant coffee.
But what about the others? There are two more instant coffees in Davidoff’s range, and I thought it would make sense to review them. They also seem to sell quite well on Amazon, with good customer reviews.
I picked up a bottle of Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee in this post and will review it. I will make cups of it and drink it black and with other flavorings. I’ll also compare it with other instant coffee before deciding if you should try it.
About Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee
Davidoff is best described as a luxury lifestyle brand similar to Dunhill. It was founded by Zino Davidoff in 1875 and produces many luxury items for men, such as clothing, shoes, tobacco, and fragrances.
Within its line of instant coffee, Davidoff offers several blends, including:
- Davidoff Fine Aroma
- Davidoff Rich Aroma
- Davidoff Espresso 57
- Davidoff Crema Intense
These varieties differ in blending, intensity levels, roasting profiles, and flavor notes. They can range from mild and balanced to bold and edgy.
These blends are made from 100% Arabica beans, which helps to give this instant coffee a smooth taste. It is also less earthy and acidic than common instant coffee, which usually uses Robusta beans.
Davidoff instant coffee products are quite popular, with many loyal drinkers. Its offerings on Amazon have many positive reviews as well, with many citing its smooth taste and premium experience.
First Impression
My Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee bottle has a sturdy feel. The coffee is kept inside an air-tight glass bottle. The glass looks thick, durable, and shaped uniquely to make it easy to hold.
The whole bottle has a premium feel, a dark blue plastic cap, and a shiny red label. As a luxury brand, Davidoff also ensures their instant coffee passes off the same vibe. Each jar holds around 3.52 ounces of coffee, about 100mg.
Davidoff grades the intensity of their coffee from 1-12, with 1 being the lightest and 12 being the most intense. For Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee, it is a high 10, indicating it is a dark roast.
This makes sense, too, as the packaging mentions that the instant coffee has a ‘vivid and spicy’ taste. The beans are 100% Arabica sourced from South America and East Africa.
Once I removed the plastic cap, there was an aluminum seal inside. The seals remind me of Nescafe’s – they do not come off in a single piece. This may make removals a slight hassle.
The coffee granules are large and flat, similar to other premium instant coffees such as Nescafe Gold, Lavazza Prontissimo Intenso, or Maxim.
Aroma-wise, it has a rich, earthy, and bold smell. If you like dark roasts, this instant coffee may smell nice.
Alright, let’s make some coffee and get sipping.
How Does Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee Taste?
Brewing instructions are straightforward – simply add 180ml of hot water to two teaspoons of the instant coffee. Stir away, and you are done. Feel free to add flavorings such as milk, creamer, or sugar.
I tried the Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee with these flavorings, and here is what I found:
Black
This coffee is certainly a step up from the Davidoff Fine Aroma. It is bold and strong. The 10 out of 12 rating is well justified here.
The coffee’s earthiness is prominent but not to the point of being overpowering. There is also some smoothness to the instant coffee.
I think this points to the Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee being made with 100% Arabica beans. This means there’s no overbearing earthiness and rough flavors like you usually get in Robusta coffee.
As I allowed the coffee to settle in my mouth, I picked up some spice notes between the earthy notes. I would guess it is nutmeg and some cinnamon, but you may taste something else.
I can easily see this coffee being enjoyed on cold days with a stick of cigars. The bold flavor could stimulate cold, numb tongues well.
With Sugar And Sweetener
Coffee with sweeteners is very common. Although I am not a fan of having my coffee sweet, I should try the Davidoff Rich Aroma with it to produce a more thorough review.
I made two fresh cups of Davidoff Rich Aroma. In the first cup, I added two droplets of Equal artificial sweetener.
Equal is made from Aspartame, meaning the sweetness slightly differs from regular sugar. My experience tells me that Aspartame’s sweetness tends to come later and is less immediate than sugar. It also has a longer finish in my mouth.
In the second cup, I added a stick of sugar. I use granulated brown sugar here. I then stirred both into the coffee and went ahead with the sipping.
Both sugared and sweetened versions of the coffee have a less earthy and bitter taste, making the coffee more pleasant to drink. Both also seemed to give the coffee a silkier texture in the mouth.
However, Equal’s sweetness seems to come later. The sweet taste also lingers longer in my mouth, too long for me to be comfortable with.
This does not give me a good impression. In fact, it made the whole drinking experience a little artificial.
The sugared version is much better. It may be less healthy and a bad idea for people with diabetes, but the sweetness tastes natural. At the right amount, it also helps make the coffee more sippable.
With Milk
I usually like to have dark, bold coffee softened down with milk. After drinking the Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee black, I like the coffee with milk.
As usual, I added warm milk to a fresh cup of the Davidoff Rich Aroma. The milk I use here is UHT, whole, fresh cow’s milk. It changes the coffee to a brownish color, but not as light as when I have creamer inside.
The milk adds fat to the coffee, which helps to soften and mellow the coffee down. The cream also made the coffee smoother and silkier in the mouth. I can feel it gliding easily in my mouth.
The coffee also picked up a bit of sweetness, probably from the lactose in the milk. The subtle sweetness is very nice, as I usually wouldn’t say I like overly sweet food or drinks.
The milk also cuts into the bitterness and earthiness of the coffee, especially up front. This should make it easier to drink for many people.
With Creamer
With the creamer, I use the regular non-dairy creamer from Coffee Mate here. I added two teaspoons of it into my fresh Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee cup.
As I sip the coffee, I can taste some creaminess. The creamer also helps to mellow down the spicy notes from the coffee. The spice notes may remind you of the taste of a latte with cinnamon powder on top.
The coffee also becomes slightly sweeter with the creamer, although not as sweet as with milk. The sweetness is also not as natural as milk.
However, the creaminess here lacks depth. The creaminess note from the creamer also does not stay on the palate longer than milk. With this Davidoff instant coffee, I think I prefer the milked version.
Iced
Finally, I added the instant coffee into a shaker. I then added water into the shaker and shook until all the instant coffee was dissolved. Then I add some ice and shake until the coffee is ice cold.
I poured out the drink into a glass and went for it.
To me, the ice elevated the bitterness of the coffee. This is quite normal, as ice tends to make coffee more bitter. However, the coffee itself is already intense, which means elevating the earthiness further can be a bit overwhelming.
I do not think Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee tasted very good when iced. Perhaps some sweetener and fat can help make it better. Iced milk coffee may be nice, but I’ll go for an iced Americano anytime compared to an iced Davidoff Rich Aroma.
Davidoff Rich Aroma vs. Other Davidoff Instant Coffee
There are four styles of Davidoff instant coffee, and I have three. I thought I’d take them out, make coffee with them, and compare their tastes.
These are the two other Davidoff instant coffees I have:
- Davidoff Fine Aroma
- Davidoff Espresso 57
I would say that the fine aroma resonates best with my palate. It is milder, chocolatey, and smoother to sip. I also think it is more versatile – I can enjoy it with milk, iced, or a bit of sugar.
The Davidoff Rich Aroma is a little strong and intense here. This coffee may work for those who think the Fine Aroma is too soft for their palate. As for me, I enjoy it the most with milk as it mellows it down.
As for the Espresso 57, this is some strong stuff. I don’t think this will work for me unless I mellow it down with milk and ice.
Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee vs. Premium Instant Coffee
Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee is a premium instant coffee. I wonder how it will taste against other premium instant coffee in my collection.
I pulled out these to compare with the Davidoff Rich Aroma instant coffee:
I made black coffee from each instant coffee on the list, as usual. I then drank them alongside the Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee.
Compared to these, I would place the Davidoff Rich Aroma last. It’s a bit shocking, but I think it is too strong to be enjoyed independently compared to the other instant coffee on the list.
I have always preferred the Illy Classico and still think it is the best. Maxim and Regular Nescafe Gold are also nice too.
However, I think the comparison may differ if I drink these as milked coffee. The Davidoff Rich Aroma instant coffee would be more competitive than milk coffee.
Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee vs Regular Coffee
Finally, I always place any coffee I review to a simple test, comparing it against regular coffee you can get from gas stations and convenience stores. The idea here is to see if the coffee is good enough.
I picked up a cup of Americano from a local 7-Eleven and sipped it with my Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee.
My verdict? I think the 7-Eleven coffee wins by a thin margin. It may be a regular coffee, but it is brewed directly from beans. This means it has a certain depth and flavor that no instant coffee can match, no matter how premium.
Is Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee For You?
The Davidoff Rich Aroma Instant Coffee is a well-blended instant coffee. It is intense, strong, and has an earthiness that does not overpower. Thanks to its 100% Arabica blend, it is also smooth to drink.
It is a legitimate premium instant coffee and is a great option should you want to explore stronger, more intense cups of instant coffee at home. If you find regular or medium blend instant coffee weak or lacking, this may be something you can try.
However, the spicy notes may not be for everyone, especially if you live in a warmer climate. I think the spicy notes will taste excellent on cold days. I think it will taste great iced with milk on warmer days.Now, this is my personal review. What about checking out the reviews of other drinkers on Amazon? If you are keen to, what about ordering it for yourself then? Enjoy the coffee!