I tested Lavazza Qualità Oro coffee beans – My review and photos

by Nigel Ong

lavazza oro coffee beans and coffee

Honestly speaking, I do not have a high impression of Lavazza. So far, the coffee I have tasted from them does not seem to have the quality worthy of how they are marketed. 

I was particularly shocked at how the Lavazza Qualità Rossa tasted. Their instant coffees, such as the Prontissimo Intenso and Classico, also could be better. Will the Lavazza Qualità Oro change my perception of the brand? I grabbed a bag to find out. 

In this post, I will review the Lavazza Qualità Oro. I will first brew it three ways and then sample the coffee black, and with popular flavorings. Finally, I compare it against the roasts I have in my collection and decide if you should try Lavazza Qualità Oro. 

About Lavazza Qualità Oro

Lavazza may be Europe’s biggest coffee roaster and brand, offering a wide range of roasts, blends, and instant coffee worldwide. It was founded in Turin, Italy, in 1895.

The most popular Lavazza Blends include the Qualita Rossa and Qualita Oro. These are similar in intensity, roasted to medium level of darkness.

The main difference, however, is where the beans are sourced. Qualita Rossa uses 100% Arabica beans from South America and Africa. In contrast, Qualita Oro uses similar beans from Central and South America.

This results in a different taste profile. The general description is that the Qualita Rossa is more chocolatey and earthy. At the same time, the Qualita Oro is more floral and bright. 

The bag I have today is the Qualita Oro, with a bright gold packaging befitting its name (Oro means ‘gold’ in Spanish.) The packaging is 250 gm in weight (about 8.81 oz), and the beans are roasted in Italy. 

How Does Lavazza Qualità Oro Taste?

To sample the coffee, I decided to brew the coffee three ways: French Press, Pour Over, and Espresso.

French Press: French press makes a dirty, murky, full-flavored coffee with floating particles. This should allow me to sample the coffee in all its ‘glory.’

Pour Over With Filter Paper: This method produces a ‘cleaner’ version of the coffee, which should help me to sample more of the subtle notes. 

Espresso: Lavazza Qualita Oro is a medium roast. Still, espresso brewing allows me to concentrate the flavor at the crema and taste the coffee even better. 

First Impression

Similar to the Qualita Rossa, the Qualita Oro has the same problem. The bag does not have a foldable tab to help you reseal the coffee bag once you open it. This is a massive error and very hard to explain. 

Most customers would happily pay 50 cents or $1 to have that tab built into the packaging. It is just odd why Lavazza does not put them in.

The beans are roasted medium, so they are not dark and oily. Instead, you get roasted beans with a bit of matted sheen on them. 

I, however, am a little unhappy with the shape of the beans. Some are abnormally large, while some have broken into smaller bits. This could signal quality issues within Lavazza, although some beans may have been broken during shipping and transporting.

When I place the beans from Qualita Oro and Qualita Rossa side-by-side. There is not much difference. The color is the same, and the finish, too. The only difference is the aroma. At 3 o’clock position is Qualita Oro, and at 9 o’clock, Qualita Rossa.

lavazza rossa and oro coffee beans side by side

When you smell these beans side-by-side, the Qualita Rossa is chocolate-heavy. At the same time, the Qualita Oro has an acidic, herbal, and floral aroma. 

My experience with Qualita Rossa is that the beans smell good but taste unworthy of the aroma. Would the Qualita Oro be the same? Let’s find out.

lavazza oro coffee with a french press

French Press

I use my trusty Bodum Caffettiera French press for this one, although you can always use your French press of choice. If you prefer a cheaper option. Check out IKEA’s Upphetta French press.

I added 15 grams of coffee and 180ml of hot water at around 185°F (about 85°C). I then let the concoction brew for 4 minutes before pouring myself a cup. 

On the first sip, I immediately noticed the softness of the coffee. The coffee has little smoke. It is also bright and acidic. It has a sour, slightly floral, and herbal flavor. It certainly tastes much better than the Lavazza Qualita Rossa.

I like how the slightly acidic flavor makes me salivate a bit. It sort of opens up my appetite to bite into something savory to eat.

Pour Over With Filter Paper

My pour-over brewing method is based on Starbucks. I added 20 grams of ground coffee into my dripper and slowly poured 360ml of water. 

My coffee looks cleaner, with fewer sediments and particles floating about. It tasted cleaner as well. I seem to notice the coffee becoming even smoother and softer in flavor. 

Personally, I think I prefer the French press version since it is stronger. However, try both, as your palate may differ from mine.

I think the pour-over coffee is slightly more acidic, and the herbal and floral notes are a little stronger. There is also less smoke since the filter paper has removed most of the coffee particles.

Espresso

It may not make sense to brew a medium roast as an espresso. Still, I think espresso condenses the flavor, allowing me to sample the coffee better.  

I pulled my espresso shot using the Wacaco Minipresso GR. This is a manual, portable espresso maker, and it does an excellent job at a much lower price. 

The espresso came out excellent, with rich, velvety crema. I do not think the crema is as thick as your regular espresso roasts, but my key here is to concentrate the flavors. This medium roast is not roasted with espresso in mind, anyway.

It does not smash my palate with smoke and bitterness. Instead, I detected a stronger acidic note, with a more floral and herbal aroma with the espresso. 

I must mention that the acidic note may be a bit strong here, which means not everyone will enjoy it. 

What Flavorings Work Best With Lavazza Qualità Oro?

With Sweeteners

I have two sweeteners: brown, granulated cane sugar and Equal artificial sweetener. These are the two most common ways people sweeten their coffee, so I use them in my review.

I made two full cups of pour-over brew. I added a drop of Equal artificial sweetener for the first cup, with a stick of brown cane sugar on the other.

Regular sugar helps to make the coffee silkier and slightly shinier. The coffee also turns an already smooth coffee even smoother to drink.

I usually dislike how sweeteners compete with coffee’s smoke for attention, creating a less natural flavor. This is not an issue with the Lavazza Qualita Oro since it is not very smokey.

As for the Equal, I think it helps give the coffee a smoother finish, with a longer sweet aftertaste lingering on my palate. I still prefer the sugared version. 

I dislike how the sweetness lingers on your palate much longer. Still, I know this is how Aspartame (the sweetener in Equal) works, so I do not think this is an issue with the coffee.

With Milk

I made another fresh cup and poured a shot (about 30ml, or 1oz) of warm milk into it. I used fresh, whole, UHT cow’s milk for full flavor and fat.

I noticed the milk sweetens the coffee a little bit, thanks to the lactose content in milk. The subtle sweetness tasted natural and complements the coffee rather well.

My coffee also becomes slightly thicker and creamier, which makes the coffee very nicer to sip. The milk also cuts into the acidic notes, making the Qualita Oro easier to drink. Many people enjoy Qualita Oro on lazy mornings as Lattes or Cappuccinos.

The thicker coffee also glides and sticks on my tongue longer, giving me a more satisfying taste of the coffee.

With Creamer

I added a single stick of Coffee Mate creamer to my coffee. Let’s just say I prefer the milked version rather than this.

The creamer adds more cream to the coffee than the milk, that’s for sure. It also made the coffee look paler than milk. The coffee also becomes slightly sweeter, making it much nicer to sip. 

However, the sweetness does not feel as natural as milk, and the creaminess lacks depth. My palate may not always be consistent, but this time, I seem to enjoy the milked version better.

With Ice

With Iced Americano on the rage these days, I thought I’d do the same with the Qualita Oro. I poured a cup of fresh French press brew into a glass filled to the brim with ice, chucked in a straw, and started sipping.

The ice muted many of the coffee’s flavors and enhanced the coffee’s acidic notes. I think it becomes a little bit intense. If you like acidic, bright coffee, this can be a refreshing drink since it is sour and cold. 

However, I am not a fan since it is a bit too sour. I prefer the deep, dark bitterness from a cold iced Americano made from a dark roast.

Lavazza Qualità Oro vs Lavazza Qualità Rossa

It is only natural that I compare between the two. I brewed French press coffee using beans and a similar amount of ground and hot water. I then shipped them side by side. 

The Qualita Rossa has the same good aroma but a disappointing flat taste. The chocolate taste is lost in the coffee, perhaps with a faint one at the finish. The Qualita Oro is much better, with some ‘life’ in the coffee’s flavor. 

In this case, the Qualita Oro wins hands down with my palate. 

Lavazza Qualità Oro vs Popular Medium Roasts

Next, I lined up the Lavazza Qualita Oro with other popular medium roasts in my stash. These include:

I then brew coffee with each roast and sip them side by side. 

I would not rank Lavazza Qualita Oro highly on the list, as it lacks the malty, deeper flavors I enjoy from my coffee. I would rank it slightly above Starbucks Breakfast Blend and above everyone else.

Its bright, acidic notes may win out slightly over the Breakfast Blend, as I consider that as a bit of a character. The Breakfast Blend lacks this as it is a comfort coffee with a little edge in flavor.

Lavazza Qualità Oro vs Regular Coffee

Finally, I purchased a regular coffee and drank it side by side with the Lavazza Qualita Oro. The idea is to see if it is good enough than these regular coffees that you would rather make them at home. 

In this case, I picked up a regular Americano from 7-Eleven. This coffee should represent all the coffees from gas stations or convenience stores well.

I believe the Lavazza Qualita Oro is better, and if you care about your coffee, make yours at home with it. Regular coffee here lacks the depth and characteristics in flavor and taste. I found less satisfaction in drinking the coffee, too.

Should You Try Lavazza Qualità Oro?

Lavazza Qualita Oro is a coffee that finally improved my impression of the brand. It is a better roast and gives me some satisfaction in drinking it. It is certainly better than the Qualita Rossa.

It is a bright, acidic, floral, herbal coffee, so it may not suit everyone. This is not your ‘comfort coffee’. If you like your coffee on the sour, acidic side, you may enjoy the coffee well. If not, stay away.

If you find the acidic notes too much, mellow it down with milk or creamer. I found it useful, and perhaps your palate would appreciate it too.Overall, understand that I am reviewing this coffee from my palate, which means my preferences may differ from yours. Sample your own coffee, and decide if you like it or not. You can find Lavazza Qualità Oro here.

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