BARISTA CREATIONS Corto ( Intensity 11/13 )

About Corto

The Nespresso Barista Creations Corto is a powerful, intensely roasted Arabica–Robusta blend made only for Original Line machines — and built for a splash of milk. It is Nespresso’s strongest Arabica–Robusta blend in the Barista Creations For Milk range, inspired by Spanish baristas who master dark roasts and generous textures. Also, a long split roast gives Corto its raw strength, peppery spice and thick, syrupy body that punches through milk without losing character.

Would you like to drink an intense coffee with a hint of lightness? Taste Corto with a dash of warm milk and let this powerful, dark-roasted blend of African Arabicas and Ugandan Robusta carry you away with its intense notes of roasted coffee and peppery spice. Enjoy its silky texture and generous, lingering aftertaste — especially in the traditional cortado recipe.

At a Glance

Key Features

• FOR MILK ORIGINAL LINE — SPICY & INTENSE
• INTENSITY 11 — STRONGEST ARABICA–ROBUSTA FOR MILK
• CORTADO RECIPE — 40 ML ESPRESSO + SPLASH OF MILK
• UGANDAN ROBUSTA & AFRICAN ARABICA BLEND
• LONG SPLIT ROAST — DARK, TOASTED & SYRUPY
• ROASTED COFFEE & PEPPERY SPICE NOTES
• INSPIRED BY SPANISH BARISTA CORTADO TRADITION
• CREAMY TEXTURE WITH MILK — ELEGANT BITTERNESS
• WORKS WITH COW, OAT OR PLANT-BASED MILK
• 10 ORIGINAL LINE CAPSULES PER SLEEVE — 58 G
• 80% RECYCLED ALUMINIUM CAPSULES

Product Details

Where the Beans Come From

To create this intense, generous and exquisitely balanced cup with a touch of milk, Nespresso tested many coffees from different countries of origin and found that not all interact well with milk. They chose a fine Ugandan Robusta as the base of this blend — its thick, intense and syrupy texture is characteristic of a cortado recipe. Then, the finest African Arabicas were added to complement this powerful profile. The diversity of coffees in the blend lends it real depth of character when you add a cloud of milk.

How It Is Roasted

Roasting any coffee requires a perfect balance between temperature and roast time — but this balance is even more important when you are seeking the perfect harmony of coffee with milk. Nespresso split-roasted the Corto coffees at length to reveal the characteristic texture of a Spanish coffee. A long roast gives the beans a dark, toasted colour, reveals a seductive bitterness, and develops a thick, syrupy body — roast level 5 out of 5.

How It Tastes

For Barista Creations Corto, Nespresso drew inspiration from Spanish baristas who have a perfect mastery of intense roasts and generous textures. That is why this coffee is easily recognised for its raw strength and its intense, toasted flavour. You get deeply roasted dark and peppery notes on a silky, lingering finish. Adding a dash of milk reveals how Corto lingers pleasantly on the palate, its elegant bitterness and its thick, textured body — ideal for those who love spicy, intense recipes with milk.

How to Serve It

Cortado (recommended): Brew 40 ml espresso, add 10–20 ml of warm milk and crown with two spoons of milk foam. The lightness of the milk softens the bitterness while Corto keeps its intensity, silky texture and long aftertaste.

Cortado cappuccino: Nespresso’s signature serve for Corto — a short, bold milk coffee with creamy texture and lingering roasted character.

Espresso (40 ml): A punchy shot of robust coffee with intense roasted and peppery notes — best with just a splash of milk.

Ristretto (25 ml): An even more concentrated intense serve for lovers of bold, dark-roasted coffee.

With oat milk: Corto pairs perfectly with a little oat milk — the blend holds its spicy intensity while plant-based milk adds gentle sweetness.

Cappuccino / milk recipe: Use the milk-recipe setting on compatible Original Line machines for a longer cortado-style serve with foamed milk.

Full Specifications

Brewing Recommendations

Cortado — with milk: 40 ml espresso, 10–20 ml warm milk, two spoons milk foam. The traditional Spanish serve Nespresso designed Corto for.

Cortado cappuccino: A short, intense milk coffee with creamy texture and a long, roasted aftertaste.

Espresso (40 ml): A punchy, dark-roasted shot — add just a splash of milk to soften the elegant bitterness.

Ristretto (25 ml): Maximum intensity in the smallest cup size.

With oat milk: A perfect plant-based pairing — oat milk’s lightness complements Corto’s peppery spice.

With milk frother: Use an Aeroccino4 or Aeroccino3 for dense microfoam that crowns a proper cortado.

Directions and Safety

Directions: Use only with Nespresso Original Line machines. Insert the capsule and select Espresso (40 ml), Ristretto, Lungo or a milk recipe. Compatible with CitiZ, Gran Lattissima, Essenza, Pixie and all Original Line models. Do not use with Vertuo machines.

Storage: Keep in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Use by the best-before date on the sleeve.

Note: Contains caffeine. Each sleeve includes 10 roast and ground coffee capsules. Does not contain dairy products. No allergens present.

Frequently Asked Questions

Machine and Brew Size

What machine works with Corto?
These capsules work only with Nespresso Original Line machines, including CitiZ, Gran Lattissima, Essenza, Pixie and De’Longhi Lattissima models. They do not work with Vertuo machines.

What brew size should I use?
Nespresso recommends the cortado recipe: 40 ml espresso with 10–20 ml warm milk and two spoons of milk foam. You can also brew Ristretto (25 ml) or Espresso (40 ml) for a bold black shot with a splash of milk.

How intense is Corto?
Corto sits at intensity 11 — the strongest Arabica–Robusta blend in the Barista Creations For Milk range. It is inspired by Spanish dark roasts and designed to punch through milk.

Taste and Milk Recipes

What does Corto taste like?
You get intensely roasted, dark and peppery notes with a thick, syrupy body and silky texture. Also, the finish lingers generously — especially when you add a cloud of hot milk.

Is Corto good with milk?
Yes — it is designed for milk. A small amount of warm milk softens the elegant bitterness while revealing Corto’s full depth. Cow milk and oat milk both work beautifully.

What is a cortado?
A cortado is a Spanish-style short coffee: roughly equal parts espresso and warm milk with a little foam on top. Corto was created specifically for this recipe.

How does Corto compare to Chiaro or Kazaar?
Corto is the intense, dark-roasted end of the Barista Creations For Milk range. Chiaro is lighter and sweeter for milk. For a similar bold intensity outside Barista Creations, try Ispirazione Palermo Kazaar.

Buying and Recycling

How many capsules are in a sleeve?
Each sleeve contains 10 Original Line capsules (58 g / 2.05 oz net weight). Nespresso seals them in a protective atmosphere for freshness.

Where can I buy Corto in Nairobi?
You can buy it at Coffee Fix Nairobi with local delivery options. Also, check in store for other Barista Creations For Milk Original pods.

Are the capsules recyclable?
Yes. Nespresso Original capsules use 80% recycled aluminium. So you can return used capsules through the Nespresso recycling programme.

Brand: Nespresso | Available at: Coffee Fix Nairobi