7 Best Dark Roast Coffees – Delicious and Full of Antioxidants
Please note that some links may be affiliate links from which we may earn a commission. This is at no extra cost to you and keeps The Coffee Suite running. Thank you.
There’s something different about a good dark roast coffee that seems to lift your mood, mind and senses from the moment the aroma hits. You can smell a good dark roast a mile away, but only the smoothest, boldest coffees have made it only this list. This list was chosen from bestseller lists and rave reviews.
I’ll be taking you through a look at the best dark roast coffees. Seven contenders across seven distinct flavor profiles have been chosen, but only you can decide which is the best for you. Let’s take a closer look at a range of dark coffee that packs flavour and immense value for money and you can be the judge.
1. Sumatra Mandheling Reserve Decaffeinated Dark Roast Coffee
The Sumatra Mandheling Reserve Decaf retains a near-complete flavor profile to the famous, beloved Indonesian brew that most of us are familiar with. The sun-dried beans boast full bodied richness with unbroken flavor notes thanks to the low acidity. Zero solvents are involved in stripping the caffeine away, leaving nothing but the clean taste of a dark roast that’ll surprise you with its smoothness every time.
Flavor
Sumatra Mandheling Reserve Decaf single origin dark roast coffee has distinctive notes of sandalwood and nuts. It’s a characteristically earthy coffee often included as a part of more robust blends for its savory taste. By itself, this is a decaf that resembles caffeinated coffee more than you’d ever expected. Each cup leaves one with a syrupy aftertaste, instantly letting you know that you’ve just been sipping on one of Indonesia’s most popular dark roasts.
Affordability
You get 16 ounces of coffee for just $21.99. That’s about 44 cups of coffee at 0.36 ounces (two level teaspoons) per serving or just under 50 cents per cup. It is pretty affordable if you ask me, especially if you consider that you’re getting one of the tastiest decafs available at the same price as regular, caffeinated, dark roast coffee.
Suitability
If you’re trying to cut down on caffeine or are caffeine intolerant, and like mild coffee, Sumatra Mandheling Reserve Decaf is one of the finest options available. It’s also a great coffee to add blends of your own that combine multiple beans’ flavor profiles.
For more information on Sumatra Mandheling Reserve Decaffeinated Dark Roast Coffee …
2. Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aged Medium/Dark Coffee Beans
Aged in oak Kentucky bourbon barrels for up to 60 days, the coffee beans used in this luxury grind bring an explosive vibrance of aromatics to your brew. Sourced from single lot farms in Columbia, only the highest quality grade 1 beans are roasted to reach their smooth but bold depth. Do you like coffee and whiskey? Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Beans are a no-brainer.
Flavor
Roasted to just the right degree to bring out intensity without acidity, Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Beans have highlights of whiskey and cocoa while remaining distinctively dark. It’s super smooth and bold and intense, making it perfect hot or cold and ideal for cold-brew coffees. The lingering tasteful undertones highlight the bold taste of dark roasted coffee which takes prominence from the sip to the aroma.
Affordability
A 12-ounce bag of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Beans will set you back $29.95, which makes it a reasonably high-end option. Each of your 33 cups works out to approximately 90 cents. That’s a little under double the cost of similar quality coffee, but the incredible spectrum of flavors and mind-blowing smoothness make the price worth it for fans of strong coffee.
Suitability
From the moment you open the bag, the pungent aroma forewarns of the rich depth of flavor. If you’re a bourbon connoisseur, you’ll be blown away by this coffee. It smells great and tastes and even better. Even if you’re familiar with barrel roast coffees, these Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Beans will still impress with their striking, distinct taste and velvety smooth, dense texture.
For a limited time period get 10% off your first order by using the code FIRSTTIME.
For more information on Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Beans …
3. Espresso Dark Roast Decaf Coffee
Espresso Dark Roast Decaf Coffee is another coffee that uses Swiss Water Processing to strip caffeine. It’s a heavier, more complex flavor profile that’s on the stronger side of life. Like any caffeinated dark roast, this blend develops a sweet intensity that’s perfect for Espresso at home. The beans are washed and processed in such a way that they leave more of a raw coffee taste than its former counterpart.
Flavor
With strong spicy undertones, the roasted quality of this strong decaf delivers a punch that’s on par with any barista-served espresso you’d expect to receive. Instead of falling flat, an almost caramel quality lifts the body and gives it a tongue-tingling richness that keeps calling for more. It’s dense, intense and tastes like pure coffee, which is precisely what many dark roast fans are looking for.
Affordability
At just $17.99 for a 16-ounce bag, you’re getting 44 cups at the cost of only 40 cents per cup. That’s incredible value which can be stretched even further if you’re using this Espresso as part of a blend or prefer slightly weaker coffee than the standard two-teaspoon serving suggestion.
Suitability
If you are dying for a super strong shot of Espresso but don’t have the caffeine tolerance for taking the shakiness or possible nausea that comes with it – this is your decaf. Don’t expect floral flavors and notes of fruity or musky, earthy additives, but for the boldness of strong coffee, you can’t go wrong with Espresso Dark Roast Decaf.
For more information on the best dark roast coffee: Espresso Dark Roast Decaf Coffee …
4. Starbucks Dark Roast French Ground Coffee
Starbucks Dark Roast French Ground Coffee is the strongest from the franchise. Starbucks provides the perfect Arabica coffee for espresso lovers. It’s also refined enough for a French press. The superfine consistency prevents any chance of clogging while also ensuring a super-strong, equally smooth brew. If you like strong coffee and have the right equipment for a super fine grind, this should be a top consideration.
Flavor
The French Ground Coffee from Starbucks has a distinctively smokey taste and a richness to its intensity. Every sip is packed with explosive power, exactly as you’d expect from any good espresso. Despite being bold and super strong, it’s still a well-balanced coffee with surprisingly low acidity. It’s the darkest roast that you could hope for without becoming bitter. The only thing that connoisseurs will find lacking is the syrupy, almost oily texture of really expensive Espresso.
Affordability
Starbucks French Ground Coffee sells at $11.98 on average for 20 ounces. That’s a whopping 37 cups of coffee per purchase and a cost per cup of approximately 32 cents when keeping in mind that French Ground calls for three teaspoons per serving. At such incredible value, one would think compromises were made, but everything excels from the taste to the beans’ quality, processing and packaging.
Suitability
You’ll be impressed by how pure, and robust Starbucks French Ground Coffee is. The boldness and intensity may be a little overwhelming for some, but the smoky taste is precisely what connoisseurs are looking for in a dark roast. It’s the proper coffee for someone who drinks a lot of coffee or those who like to start off their day strong, and a near-identical copy of the fresh French Ground you’ll find in a Starbucks outlet.
For more information on Starbucks Dark Roast French Ground Coffee …
5. Kicking Horse Grizzly Claw Dark Roast
Kicking Horse Grizzly Claw Dark Roast is an organic dessert blend boasting bold Arabica beans with strong highlights of dark chocolate, cocoa and nuts. Roasted in the rocky Canadian mountain peaks, this is a roast that’s sweeter than most strong grinds while at the same time retaining a sweet intensity. Anyone who has a taste for decadence needs to try this roast.
Flavor
Decadent coffee lovers may find a new favorite in Kicking Horse Grizzly Claw Dark Roast. It’s got just the right amount of oil to reward one with a smooth brew with a kick that’ll satisfy a sweet tooth’s coffee cravings. The remarkable thing about this coffee is that it has a pure, bold taste that dominates over all the other subtle, flavorful highlights. Hazelnut and dark chocolate are there but only as flavor accents to the coffee itself, not as an overpowering addition like so many other grinds featuring cocoa.
Affordability
A 10-ounce bag of Kicking Horse Grizzly Claw Dark Roast goes for just under $12. Even though most fans find that they need a little less coffee per cup, you’re looking at about 27 cups of coffee per bag at just under 45 cents each. That’s not bad at all when you compare pricing to similar decadent coffees that can’t reach in their purity of flavor and the perfect fusion of accompanying tastes.
Suitability
Kicking Horse Grizzly Claw Dark Roast is ideal for people who appreciate smooth, mellow, decadent blends. The enduring taste of strong, good coffee will surprise you and keep you coming back for more. Everything from the smoky aroma to the hint of brown sugary sweetness is perfectly matched to the other flavor notes of this clean, aftertaste-free coffee.
For more information on Kicking Horse Grizzly Claw Dark Roast …
6. Perfect Samplers Dark Roast Coffee Pod Variety Pack
No dark roast fan who owns a Keurig K Cup Coffee Make should deny themselves the pleasure of trying the forty different roasts making up this value-packed sampler. It packs immense value for money but the affordability is dwarfed by the pleasure of being able to try so many premium blends with one purchase.
Flavor
Every pod in this pack is a dark roast that you could end up falling in love with. There’s so many good flavors in this sampler that it’s hard to rank one over another. Expect to find top brands such as Green Mountain, Marley Coffee, Emril’s Big Easy, Barrie House and more. There’s no faster way to get a taste for exclusive coffee like the special offerings from food icons like Guy Fieri and Wolfgang Puck.
Affordability
You’re getting 40 Keurig K Cup pods for around $27.50. Paying just under 70 cents each puts the price of these premiere coffees well below the $1 average per pod that is commonly found. Buy an 80-pack, and the price comes down even more. It’s the cheapest way to try a large variety of premium coffees without needing to buy an entire pack of each to find out what you like.
Suitability
If you’re the type of person who likes trying new things, there’s no better coffee pack for you. As we mentioned before, leaving this one out of your cart is a sin to dark coffee enthusiasts. Whether for yourself, your family or as the ideal gift to anyone with a pod coffee maker – the Perfect Samplers Dark Roast Coffee Pod Variety Pack is sure to turn you or a loved one into a return customer.
For more information on Perfect Samplers Dark Roast Coffee Pod Variety Pack …
7. Sumatra Dark Roast Coffee
Sumatran coffee is heralded by its full, bold flavor and low acidity. This fine roast takes the taste we’ve fallen in love with and adds a medley of vigorous, earthy undertones. Sumatra Dark Roast from Cooper’s Cask Coffee uses grade 1 beans grown in a volcanic region that are carefully washed, processed and sundried, leaving a small batch grind with lingering spicy intensity.
Flavor
With every sip that you take, hints of dark chocolate and robust, rustic cherry come through to buffer the bold but sweet taste of fine Indonesian coffee. Just enough woodiness rewards one with an aroma and underlying taste reminiscent of tobacco. As one of the stronger coffees reviewed, Sumatra Dark Roast is also surprisingly smooth.
Affordability
$15.95 per 12-ounce bag puts the average cost of each of your 33 cups of coffee at just under 50 cents. Less than half a dollar for a Cooper’s Cask coffee that’s also a Sumatran grade 1 dark roast? Now, that’s a steal.
Suitability
If you’re a dark roast enthusiast, then you need to do yourself a favor and treat yourself to the simple yet rewarding dimensions of flavor provided by Sumatra Dark Roast from Cooper’s Cask Coffee. It’s one of those strong coffee’s that even non-coffee drinkers can take a liking too, calling you in from the moment the fresh smell hits your nose.
Hurry and get 10% off your first order using the code FIRSTTIME.
For more information on Sumatra Dark Roast Coffee …
Seven coffees for seven days of the week!
I’ve included a coffee to suit a range of different tastes. Hardcore coffee enthusiasts may want to try them all. Each of these seven coffees provides something different, and all offer outstanding value for money. Grade 1 beans, roasting that’s in a caliber of its own, and longstanding quality that you can rely on makes these best dark roast coffees worth a go. Which is your favorite?
You May Also Like
Peanut Butter Latte with Chocolate Dipped Rim
Can you put coffee in solo cups? Do’s & Don’ts
