Starbucks Coffee

I had a cup of brewed Verona yesterday.  This is a coffee that I drink about 85% of the year.....as an everyday brew at home.  (unless I'm lucky enough to have Yirgacheffe)  So, back to Verona.  It's almost hard to describe for me since I am so used to it.  I did try and drink it with a fresh approach yesterday, tho.  

I love that it has a slightly sweet aroma, and roasty. The body feels full in my mouth, and the flavor definitely a bit sweet, carmelly and dark.  It always tastes smoothe to me and still so bold.....which is why I keep it as an all time regular favorite.

Verona is a close tie to Italian Roast as my favorite of these five so far.  I've loved Yukon for years (and missed it and loved it again) and Italian Roast is wonderful so, = Verona.  

smoothe, bold, sweet goodness.

as an aside, I do feel there is a difference in brewed and 'pour-over'.  and I prefer brewed.  pour-over is ok, and I know technically as hot, etc. but I really feel there is a difference and for me, I prefer brewed.  I guess I can't help looking at pour-over as something like an 'emergency' choice....  

love that we're doing this.

Caffe Verona is a coffee I have often...and was pretty much the only coffee I brewed at home in February.  It was one of my first favorites when I started to really delve into the bold selections at Starbucks years ago.  I prefer this as a dessert coffee rather than a morning coffee now though.  There is a special cake that I like (that includes lots of chocolate) that anytime I have, I always have to brew some Verona to go with it.

The roastiness and dark cocoa is very pronounced in the coffee, and I easily detect it.  I find it more bittersweet rather than the sweetness of the Italian Roast coffee.

@betterbefore - I have finally been getting to enjoy Yirgacheffe! It is absolutely amazing!  I am going to be so sad when my bag of it is gone...

Verona has been one of my favorites for a long time.

Aroma: Roasty, slightly sweet

Body: Medium-full

Flavor: Notes of dark chocolate, and slightly sweet

Finish: Sweet, and very clean and smooth

So far I'd rank the coffees as follows:

1) Italian

2) Verona

3) (RED)

4) Tie between Yukon and Komodo Dragon

I had this yesterday and the first thing that I noticed was the aroma - it had a hint of cocoa that satisfied my senses.  I like the combination of its sweet and bold flavors, it's just right for me.  For me, it's a toss up between Verona and Italian as far as my favorite goes.

I had a cup this morning and I really enjoyed that the aroma was chocolately.  I tried to drink it black, but who am I fooling?  I could never drink a coffee black.  After my milk and raw sugar additions, I thought it was a really smooth, between a medium and bold taste - "boldium"?  hee hee  Anyway, the flavor was sweet, did not have a bitter finish and was lovely.  A perfect all-occassion coffee.  :)

Way back in my early days of drinking coffee (i.e. 2005-06) I remember ordering a Grande Light.  The Starbucks associate informed me that they were out of the light blend, maybe I would like to try Verona.  I did and fell in love with the "lightest of the bolds" or so she said (kinda like being the tallest of the shorts or skinniest of the fats...).

Anyway, glad Starbucks brought this one back (they never really lost it, its all in the Marketing).  I take mine Venti 1/2 Caf with 4 Splenda and just a tad of Half & Half.

Verona was the first coffee I ever drank from Starbucks - way back in the day when I could only get it through mail order! It's still a classic - amongst my favorite bold blends.

It's very good slow brewed...

Verona is my favorite Starbucks coffee.  I used to say I liked milder coffees and not bold because I confused "bold" with "acidic", but after trying Verona I realized my mistake.  Verona gives me a full, bold flavor that stands well on its own or paired with a wide variety of foods, and it has a smooth delivery and a nice clean finish.  There's also a lot of subtlety to the Verona flavor that makes it different from many other coffees.  It's not a one-flavor coffee, but instead a wonderful blend of multiple coffee flavors that together make a stronger whole.  

To me, Verona is the "Clydesdale" of coffees - it's a good, strong workhorse that's strong enough to give a lift when you need it, but smooth and steady enough to match a more somber mood as well.

I tried Verona black from a Clover machine yesterday. I usually don't drink coffee black because the taste generally does not agree with me. Today, I'm trying it with my heavy cream and it is quite tasty, like the Yukon and Italian are.

I got my Verona sticker this afternoon. I happened to have to some chocolate gelato with my tall Verona and it was wonderful!! This is my comfort coffee!

Ah, Verona! This coffee reminds me of the time I spent there and watched the Opera in the open air Arena. We would arrive by train, walk the small alleys searching for an authentic restaurant, eat a four course meal outside and spend the rest of the afternoon in a street cafe where men would shout out to the passing ladies "ciao, cosa meravigliosa".

..."Caffè Verona® was originally created by blending Yukon Blend® (80%) and Italian Roast (20%)".... That would explain why I catch hints of flavor that I like (from my #1 pick so far), but get slammed in the end by the bitter aftertaste (from my last place pick so far). So I'd give it an overall of eh.

Scale of 1-10: 6.5

This is my second to least favorite coffee so far, just above the Italian Roast.

I love Verona.  It's in a tie with Yukon for my favorite.  Verona is not quite as earthy to me and a little smoother.  I always notice hint of chocolate, maybe that's why I like it so much?

For me, this is better than the Italian Roast, which I thought was too strong for my taste.  I like how smooth it is, with a smoky finish.  But my ratings so far are:  1. Komodo/Red: Africa (can't decide) 2. Yukon 3. Verona 4. Italian Roast.  I look forward to the next few weeks though to see if a new favorite emerges.

I am enjoying my cup of Verona, didn't notice a particular aroma, but I taste the cocoa/chocolate notes and an extremely slight acidity.  Nice and full bodied, dark tasting, lovely with whole milk.  Very good brewed even better than in a French Press for this variety.

While Verona has an agressive herbal nose, it has no discernable aftertaste. It's fairly mild and quickly slips off the taste buds.

Verona has a place in my mind as the quintessential "good coffee." The first taste floods the palate with dark, rich, roasty notes; yields a touch of sweetness; lingers with a medium-high acidity; and finishes with a gentle spicy finish (probably from the Asia-Pacific beans in the blend). To me, these are all positive qualities. On the other hand, however, the body is a little thinner than I'd like, and the bright acidity gives way to an unpleasant tartness if the coffee is not drunk quickly enough. Pairs well with a dark chocolate brownie. Overall, this multi-region blend seems complex but very balanced. It's the Honda Accord of coffees: reliable, unobtrusive, yet eminently rewarding. B+. Ranking so far: (1) Yukon, (2) Verona, (3) Komodo, (4) Italian, (5) East African Blend.

@Thale, I really like your metaphor!

Caffe Verona is the first coffee in the eight-week promotion which has been familiar to me.  I have enjoyed it in store as well as for a period of time in my home.  That being said, however, tasting it this morning was like tasting something entirely new.  I have gained experience over the last four weeks, and I believe that provided a new perspective on the Caffe Verona.

It had a bright flavor, similar to Italian Roast, but not as broad.  Its flavor remained in one range, or perhaps one particular area of my tongue, is what I am trying to say.  The finishing taste was lemon-like, as I found with the Organic Yukon Blend.  I enjoyed it with marble pound cake, which turned out to be an excellent choice.

I am glad to have noticed these things before reading that this blend has its roots in Italian Roast and Organic Yukon Blend.  I am having fun with this promotion...

For a bold, the Verona has a rather light flavor with a bitter undertaste that is not totally offset by half & half.

daccord's comment is well on, though I don't view it quite so well:  The Verona will offend none, nor will it greatly please any.

This one tasted a bit smooth, but distinctly earthy and smoky at the same time. It held up well with milk and sugar.  It's not my favorite so far, but I'd definitely drink it again if given the opportunity.

Smell: chocolate, spice

Taste: smooth, coco, spice

After taste: bitter / acidic

This coffee is my new top of the list for this bold adventure

My preferences, best to worst, so far:

1) Caffe Verona

2) Italian Roast

3) Yukon

4) (STARBUCKS)RED

5) Komodo Dragon

A little too acidic for my taste hot but I did enjoy it cold.

This is just a really well-rounded tasty coffee. I'd love to see it in the lineup more often.

Aroma- cocoa powder

Acidity- medium

Body- medium to full

Flavor- cocoa, spice, just tastes very rich and complex

I have to say this is my least fave so far.  After the Dragon last week, I am actually a little disappointed!  I didn't like Verona the first time I tasted it and I don't like it better this time.  I think I feel it is too acidic, and not smooth enough for me.  I have, though, enjoyed tasting it in comparison to the other bolds so that I know what I like.  I agree with @curtis206 that it was better cold than hot, too.

LOVE Verona! Sipped along side a few squares of dark chocolate and you have yourself the perfect treat. The flavors of cocoa are wonderfully scrumptious, not to mention the aroma is decadent on its own. Verona is also so very smooth. Pure love.

I've always liked the Verona.  It's simple, yet big.  I think if I had to stick with just one bold forever, this would be it.  I think the Verona is classically coffee-y tasting.  When I think of coffee, this is the taste my tongue thinks of.  Yum.

Just had my second cup of Cafe Verona today ... I still like it!  Goes fabulous with DARK chocolate!

Verona is definitely my favorite so far. It is smooth, without the bite of the Red, and pleasant on its own or with something sweet. And it kept its flavor even after it cooled off, unlike some others which are undrinkable once they lose their heat.

I like the Verona. It is well balanced. I give it 4 out of 5

getting more difficult to place :)

verona is definetly pleasantly earthy all around with  smell, taste, and halfnhalf reaction-acidity. This blend will get my #3 spot

Favorite to least - but like them all

#1 Komodo

#2 yukon

#3 verona

#4 red

#5 italian roast

I could smell a hint of bitter dark chocolate, and taste a hint of dark chocolate. The after taste was bitter. I have had this version before, it's a bit sweet.

It went well with coconut cake :)

My favorite so far was probably the Komodo Dragon, followed by the Italian Roast, with Caffe Verona in 3rd place.

Mellow. That best describes my Verona experience. I liked its balance and smoothness, but I still tend to prefer bolds that have a little more bite to them.

Cafe Verona has a milder floral taste. Not my favorite (that would be last week's Komodo dragon) but not bad either.

I didn't vote because I haven't tasted all of the choices yet...would've been better to have that question after the promotion.

Sweetest thus far.  Middle of the pack for me.  

As barista was getting sticker for my passport, she commented to another staffer, "I can't wait until this is over."  Fair to assume this particular pill is not on the mgt track. As a concerned shareholder, I pray that Starbucks is not inundated with workers comp claims from all the undo stress this promo is putting on their front line people.

So far, this is my favourite. It is so smooth. Its a bit spicy, and even though people call out the chocolate notes, to me it tasted more like a spicy vanilla. Once the cup cooled down, it was much more enjoyable and less in your face. This definitely would taste delicious with a splash of vanilla soy milk, iced. Very enjoyable. When I got home, I dipped my shortbread cookies in it. That, my friends, was divine.

Quite bitter at first, but gets better after drinking for a bit.  Tastes better with a bit of cream added (no sugar), or some cocoa powder.

I love the sweet, smoky boldness of the Verona.  I drink it with plenty of rich and creamy raw milk.

I still think this bold passport program is a great idea. I had Verona today and if was very good. My favorite is still the (RED) coffee but Verona is right on its heels.

Can't wait for next weeks tasting

At last....my favorite coffee...Caffe Verona.  It's bold yet not overpowering and only requires a splash of half and half for the perfect cup.  I love the aroma and sweet taste which is why I brew it at home.

I had it black with no food pairing.  Unfortunately I didn’t get to try it during the week with chocolate, as suggested.

I found it to be pleasantly smooth and mild, with a light, earthy aroma.  It felt merely medium-bodied, not full-bodied like Komodo or Yukon.  Those were my top choices so far, so I don’t understand if something is going on with my palate, or why this didn’t push through to my Top 3 if Verona is comprised of 80% Yukon (although per Aileen C. it says “original recipe"-so I'm not sure if it's changed since ).  

I did enjoy the coffee, but it just wasn’t my favorite.  I can picture having this more during leisure time or while relaxing over the weekend, and maybe then it’d reach higher on my list.