September always feels a little bit like January.
Summer schedules wind down, vacations are over and suddenly everyone is trying to get back into a routine. For me, that usually means getting back to more structured mornings, and coffee is obviously a very important part of that equation.
If you already own a Nespresso Vertuo machine, there is a new collection of capsules worth knowing about this fall.
The Nespresso Coffee+ range takes your everyday coffee ritual and adds functional ingredients into the mix. The collection currently includes Ginseng Delight, a new caramel-flavoured coffee with ginseng extract; Active, enriched with Vitamin B6; and Vivida, enriched with Vitamin B12.
I’ve been trying the different Nespresso Coffee+ capsules and, while I wouldn’t replace my vitamins with my morning coffee anytime soon, I really like the idea behind this collection. It’s coffee I was going to drink anyway, with a little something extra. Check out my full Nespresso Coffee+ review below!
If you are not yet a Nespresso member, you can use my code DKDNQL for $70 off any coffee machine (at regular price), a free capsule dispenser (value of $35) AND 5 free coffee sleeves (value of $58.70) when you make your first purchase.
What Is Nespresso Coffee+
Nespresso Coffee+ is a range of Vertuo capsules made with additional functional ingredients.
Instead of completely changing your morning routine, the idea is to add these ingredients to something many of us are already doing every day: drinking coffee. The current lineup gives you three very different options depending on how you like to drink your coffee.
There’s a caramel-forward double espresso with ginseng, an almond-vanilla double espresso enriched with Vitamin B6 and a larger, classic coffee enriched with Vitamin B12.
So naturally, I tried all three.
Nespresso Ginseng Delight Review
If you’re going to try one capsule from the Nespresso Coffee+ collection, I would start here.
Ginseng Delight is the newest addition to the range and combines Latin American Arabica and Ugandan Robusta with ginseng extract and caramel flavour.
The first thing I noticed is that this doesn’t taste overwhelmingly like ginseng. If you grew up drinking traditional ginseng drinks before, you might shy away from this capsule. I did, because I thought it would be very earthy, herbal or even slightly bitter. But, Ginseng Delight is surprisingly approachable. The caramel comes through first, followed by soft biscuit and cereal notes. The ginseng adds a subtle earthiness in the background rather than dominating the coffee.
It’s smooth, comforting and very fall-coded without going directly into pumpkin spice territory.
Ginseng Delight brews as an 80 ml double espresso, which also makes it really easy to customize.
I like it on its own when I want something quick, but I think this capsule really shines with a little milk. The caramel flavour becomes even softer and creamier and turns it into an easy morning latte without needing to add flavoured syrup. This is the one I can see reaching for on a cool September morning when I’m sitting down at my desk and trying to convince myself that summer is actually over.
Flavour: Caramel, biscuit and subtle earthy notes
Size: Double Espresso, 80 ml
Best for: Lattes, cappuccinos or drinking as a double espresso
Try it if you like: Softer flavoured Nespresso capsules and caramel-forward coffee
Nespresso Active B6 Review
For the person who refuses to admit iced coffee season is over (me), there’s Active B6.
Active is an 80 ml double espresso made from Arabicas sourced from Africa, Asia and Latin America, with almond and vanilla flavours. It’s also enriched with Vitamin B6.
According to Nespresso Canada, one serving contains 24% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin B6, which supports normal energy metabolism.
Flavour-wise, this is probably the most playful of the three. The almond and vanilla combination gives it an almost dessert-like quality. Think amaretti cookies with vanilla custard rather than a traditional dark espresso.
Nespresso specifically designed Active to work well over ice, and I agree that this is probably the best way to drink it.
Add ice, brew the capsule directly over top and finish with cold milk. It’s an extremely easy iced latte for mornings when you don’t have time to pull together anything complicated. If you’re someone who normally gravitates toward Nespresso’s flavoured capsules, Active will probably be the easiest transition into the Coffee+ collection.
Flavour: Almond, vanilla and sweet biscuit
Size: Double Espresso, 80 ml
Vitamin: B6
Best for: Iced coffee and iced lattes
Try it if you like: Sweet, creamy or flavoured Nespresso coffees
Nespresso Vivida B12 Review
Vivida is probably the least flashy capsule in the Coffee+ range, but it might actually be the easiest one to incorporate into an everyday routine.
Especially if you’re already a Melozio drinker. Nespresso describes Vivida B12 as having the same flavour profile as its popular Melozio capsule, but enriched with Vitamin B12.
It’s made with Latin American Arabicas, including naturally sweet Brazilian Bourbon beans, and has smooth cereal and biscuit notes with a hint of honeyed sweetness.
Unlike Ginseng Delight and Active, Vivida brews as a full 230 ml coffee, so this is the one I would choose when I want an actual mug of coffee in the morning rather than an espresso-based drink. One serving also contains 35% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin B12, which Nespresso says helps support normal immune function.
Taste-wise, it’s extremely easy drinking. There aren’t any strong added flavours competing with the coffee. It’s smooth, lightly sweet and familiar. This is my pick for drinking a coffee alongside breakfast or answering emails first thing in the morning.
If you already love Melozio, this is probably the Coffee+ capsule I would recommend trying first.
Flavour: Cereal, biscuit and honeyed sweetness
Size: Coffee, 230 ml
Vitamin: B12
Best for: Everyday morning coffee
Try it if you like: Nespresso Melozio or smooth, balanced coffees
Which Nespresso Coffee+ Capsule Is Best?
After trying the collection, I don’t think there is necessarily one “best” Nespresso Coffee+ capsule because they fill three very different spots in a coffee routine.
Ginseng Delight is my pick if flavour is the priority. It’s warm, subtly caramelized and feels especially appropriate heading into fall.
Active B6 is the one I would keep around for iced coffee. The almond-vanilla flavour works really well with milk and makes a very easy iced latte.
Vivida B12 is the everyday option. If you aren’t looking for a flavoured coffee and simply want something smooth to fill your morning mug, this is the most versatile of the three.
Building a Better Fall Coffee Routine
I’m not someone who believes September needs to come with an entirely new personality, 5 a.m. wake-ups and a 12-step morning routine.
But I do love a small reset. There is something about the end of summer that makes getting back into simple routines feel good again. Making coffee at home is one of mine.
And that’s ultimately what I like about the Nespresso Coffee+ concept. You aren’t adding another complicated step to your morning. You’re taking a ritual you probably already have and making it feel a little more intentional.
Some mornings that might be a mug of Vivida while answering emails. Other days it’s an Active B6 iced latte to take with you. And when you actually have five minutes to sit down and enjoy your coffee, Ginseng Delight feels like the perfect little fall upgrade.
Are Nespresso Coffee+ Capsules Worth Trying?
If you already own a Vertuo machine and regularly buy Nespresso capsules, I think the Coffee+ collection is worth trying, particularly if you’re someone who likes rotating through different coffees rather than sticking to the same capsule every day.
For me, Ginseng Delight is the standout.
I was initially worried the ginseng would overpower the coffee, but the combination of caramel, biscuit and subtle earthy notes makes it much more approachable than I expected.
Vivida would be my second choice because it’s so easy to drink every day, while Active is the one I’d keep stocked specifically for iced coffee.
With fall routines starting up again, these feel like an easy way to make that first coffee of the day a little more interesting. And considering I’m going to make coffee anyway, I’ll happily take the upgrade.
