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Every capsule box carries an intensity number, and it is easy to read it as a caffeine count. On L'Or's boxes it is narrower and more useful: a guide to how much roast you will taste, set by L'Or and meaningful only against its own capsules.
What the 11 is counting
L'Or grades its capsules on a scale that runs to 13, with Ultimo at the top. Ristretto sits at 11, above Supremo at 10 and Lungo Profondo at 8. The number tracks roast depth and perceived strength and nothing more: it is a house scale rather than an industry standard, so an 11 from another brand is a different claim altogether.
In practice 11 means a dark, cocoa-leaning shot with low acidity, a thick body and a dark crema that keeps its shape. The bitterness is bittersweet rather than harsh, but only while the cup stays short. The published ingredient list for this barcode is simply ground coffee and names none of the 14 major allergens; the pack in your hand remains the final word.
Five grams and a short cup
Divide the 208g box by its forty capsules and each holds about 5.2g of coffee. A barista filling a double basket would use something like eighteen grams, so a capsule this size has to be taken short to taste of much. At around 25ml it arrives dense and bittersweet. Let the machine keep running to fill a mug and the same few grams are stretched into a thin, bitter drink, which is behind most complaints about this capsule.
Consistency is the other half of the argument. With the grind, dose and tamp fixed at the factory, Tuesday's shot matches Sunday's and there is no grinder to adjust. A grinder and fresh beans will always give more aroma than a capsule can; the capsule wins on repeatability and on having almost nothing to clean. Choose on whichever of those matters more to you.
Forty pods, or start smaller
A ten-capsule box empties in five days in a household making two shots a day, which is the case for this box of forty. It makes sense once you know Ristretto is your daily coffee. If you are still deciding, we also stock a ten-capsule Ristretto box to try first, and the Ristretto Decaf covers the evening cup.
The capsules are aluminium, for Nespresso Original machines with some models excluded by L'Or, and they fit neither Vertuo nor Dolce Gusto. If your machine uses the little domed capsules with a ridged rim, you have the right system. Used capsules can go to Podback, the UK pod recycling scheme L'Or belongs to; the carton and your council will tell you how.
The packs we stock
- L'Or Espresso Ristretto Intensity 11 Coffee, 40 Pods 208g (barcode 8711000390214)
What the label says
The published ingredient list for L'Or Espresso Ristretto Intensity 11 Coffee, 40 Pods 208g (barcode 8711000390214) names none of the 14 major allergens. Before buying, check the current box: L'Or may change Ristretto 11's recipe and allergen advice.
Ingredients, as published: ground coffee.
Ingredient and nutrition data for this barcode: Open Food Facts (openfoodfacts.org), ODbL. The Ristretto 11 box you hold settles it.
What to eat with it
- McVitie's Original Hobnobs Biscuits - The Oaty One, 255g: A plain, oaty Hobnob is sturdy and simple, leaving a dense, bittersweet shot to take the lead.
- Lotus Biscoff Caramelised Biscuits, 250g: The caramelised crunch softens the bittersweet finish of an intensity 11 shot: a small coffee and a small biscuit together.
- Border Classic Biscuit Sharing Pack, 400g: A sharing pack of classic biscuits lets you reach for the plainer ones, which suit a strong, short shot better than anything heavily flavoured.
Elsewhere in the L'Or range
- L'Or Artiste Vigoroso Intensity 8 Instant Coffee, 95g
- L'Or Classique Instant Coffee, 150g
- L'Or Espresso Colombia Intensity 8, Aluminium Coffee, 10 Capsules
- L'Or Espresso Destinations Santorini 10 x Intensity Coffee, 52g
- L'Or Espresso Lungo Profondo Intensity 8 Coffee, 40 Pods 208g
- L'Or Espresso Ristretto Coffee Pods, 10 Pods 52g
The full range is on the L'Or brand page.
FAQ
Is intensity 11 the top of L'Or's scale? No. The scale runs to 13, with Ultimo at the top; Ristretto sits two steps below that and one above Supremo at 10.
What does the label say is in it? Ristretto 11's published ingredients are simply ground coffee, with none of the 14 major allergens named. Check the current pack before buying.
Why choose a capsule over ground beans for a shot this strong? Consistency. The grind and dose are fixed at the factory, so every shot comes out the same and there is no grinder to set, though fresh beans will always win on aroma.
Why does it taste bitter in a mug? Because the dose is made for about 25ml. Stretched across a mug it turns thin and bitter; keep it short, or use two capsules.
Curator's note: Buy the forty once the ten has won you over, then keep the cup small and warm. That is the whole method. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.
In short: L'Or Espresso Ristretto Intensity 11: Reading the Number
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Brand | L'Or |
| Packs we stock | 40 Pods 208g |
| Category | Coffee Pods & Capsules |
| Allergens (as published) | L'Or's published list for Ristretto 11 names none of the 14 major allergens. |
| Caffeine | caffeinated |
| Cup size | About 25ml, a small warmed cup |
| Best with | A plain, sturdy biscuit |
| Box | Forty, for a daily habit |
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