Starbucks Colombia Espresso Dolce Gusto: Short Shot Guide

Starbucks Single-Origin Colombia Espresso for Dolce Gusto: Keep It Short

On a Dolce Gusto machine you set the water yourself, and with an espresso pod that freedom is the easiest thing to get wrong. Run this Colombian pod short and it shows the nutty, cocoa-edged character that makes this single origin so easy to like.

Published 26 Sep 2026 Curator-written, not crowdsourced

Starbucks Single-Origin Colombia Espresso for Dolce Gusto: Keep It Short, in summary: Twelve Dolce Gusto pods, twelve short espressos from one growing country. Expect nuttiness over fruit, medium body and a finish that lingers. Keep the water setting short, because the machine will happily let you drown it.

Last reviewed by the teas.co.uk team in September 2026.

On a Dolce Gusto machine you set the water yourself, and with an espresso pod that freedom is the easiest thing to get wrong. Run this Colombian pod short and it shows the nutty, cocoa-edged character that makes this single origin so easy to like.

Two names, one pod

The coffee and its roast are Starbucks'; the brewer and the pod format belong to Nescafé Dolce Gusto, hence two names on one box. The practical upshot is simple. These pods fit Dolce Gusto machines only. A Tassimo disc, a Nespresso capsule and a Lavazza A Modo Mio capsule are all different shapes, nothing adapts one to another, and buying pods for the wrong system is the most common mistake in the whole category.

Each box holds twelve pods and makes twelve drinks, because an espresso on this system is a single-pod cup. Lengthen it with hot water or add milk and you still get twelve, since you are stretching the same shot rather than using a second pod. It is a caffeinated espresso, and a short cup is a small volume rather than a small dose, so it belongs to the first half of the day rather than last thing at night.

Nutty, not fruity

Most pods are blends, assembled so that no single component dominates and the cup tastes the same whatever the season. A single origin gets no such cover. Whatever its country contributes sits right in the centre of the mouthful, and here that means nutty and faintly cocoa-ish rather than bright and floral. So do not expect fruit and flowers just because the box says single origin; that is not what Colombia gives here.

The trade is personality for predictability. Coffee from one place carries that place with it, so one box can taste a touch different from the next in a way a blend is designed to avoid. On the palate expect medium body, moderate bitterness in proper espresso style and a clean, fairly long finish in which the nuttiness hangs on. You can drink it black without wincing, and it does not need milk to make sense.

Short, iced or over ice cream

Choose the short setting every time. This is an espresso, and the extra water a Dolce Gusto will allow thins it quickly and flattens that nutty middle. Serve it in a small warmed cup and drink it black first. If you want a longer drink, make the espresso as normal and top it up with hot water afterwards, rather than pushing more water through the pod and hoping for the best.

It copes well with cold and with sugar. Pull a shot straight over ice, or pour it over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an affogato; the nuttiness comes through both. Beside it, a square of dark chocolate or a plain butter biscuit works better than anything fruity, which tends to argue with the cocoa edge. A chocolate digestive suits the longer, topped-up version, where there is more liquid to balance the sweetness.

The packs we stock

Starbucks Single-Origin Colombia Espresso By Nescafe Dolce Gusto, Coffee (12 Servings), 12 Pods (barcode 7613036927611)

What to eat with it

Border Dark Chocolate Ginger Organic Biscuits, 150g: Dark chocolate is the natural partner for a nutty espresso, and the ginger adds warmth without bringing fruit into it.
Royal Dansk Danish Butter Cookies, 340g: Plain and buttery, these let the nutty character of the shot stay in front.
McVitie's Digestives Seriously Chocolatey Biscuits, 250g: A richer chocolate biscuit for the topped-up long version, where the extra hot water leaves room for more sweetness beside the cup.

Elsewhere in the Starbucks range

The full range is on the Starbucks brand page.

FAQ

Will these pods work in a Tassimo or Nespresso machine? No. They are Nescafé Dolce Gusto pods only; Tassimo discs, Nespresso capsules and A Modo Mio capsules are different shapes and nothing adapts between them.

How many coffees does a box make? Twelve. Each espresso uses one pod, and adding milk or hot water afterwards does not change that.

Does single-origin Colombia taste fruity? Not this one. It reads nutty and slightly cocoa-ish with medium body, which is why it takes so well to ice, ice cream and dark chocolate.

Is it decaf? No, it is a caffeinated espresso. A short cup is a small drink but not a small dose of coffee, so keep it to the earlier part of the day.

What water setting should I use? The shortest espresso setting. Lengthen it afterwards with hot water if you want a bigger cup, rather than running more water through the pod.

Curator's note: Pour one over a scoop of vanilla ice cream and it becomes the easiest pudding in the kitchen. The rest of the time: short, black and before lunch. Lee, teas.co.uk, Tunbridge Wells.

In short: Starbucks Single-Origin Colombia Espresso for Dolce Gusto: Keep It Short

Field	Detail
Brand	Starbucks
Packs we stock	Coffee (12 Servings), 12 Pods
Category	Coffee Pods & Capsules
Caffeine	caffeinated
Water setting	Short
Best with	Dark chocolate or a plain butter biscuit
Also good	Over ice, or over vanilla ice cream