Intelligentsia Coffee
- Roasted Coffee Bean
- 36 fl oz
- Coffee Bean
- Bag
A direct-trade espresso blend reviewers call a personal benchmark once dialed in, but freshness varies enough by batch that it rewards buyers who check the roast date.
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How it ranks among the 26 roasted coffee beans we track
3.9★ across 2,600 Amazon ratings, Bayesian-smoothed toward the category average.
2,600 Amazon ratings, weighted on a log scale so huge counts don't drown everything.
Brand identity, imagery, description and spec coverage.
The ProductDome score is separate from the Amazon rating shown above: it combines the Bayesian-smoothed Amazon rating with evidence volume, tracked demand, and data quality across the 26 roasted coffee beans we track - how the scorecard works · full roasted coffee beans data report. Confidence: high - strong rating volume and complete data.Updated 7 days ago. Data-computed, not a hands-on test. Compiled by the ProductDome Research Team.
Overview
Three 12 oz bags (36 oz total) make up Intelligentsia's Black Cat Classic, a light roast, direct-trade espresso blend the roaster has run since 1995.
Reviewers treat it as a benchmark espresso: several rank it above Kicking Horse, Lavazza and Stumptown for complexity, and it shows up in espresso martinis and Americanos as often as straight shots. The tradeoff shows up in freshness reports, where a roast date as old as three months drew a sharp complaint from a longtime fan, and getting a good shot took some buyers a few tries with grind and ratio.
- 3 x 12 oz bags, 36 oz total
- Light roast, direct trade sourcing
- Recommended 1:2.5 espresso ratio
- Notes of cherry, cola, and orange
Who it's for
Espresso drinkers willing to dial in grind size and dose get the most out of this, since several reviewers needed a finer grind and roughly a 1:2.5 ratio to reach the syrupy result the brand promises. Casual drip-coffee drinkers who won't fine-tune a shot may find it underwhelming, and buyers sensitive to roast date should check freshness on arrival.
What buyers say
From Amazon customer reviews.
Buyers who dial in the grind call this their benchmark espresso, praising its complexity and versatility in Americanos and espresso martinis. The complaints cluster around two issues: a batch that arrived roasted nearly three months earlier, which one longtime Intelligentsia customer called unacceptable, and a standard dose that brewed noticeably weak until the grind was set finer.
Strengths and trade-offs
Drawn from this product's published specifications.
- Reviewers rank it above Kicking Horse, Lavazza, Stumptown
- Versatile in Americanos and espresso martinis, not just shots
- Works well in automatic machines once dosed correctly
- One buyer got a bag roasted three months earlier
- Needs finer grind and 1:2.5 ratio to avoid thinness
- A bit pricey, merely adequate for single shots
Performance notes
Intelligentsia recommends a fine grind with a finished espresso weighing 2.5 times the dose for full extraction. Reviewers confirm this in practice: a couple of buyers who used the standard scoop got a thin, weak result until they ground finer and pulled a tighter 1:2.5 ratio, after which several call the shot syrupy and complex with cherry, cola and orange notes.
Specifications
| Brand | Intelligentsia |
|---|---|
| Model | 510199 |
| Dimensions & fit | |
| Item Package Weight | 5.14 pounds |
| Item Weight | 2.3 pounds |
| Item Dimensions | 3.2 × 4.4 × 5.8 inches |
| Size | 12 ounces |
| Package Size Name | 12 Ounce |
| Capacity & performance | |
| Item Volume | 36 fl oz |
| Included components | |
| Unit Count | 2.25 pounds |
| Each Unit Count | 1 |
| Other details | |
| Coffee Type | Coffee Bean |
| Container Type | Bag |
| Diet Type | Paleo, Vegan, Vegetarian |
| Number of Items | 3 |
| Sweetness Description | syrupy sweet |
| Coffee Blend Name | Black Cat Classic Espresso |
| Special Ingredients | Cocoa, Turbinado Sugar |
| Caffeine Content Description | Caffeinated |
| Coffee Roast Level | Light Roast |
| Flavor | Black Cat Classic |
| Part Number | 12262 |
| Item Form | Whole Bean |
| Item Type Name | roasted-coffee-beans |
| Specialty | GMO Free, Organic |
| Variety | Colombian, Ethiopian, Kenyan |
How it compares
This product against the closest alternatives we track in roasted coffee beans.
| Product | Amazon rating | Ratings | ProductDome score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intelligentsia CoffeeThis product | 3.9 / 5 | 2,600 | 4.2 / 5 |
| 2LB Subtle Earth Organic CoffeeCafe Don Pablo | 4.6 / 5 | 10,300 | 4.7 / 5 |
| Starbucks Whole Bean Coffee Pike Place RoastStarbucks | 4.6 / 5 | 4,500 | 4.7 / 5 |
| Kicking Horse CoffeeKicking Horse | 4.4 / 5 | 9,800 | 4.6 / 5 |
| ORFEU Classic Brazilian Whole Bean CoffeeCAFÉ Orfeu | 4.7 / 5 | 15,600 | 4.6 / 5 |
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Questions about the Intelligentsia 510199
Common buyer questions answered straight from the product spec data - no fluff, no "it depends".
What roast level is Intelligentsia Black Cat Classic Espresso?
It is listed as a light roast, direct-trade espresso blend.
What ratio does Intelligentsia recommend for Black Cat Espresso?
The brand recommends a fine grind with the finished espresso weighing 2.5 times the coffee dose.
Is Black Cat Classic Espresso only for espresso machines?
Reviewers also use it for Americanos, French press, and espresso martinis, though it is formulated as an espresso blend.