All Nespresso Limited Editions pods ever

Ever is a bold claim, but it is close to a full list of all Nespresso Limited Editions that were released since the beginning till 2023 (included).

Across their nearly 3 decades’ old history, Nespresso has not only released tens of capsules for both their Original and Vertuo lines, but dozens of Limited Edition pods. These pods weren’t present at the initial release of the Nespresso single serve machines, but were born only in 1994. The very first was a selected pod called “Special Club” that every year had a different type of coffee inside. That was 8 years since the introduction of the first Nespresso machine on the market, in 1986.

Since then, every year Nespresso has released a handful if not more of Limited Edition capsules. These stay on the market only until supply lasts, which usually means 2–3 months at most. Sometimes they get re-released next year or later; more often they are not repeated, being available just a few weeks and then gone forever. Limited Editions are often flavored, with the first flavored capsules being released in 2006. A lot of the Limited Edition capsules were meant specifically for iced coffee. A large part of them are inspired by food recipes, local coffee drinks or rare and fine single origins across the world.

We thought that a complete list of all the Limited Editions made by Nespresso had never been published, so we are attempting it now. We say attempting as only a selection of all the Limited Editions was released worldwide, in all markets where Nespresso is present. Many others were only available locally, in different years than here stated or with completely different names. Knowing every capsule ever released in any country in the world is a feat that we claim no capability of achieving ever. Yet we hope this list is at least historically interesting and can spark a lively discussion on the history of these capsules.

What follows then is surely an incomplete and littered with impreciseness list of all the Limited Editions ever released by Nespresso (for the Original line). It’s then far from perfect, but at the same time probably the best list of Limited Editions pods ever made.

• (1994–2001) Special Club: this edition was updated every year with different origins till 2001. Some of the countries involved were Kenya, Costa Rica, Yemen, Guatemala, with a few specific single origins from Yirgacheffe, Sidamo, Montana Verde, Kilimandjaro, Sulawessi Kalossie, Genuine Antigua.
• (2001) Sumatra: Blue Batak coffee.
• (2002) Sidamo, Mysore.
• (2003) Korgua, Tarrazu.
• (2004) Yunnan, Ixhuatlán.
• (2005) Sandona, Senang.
• (2006) Bourbon Amarelo, Ensibuko. First Variations (Vanilla, Aniseed, Spicy Apple) were released this year.
• (2007) Oà, Jalayatra, Almond, Chocolate Orange, Cardamom.
• (2008) Goroka, Jinogalpa, Caramel, Crystallized Ginger, Mandarin.
• (2009) Singatobain, Gingerbread/Pain d’Epice, Chestnut Cream/Crème de Marrons, Apricot.
• (2010) Tanzaru, Kazaar, Vanilla, Almond, Caramel. The Special Club line is discontinued.
• (2011) Onirio, Dhjana, Dark Chocolate, Vanilla Blossom, Cherry, Selection Vintage Colombia.
• (2012) Kazaar, re-released as a limited edition capsule before it would enter the standard line next year, Naora, Crealto, Hawaii Kona Special Reserve, Hazelnut, Macadamia Nut, Coconut.
• (2013) Trieste, Napoli, Cioccorosso, Masala Chai, Liminto.
• (2014) Cubania, Colombian Terroirs, Maragogype Special Reserve, Hazelnut Dessert, Chocolate Mint, Apple Crumble.
• (2015) Monsoon Malabar, Perú Secreto, Tribute to Milano, Tribute to Palermo, Suluja ti South Sudan, Vanilla Amaretti, Ciocco Ginger, Vanilla Cardamom.
• (2016) Sachertorte, Apfelstrudel, Linzer Torte, Cafezinho do Brasil, Cafecito de Cuba, Tanim de Chiapas, Umutima Wa Lake Kivu Rwanda, Suluja ti South Sudan — 2nd Edition.
• (2017) Confetto Snowball, Confetto Orangette, Confetto Licorice/Liquorice, Barista Scuro, Barista Corto, Barista Chiaro, Intenso On Ice, Leggero On Ice, Laos Bolaven Plateau, Kenya Peaberry, Selection Vintage 2014, Colombia Aguades, Aurora de La Paz, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe.
• (2018) Macaron, Praline, Paris Black, Ispirazione Salentina, Ispirazione Shakerato, Aurora de La Paz re-released, Republica Dominicana Valle Del Cibao, Hawaii Kona, Galàpagos Santa Cruz, India Mylemoney, Nicaragua Las Marias, Robusta Uganda, Arabica Ethiopia Harrar.
• (2019) Nordic Almond Cake, Nordic Black, Nordic Cloudberry, Cafecito de Puerto Rico, Café Venezia, Café Istanbul, Long Black Over Ice, Flat White Over Ice, Tamuka mu Zimbabwe, Esperanza de Colombia, Costa Rica. Republica Dominicana, Cafecito de Cuba, Hawaii Kona, Cafezinho do Brasil, Tribute to Trieste, and Tribute to Milano get re-released.
• (2020) Italia Il Caffé, Italia Torta di Nocciole, Italia Amaretti, Perú Organic, Aged Sumatra, Freddo Intenso, Freddo Delicato, Yemen. Hawaii Kona, Cafecito de Cuba, Esperanza De Colombia, Tamuka Mu Zimbabwe, Cafecito de Puerto Rico, and Umutima Wa Lake Kivu Rwanda get re-released.
• (2021) Jamaica Blue Mountain, Special Reserve Galapagos, La Cumplida Refinada, Amaha awe Uganda, Coconut Flavor Over Ice, Novecento, Millennio. Esperanza de Colombia, Cafezinho do Brasil, Cafecito de Cuba, Hawaii Kona,Tamuka Mu Zimbabwe get re-released.
• (2022) Miami Espresso, Papua New Guinea, Paris Espresso, Rio de Janeiro Espresso, Istanbul Espresso, Liminha Over Ice, Infiniment Fruité, Infiniment Espresso, Infiniment Gourmand. Kahawa Ya Congo, Amaha awe Uganda, Tamuka Mu Zimbabwe, Esperanza de Colombia, Peru Organic, La Cumplida Refinada, Aged Sumatra, Cafecito de Cuba, Special Reserve Galapagos, Coconut Flavor Over Ice, Hawaii Kona get re-released.
• (2023) Festive Black Espresso, Frosted Caramel Nuts, Seasonal Delight Spices. Brazil Organic. Peru Organic, Hawaii Kona, Honduras, Kahawa Ya Congo, Esperanza de Colombia, Coconut Flavor Over Ice, Jamaica Blue Mountain get re-released.

Quite a list of rare and sometimes exceptional coffee. As said before, if you notice any mistakes or, especially, know of any other Limited Edition and the exact year it was released, do let us know in the comments. We will update this list as soon as we can. Your help here is truly vital as Nespresso releases very little info on their past capsules in general.

Originally published at http://nespressoguide.wordpress.com on January 29, 2021.