Five-fifty in the morning, the Modena market is barely waking up, and the first act of the day is always the same: a black, short espresso, crowned with crema. This is the Intenso Molinari, the one that doesn't pretend.

I take the cup, and the smell tells me everything already: deep, dark, straightforward. Then the crema glides over my tongue, thick, velvety, and the taste arrives all at once, full-bodied and bold. Beneath it, a note of chocolate, warm and rounded, softens the intensity without ever stifling it. And the aroma lingers long after the last sip. I close my eyes: the sound of the bar machine, the smell of warm bread, someone calling out "buongiorno!" from the other end of the counter. And just like that, I’m awake.

Before sunrise, somewhere in Emilia-Romagna, the merchants are setting up their stalls. Crates of vegetables are stacked, van doors slam shut, and at the corner of the square, the bar has just opened its shutters. No one talks much. You order a coffee, drink it standing up in one gulp, and the day can truly begin.

This coffee requires character. Bar Molinari in Modena has been roasting its own coffee since 1911, and the Intenso is its most assertive version: a blend of Arabica and Robusta in individual ground coffee capsules. Intensity 8 out of 10, a dark, rich, and velvety crema, an intense aroma that lingers, and lovely notes of chocolate at the bottom of the cup. It is the coffee for those who like their espresso to have body, presence, and personality.

You choose the Intenso when you want a cup that counts: the one before the long drive, before the big meeting, before the first work shift. No need to make it an event. It just needs to be up to the task.

And here in Canada, it’s that winter Monday morning when you have to shovel snow before even thinking about breakfast. You insert the capsule, the machine starts, the scent of roasting fills the kitchen, and for the duration of a cup, you are at the counter of a bar in Modena, wide awake and ready for the day.

Why our customers love it

• An intense and full-bodied Italian espresso (intensity 8/10)
• A dark, rich, and velvety crema, the hallmark of authentic bar coffee
• Beautiful notes of chocolate and an intense aroma that persists on the palate
• An Italian-roasted blend of Arabica and Robusta
• A Modena institution that has been roasting its own coffee since 1911
• Individual Nespresso®-compatible capsules, ready in less than a minute
• Box of 10 capsules, ideal for trying or gifting