Notte Scura ‘Dark Night’ Coffee Blend - December 2025

Introducing Notte Scura: Little Italy’s Boldest Expression

This December, we’re launching something special for dark roast enthusiasts. Notte Scura ‘Dark Night’ from Little Italy Coffee Roasters represents their darkest roast to date, and we’re thrilled to introduce it as our December Coffee of the Month.

“Our darkest roast (so far). Strong and bold.” That’s how Little Italy describes this intense blend, and it delivers on that promise. If you’ve been searching for a coffee that can stand up to milk-based drinks while maintaining character in a straight black, Notte Scura might be your new go-to.

The Blend Behind the Boldness

Notte Scura brings together three distinct coffee origins, each contributing specific characteristics to create a balanced yet powerful cup.

Brazilian Peaberry

The Brazilian component features peaberry beans, a natural rarity in coffee cultivation. Peaberries occur in only about 5% of coffee cherries, forming as a single round seed instead of the typical two flat-sided beans. This unique formation creates a denser bean structure that many roasters prize for its concentrated flavours and even roasting properties.

Brazilian coffee traditionally brings chocolate notes and a smooth, full body to blends. In Notte Scura, the peaberry selection amplifies these characteristics while providing the foundation for the blend’s richness.

Papua New Guinea AAK Grade

The PNG contribution comes from AAK-grade beans, representing the highest quality tier in Papua New Guinea’s coffee grading system. PNG uses a letter-based grading system where A-grade indicates beans with minimal defects and superior size consistency. The AAK designation ensures you’re getting top-tier Papua New Guinea coffee in every bag.

PNG coffees often contribute bright, complex flavors to blends, adding depth and interest that prevents darker roasts from becoming one-dimensional. The AAK grade guarantees these qualities come through even at dark roast levels.

Indian Robusta Grade A

Little Italy describes the Indian Robusta component as providing “the extra kick that you need to start your day.” This isn’t just about caffeine content, though Robusta does contain roughly twice the caffeine of Arabica beans.

Indian Grade A Robusta is notably different from the harsh, bitter Robusta often found in commercial blends. Grade A classification means these beans are free from primary defects and selected for their ability to contribute body and chocolate notes without the acrid bitterness that has given Robusta an undeserved reputation. High-quality Indian Robusta brings spice notes and a thick crema that espresso drinkers particularly appreciate.

Tasting Profile: Chocolate, Caramel, and Hazelnut

Notte Scura delivers three primary tasting notes: caramel sweetness, milk chocolate richness, and hazelnut undertones. This flavor profile makes it exceptionally versatile across brewing methods.

The caramel notes provide natural sweetness that balances the roast’s intensity, while the milk chocolate character creates a smooth, approachable cup despite the dark roast level. Hazelnut undertones add a subtle nuttiness that complements both the chocolate and caramel elements.

Little Italy specifically notes that Notte Scura works “perfect for your everyday flat white or a bold black coffee.” This versatility stems from the blend’s construction—bold enough to cut through milk, but balanced enough to drink straight.

Brewing Notte Scura

Little Italy provides specific espresso parameters for Notte Scura:

- Dose: 22.5g
- Yield: 38-42g
- Time: 28-34 seconds

This recipe produces a traditional espresso ratio (roughly 1:1.7 to 1:1.9) with an extraction time that pulls the chocolate and caramel sweetness without over-extracting bitter compounds. The slightly longer extraction time (28-34 seconds versus a typical 25-30) allows the denser peaberry structure to fully extract.

For milk-based drinks, Notte Scura’s boldness ensures your coffee flavor doesn’t disappear in lattes or flat whites. The blend’s body and intensity make it particularly well-suited for morning coffees where you want your coffee to announce itself clearly, whether you’re brewing at home or in your office.

For black coffee drinkers, try Notte Scura as a pour-over or French press. The dark roast level means you’ll want to use water just off boil (around 92-94°C) to avoid over-extraction. A slightly coarser grind than you’d use for medium roasts will help extract the chocolate and caramel notes while minimising any potential bitterness.

About Little Italy Coffee Roasters

Little Italy Coffee Roasters brings Italian coffee tradition to Melbourne’s specialty coffee scene. Their focus on bold, full-bodied roasts reflects traditional Italian espresso culture while using high-quality, traceable beans that meet specialty coffee standards.

Notte Scura represents Little Italy’s commitment to creating coffees that work in real-world scenarios—busy morning routines, office coffee service, or simply enjoying a reliably delicious cup without fuss. The blend’s name, “Dark Night” in Italian and reflects its roast level.

Comparing Dark Roast Options

If you’re exploring dark roast coffees, it’s worth understanding how Notte Scura compares to other options in our collection.

Notte Scura vs. Little Italy Ora

Little Italy Ora features maple syrup, cherry, and honey notes with a balanced profile. Where Ora emphasises sweetness and approachability, Notte Scura pushes toward maximum boldness with its caramel, milk chocolate, and hazelnut character—darker, richer, and more intense throughout.

Notte Scura vs. Community Blend

Our Community Blend, created in collaboration with Industry Beans, takes a different approach to everyday coffee. While Notte Scura pushes toward maximum boldness and intensity, Community Blend focuses on balance and approachability. Both excel in milk-based drinks, but Community Blend offers a lighter, more nuanced option for those times when you want something less assertive.

Dark Roasts: Understanding the Style

Dark roasts like Notte Scura undergo longer roasting times that develop specific flavour characteristics. The extended roasting brings bean oils to the surface (you’ll notice Notte Scura’s glossy appearance), creates pronounced body, and emphasises chocolate, caramel, and roasted nut flavours.

Dark roasts work particularly well for espresso because their lower acidity and fuller body create that thick, syrupy mouthfeel espresso drinkers love. The roast level also makes these coffees more forgiving in terms of brewing—slight variations in grind size or extraction time affect the cup less dramatically than with lighter roasts.

For offices, dark roasts offer consistency advantages. They produce reliable results across different brewing equipment and operator skill levels, making them practical choices for high-volume office coffee service.

Freshness and Storage

Little Italy roasts Notte Scura to order, and we ship the freshest roast available for all online orders. Coffee peaks in flavor roughly 7-14 days after roasting and maintains excellent quality for 4-6 weeks when stored properly.

The best practice for storing coffee is using a dedicated coffee storage canister. We recommend vacuum-sealed canisters for optimal freshness—these remove oxygen from the container, preventing your coffee from oxidizing and losing flavor. Consider the Fellow Atmos Electric Vacuum Canister, which creates and automatically maintains a vacuum seal with just one button push, or the Airscape Coffee Storage Canister, which uses patented airtight technology to push oxygen out of the container.

Regardless of storage method, keep your coffee in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Avoid refrigeration, as condensation can compromise the beans.

Who Should Try Notte Scura?

Milk Coffee Enthusiasts: If you drink primarily lattes, flat whites, or cappuccinos, Notte Scura’s bold profile ensures your coffee flavor comes through clearly even in larger milk-to-coffee ratios.

Dark Roast Fans: Those who specifically seek out dark roasted coffees for their low acidity, full body, and chocolate-forward flavors will find Notte Scura delivers all these characteristics.

Espresso Machine Owners: Home espresso enthusiasts will appreciate having a specific brewing recipe from the roaster, plus a blend specifically designed to produce excellent espresso results.

Busy Offices: The blend’s forgiving nature and consistent results make it practical for office settings where multiple people operate equipment or where speed matters more than precision.

B2B Availability

Special pricing for Notte Scura is available through our B2B Program to all our commercial customers. Our business program provides access to premium coffee solutions with competitive pricing and flexible delivery options.

Your December Coffee Awaits

As summer arrives in Melbourne, Notte Scura represents our commitment to bringing you exceptional coffee from quality roasters. This December marks the first time we’re offering Little Italy’s darkest blend, and we’re excited to introduce this bold coffee to our community.

At the special December price of $53.00, discover a dark roast that delivers intensity without compromising flavor complexity. Regular price is $57.00.

Order Notte Scura Now - December Special $53.00