Nespresso has made it possible for Americans to get real-deal Cuban coffee for the first time in over 50 years. Back in June, the coffee and home brewing company announced news of its new Cafecito de Cuba pods [1] (made from Cuban Arabica beans), which have now officially been released to the public. We got an early taste of the news pods and here's how it went.

The limited-edition Cafecito de Cuba sleeve is packaged in a beautiful wooden box — only 100 custom boxes have been made to celebrate this exciting moment in coffee history. We unboxed the capsules and fired the machine up. Since "cafecito" refers to a Cuban coffee shot, we decided to drink it as a ristretto (or short cup) for our first go. After taking in the woodsy, nutty aroma, we detected citrus and caramel-like notes right away. In addition to its pleasantly intense flavors, the cafecito has a very strong kick to it that I definitely appreciated that morning. A co-worker who's had Cuban coffee in Miami also said that Nespresso's cafecito is comparable. But if you're not a fan of strong coffee, Cafecito de Cuba may not be for you.

For my second tasting, I tried it as a lungo (or long cup), resulting in a more mild coffee. Although it wasn't as strong at first sip, the richness was still very much present. I even added a splash of cream and sugar without diluting the flavors. I do like my coffee strong, but I think I'll continue to take my Cafecito de Cuba as a long cup rather than short. Overall, I enjoyed every sip in both forms.

Although Cafecito de Cuba is temporarily sold out [2], the capsules will again be available later in September. In the meantime, Nespresso Boutiques [3] are serving limited quantities.