Starbucks Milano Duetto Review: Which Roast Will You Fall For?

Starbucks has been brewing its way into people's hearts since the first location opened in 1971. Beyond all of the fancy handcrafted lattes and flavorful treats, at the core, Starbucks focuses on its blends of coffee. There have been over 30 different blends over the years, and Starbucks wants to continue to push the envelope for the kind of coffee that it sells.

I was lucky enough to attend a special tasting of Starbucks newest blend, the Milano Duetto. Conducting the tasting was Sergio Alvarez, senior coffee developer, who gave great insight into the process that Starbucks goes through to create new blends. He shared that with the Milano Duetto specifically, he and his team aimed to challenge what a roast does to a coffee. They took this new Milano blend, roasted it two separate ways, and created two different roasts: the Milano Sole and the Milano Luna.

Alvarez explained that these two roasts open up a conversation about what you expect from a "light" versus "dark" roast, and can make you reflect on how those expectations can be shifted when trying new things. This was something that Alvarez pointed out to be part of the goal in creating this blend, and I definitely experienced that in our tasting. I entered the tasting with one expectation and left carrying a completely different opinion. I'm excited to see what the rest of the world thinks of this new blend.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

The Milano Duetto is one blend that is roasted in two different ways, creating the Milano Sole and the Milano Luna. The blend itself is made with coffee grown in Colombia and Sumatra. With inspiration from Milan's bustling coffee and art scene, the coffee developers at Starbucks wanted to pay homage to the city that has been fueling Starbucks for all of these years.

The Milano Sole is the light roast while Milano Luna is the dark roast. Although both are made from the same blend, the method of roasting changes the flavor profile completely. To create a light roast, it is done on a lower temperature with less time. Oppositely, the dark roast is done at a higher temperature for a longer amount of time. Many people believe that lighter roasts have more caffeine, however, there are marginal differences in the amount of caffeine in each roast — Sergio Alvarez, senior coffee developer, told me himself.

The Milano Sole is described as having "notes of sweet pomegranate and vanilla custard" while the Milano Luna is described as having "notes of dark chocolate truffle and black walnut." Considering these are coming from the same blend, that sounds like a pretty large difference in taste. I can tell you, though, that once I tasted both roasts, I experienced firsthand how unique and delicious each coffee is.

The Milano Sole is named after the Italian word for "sun," and let me tell you, when I tasted this roast, I immediately could imagine myself drinking it on a sunny morning or afternoon. With this being a light roast, it was definitely light and refreshing. However, unlike many other light roasts that I've had, this one had a lot more flavor and notes in it than I'm used to. There was a delicious fruity aroma and I could taste a touch of nutmeg spice and pomegranate. It wasn't overwhelmingly flavorful, but it was still packed with taste in a light way.

This brew would taste great as an iced coffee as well. Since it's light with notes of fruit, vanilla, and other warmer spices, I can imagine it hitting the spot on a warmer fall day. Overall, I was really pleased with the Milano Sole. I found myself immediately wanting another cup when I was finished, and was so happy to bring a bag home so I can brew it myself.

The Milano Luna is named after the moon, appropriately matched for the dark roast version of this blend. I normally gravitate towards lighter blends, so I was a tad nervous to taste this one (especially with no half-and-half or creamer). Upon the first reaction, I was surprised that this coffee tasted so smooth. It turns out that there is very little acidity, which isn't common for darker roasts. I was still able to appreciate the darkness through the rich flavors and fuller-bodied experience, however, it didn't have that off-putting aftertaste that dark roasts sometimes have.

I experienced a sense of sweetness while drinking this roast, and also noticed flavors of toasted walnut and a hint of dark chocolate. It definitely felt more decadent than the Sole, which was interesting to experience such a difference between the two. I think that the Milano Luna is the perfect roast for a cold winter morning or as a post-dinner coffee. The richness and deeper flavoring definitely had a more comforting quality to it, and I think that dark roast lovers will enjoy this roast immensely.

I've always enjoyed Starbucks's other brews, however, I haven't ever been head over heels for them. I used to routinely order a grande Blonde Roast with a dash of half-and-half, and I liked it because it was a pleasant taste that gave me the caffeine I needed. If I compare the Milano Sole to that blend, there is a huge difference. I wouldn't say that I'd be able to pick out what flavors are present in the Blonde Roast. It's just a solid cup of coffee to me. The Sole has hoppy and fresh flavors that are matched with a smooth vanilla touch. I was able to clearly taste that when sipping on the Sole. So, for a light roast, I'd definitely say that the Milano Sole brings more to the table.

I've never been a fan of any of the stronger, dark roasts at Starbucks. I've given it a try a few times, however, I am usually turned off by the higher levels of acidity and strong aftertaste that it tends to leave on your tongue. I didn't think that I would enjoy the Milano Luna because of that, and I was happily proven wrong. I think that this roast brings something entirely new when it comes to dark roasts at Starbucks. It has enjoyable flavors, a richness that most people want in a dark roast, and is incredibly smooth. I'd say the Milano Luna blows the other dark roasts from Starbucks out of the water.

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. The Milano Duetto will be available at Starbucks on October 1, 2024 — in honor of International Coffee Day. The Milano Luna it the featured dark roast for the month of October while the Milano Luna it the featured light roast. As of now, the brew is only slated to be sold during the month of October. The coffee will be sold at the same price point that your usual cup of coffee at Starbucks costs.

The good news is, you can also buy bags of both coffee roasts in store and online. These 8.81-ounce bags of coffee beans will cost just $9.95 each. If you love this blend as much as I do, you're going to want to stock up as much as possible! The bags will only be available throughout October and for as long as supplies last — which could be fairly quick if the Milano Duetto takes off like I think it will.

Through a taste test experience with Starbucks, I was able to taste the new Milano Duetto before the launch. The tasting was led by Sergio Alvarez, senior coffee developer at Starbucks. All of the opinions written are my own, and extra information about the Milano Duetto shared in this article was learned during the tasting or given to us afterward by our contacts at Starbucks.