Tasting notes & flavor profile
Intensity
Aromatic notes
Taste Profile
Carte Carte Noire Classic Balanced No. 5 is the mildest soft pod in the Carte Noire. A 100% Arabica from several origins, roasted in France to a medium roast, the cup is well-rounded, balanced, and low in acidity, with notes of toasted cereals and dried fruit , and a pleasant length for such a mild coffee. In a soft pod machine like a Senseo, the low-pressure extraction produces a long coffee topped with a fine crema—a perfect everyday coffee, to be enjoyed plain or with a splash of milk.
Positioning within the Carte Noire soft pod range :
- Classic Balanced No. 5 (this product) — intensity 5/10, medium roast. The smooth coffee for morning and afternoon.
- Full-bodied & Aromatic No. 7 — intensity 7/10, more body, notes of cocoa and wood.
- Intense Espresso No. 8 — intensity 8/10, the most full-bodied, medium to dark roast.
Machine compatibility
Compatible machines:
Often bought together
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these Carte Noire pods compatible with my Senseo machine?
Yes. soft pods Carte Noire pods large format filter paper soft pod machines like Senseo (Philips): Senseo Original and Original Plus, Select, Switch, Maestro, Viva Café, Quadrante, Latte Duo, as well as other soft pod coffee makers of the same format.
They fit into the 1-cup (one pod) or 2-cup (two pods) pod holder. They are not compatible with capsule machines (Nespresso, Dolce Gusto, Tassimo, Lavazza, Delta Q, illy Iperespresso) nor with the 44 mm ESE portafilters of espresso machines: the soft pod is significantly wider and is not compressed for high pressure.
Soft pod or ESE pod: what's the difference?
Two filter paper formats that are not interchangeable:
- Soft pod (this product) — large disc of filter paper, approximately 7g of loosely packed ground coffee, for low-pressure machines such as Senseo. Result: a long, mild coffee , similar to a filter coffee, with a light crema.
- ESE (Easy Serving Espresso) pod — small 44 mm pod , packed coffee, for the portafilter of a high-pressure espresso machine . Result: a tight espresso with crema.
If your machine is a Senseo or a soft pod coffee maker, this is the product you need. For an espresso machine with an ESE filter holder, see our ESE pods.
What is the difference between the three Carte Noire soft pods?
Three intensities of the same 100% Arabica roasted in France:
- Classic Balanced No. 5 (this product) — intensity 5/10, medium roast. Round cup, low acidity, notes of toasted grains and dried fruit. For a smooth coffee at any time.
- Full-bodied & Aromatic No. 7 — intensity 7/10, darker roast. More body, notes of cocoa and wood, controlled bitterness.
- Intense Espresso No. 8 — intensity 8/10, medium to dark roast. The strongest of the three, choose it if you like a bold coffee.
All three are prepared in the same way and are readily mixed together in the same package at home: No. 5 in the morning, No. 7 or No. 8 after the meal.
How to prepare a stronger coffee with a soft pod?
No. 5 is designed to be gentle, but the machine offers several levers:
- "Intense" or "strong" setting on Senseo machines that have it: less water for the same pod.
- Two pods for one large cup : 2-cup pod holder, but only one cup under the spout — for mugs only.
- Changing the reference : the Corsé & Aromatique N°7 or theEspresso Intense N°8 gives more body without changing anything on the machine.
Conversely, for a lighter coffee, choose the large cup setting with a single pod.
Is the soft pod compostable? How do I dispose of it?
The pod is made of filter paper and ground coffee, without an aluminum or plastic casing. The manufacturer states that it is compostable in industrial composting facilities (EN 13432 standard): it can be disposed of with organic waste if your municipality collects it, otherwise with regular household garbage. The coffee grounds it contains can enrich home compost (nitrogen) or be used as fertilizer in the garden.
The outer packaging (bag and cardboard box, depending on the packaging) should be recycled according to standard packaging sorting procedures. Once opened, reseal the package tightly and store it in a dry place, away from light and heat: filter paper offers less protection for the aromas than an airtight capsule.
Carte Noire, a French brand? Who manufactures it today?
Carte Noire is a French brand created in 1978 by René Monnier , already founder of Grand'Mère coffees, with a positioning that was unprecedented at the time: a high-end pure Arabica coffee in mass distribution, in a flexible package with a freshness valve
The brand passed through the hands of Jacobs Suchard (1982), then Kraft and Mondelēz, before being acquired in February 2016 by the Italian group Lavazza, which retained the historic factory in Lavérune (Hérault) and the roasting operations in France. The product range now includes whole bean coffee, ground coffee, instant coffee, Nespresso-compatible capsules, and Senseo-compatible soft pods.
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