Shit, this coffee is insane. Now, it costs 9 bucks and change in Walmart, and it tastes like 9 bucks and change coffee. I am however spoiled on coffee so this is a bit arrogant of me to claim.
That being said, that caffeine hits really hard, I could feel my pulse. I was up and really zoned in on work. I have not had a hit like this in years. If you need a cold start, this is a bear slap to the face in the middle of winter. Going to be drinking this for awhile.
My decision was not based on marketing at all, but caffeine. If the packaging is to be believed, pure coffee. It is strong, which is the only reason I bought it, to get me through a series of work projects that I am pulling one-nighters over. This was after I tried Nescafe chicory, which is way more terrible, and makes my pee stink.
I am not sure where the additional caffeine comes from, but, it is there in spades. And it burns slow too. Some coffee gives you a short kick, this is now going to ~9h (albeit two cups) and its there. I can feel it. I added a bit of cocoa powder to manage the taste, makes a bit of difference.
Would I buy it as a daily driver? Nope.
The issue here is this: the roasting method doesn’t really impact the volume of caffeine that gets preserved, especially not when making espresso.
However. Espresso contains more caffeine than pour over coffee. So. This is either a) shitty marketing or b) they have added caffeine themselves. :)
Also. Caffeine is always the same molecule. Your body can’t tell the differene. And it always breaks down at the same speed. However. Depending on how you consume it (coffee vs energy drink) you might have a different experience and it might feel different, but the effect of caffeine is always the same.
I understand your point, but I honestly do not know. I cannot say whether anything has been added to it, or even what type of coffee it is. I bought it for its effect, and in that respect, it works exceptionally well. It is stronger than anything else I have tried, and the effects last considerably longer. If anything has been added, however, the label does not disclose it.