I decided to do a comparison of these two Green Mountain K-Cups.

Sumatran Reserve and Dark Magic are both very dark roasts, but the flavors are quite different. I recommend brewing them at the 10oz setting unless, of course, you like to drink lead–this is potent stuff.

Green Mountain Sumatran Reserve is a very rich dark roast with some bitter tones. It’s not as spicy as Tully’s Italian Roast but you do get some bite in there. I’ve also started to detect a burnt aftertaste. The first time I tried this K-Cup I used the 8oz setting, and I loved it. I just couldn’t drink very much (about 2 oz)–it was REALLY strong. I use the 10oz setting now and that works pretty well.

Sumatran Reserve is one of my favorite K-Cups to serve guests. It reminds me of coffee you might get at Starbucks or other coffee shops. I’ve always been a fan of Sumatran blends, but most are medium roasts and I tend to like those better. It has a good depth of flavor, but I’ve personally grown tired of this K-Cup. Maybe I need to toughen up and try it at the 8oz setting again.

Green Mountain Dark Magic is wonderful. It’s a strong blend, but it’s also nice and smooth. Dark Magic is rich, full-bodied and has a bit of sweetness. It also keeps the same delicious flavor throughout with not even a touch of bitter aftertaste. So far, I haven’t tasted another coffee that is similar to Dark Magic. This is one of my go-to K-Cups. It never gets old. Plus, I feel like I’m really getting my money’s worth because I brew a larger cup.

The first time I tried Sumatran Reserve I was blown away, but that was before I tried Dark Magic (which I hated the first time because I had it on the 8oz setting). Sometimes the brew setting really makes a difference, and these are two examples. My advice is to see for yourself. Do some experimenting to get your K-Cups just right. And, if you like dark roasts, give the Sumatran and Dark Magic a try. I’ll bet you will enjoy at least one of them.