DC Coffee The Swell Review: A Loud Bag, but a Quiet Coffee
DC Coffee’s The Swell makes a strong first impression before brewing. The colourful surf-themed bag carries an “Intensity 9” rating and describes the blend as “deeply powerful”, with advertised flavours of caramel, milk chocolate and sultana. It sets an expectation of something rich and assertive, so we tested it black, with milk, and with Equal added to see how much of that personality actually reaches the cup.
|
Origin: |
Not specified |
|
Roast Level: |
Medium |
|
Tasting Notes (Brand): |
Caramel, milk chocolate, sultana |
|
Brew Methods Tested: |
Espresso; black, with milk, and with milk and Equal |
|
RRP: |
~$32 AUD / 600g |
Appearance & Beans
The beans range from medium to darker brown, with noticeable variation in size and shape across the blend. Their surfaces are predominantly dry and matte, with nothing visually suggesting an especially dark or aggressive roast. Our machine grinds internally, so we couldn’t assess the freshly ground aroma separately.
Aroma
Whole-bean aroma is led by a familiar roasted character, with a faint sweetness underneath. That could be where some of DC Coffee’s suggested stonefruit comes through, although it is too subtle to identify confidently. Cocoa is easier to recognise, adding a mild chocolate-like depth behind the roast.
Taste – Black
Taken black, The Swell shows a restrained sultana note that is noticeable without becoming a strong dried-fruit flavour. Caramel is muted; there’s sweetness, but not a distinct caramel note. Acidity and bitterness also become more apparent, giving the cup some extra edge without becoming especially harsh.
Taste – With Milk
Milk rounds off those edges and brings the cup into better balance. The acidity and bitterness settle, while enough flavour remains to avoid being washed out. It isn’t particularly rich, heavy or powerful, instead coming across as a relatively well-rounded, medium-strength coffee that feels familiar and easy to drink.
Adding Equal doesn’t upset that balance. The sweetness stays clean without becoming strange or exaggerated, and there is still enough coffee presence to carry through. The individual caramel, milk chocolate and sultana notes become harder to pick out, leaving a more straightforward, balanced cup.
Finish & Drinkability
Across the different preparations, The Swell’s strength is its consistency rather than any particular standout characteristic. Black brings more acidity, bitterness and some recognisable sultana character; milk softens those edges and makes it more rounded. Nothing becomes tiring or unpleasant over repeated drinking, but equally, little emerges that makes the blend particularly memorable.
ATC Verdict: Is It Worth the Splurge?
Not particularly for us. The Swell is perfectly drinkable and well rounded, with milk arguably showing it at its best. But there is a disconnect between the cup and the personality surrounding it. The bag promises “Intensity 9” and calls the blend “deeply powerful”; what we found was considerably more restrained. Its advertised flavours never come together strongly enough to give it a distinctive identity, leaving an experience that is competent but unlikely to pull us back.
The bag makes waves. The coffee is much calmer.
Editor’s Note
This review was based on multiple tastings across several days using the same home espresso setup. The Swell was tasted black, with milk, and with milk and Equal to assess how the blend changed across the ways we would normally drink it.
Adrian, Editor at All That Is Cool
