Starbucks Ground Coffee, Dark Roast Hot or Iced Coffee

Muted with oil, the tumbling beans become eerily silent. A master roaster watches, knowing that if he pushes them a second too long, they’ll burst into flames. White smoke hangs down as the glistening beans turn ebony. Our team spent hands-on time with the Starbucks Ground Coffee, Dark Roast Hot or Iced Coffee to see how it holds up against the rest of the iced coffee & cold brew we've tested.

Across repeated sessions we evaluated it on the categories that matter most: quality, consistency, value, and how likely we are to reach for it again. Ranked #20 of our top 94 iced coffee & cold brew — an outstanding dark pick with caramel, smoky, bold notes, earning a 4.7★ average across 8,081 Amazon ratings.

Muted with oil, the tumbling beans become eerily silent. A master roaster watches, knowing that if he pushes them a second too long, they’ll burst into flames. White smoke hangs down as the glistening beans turn ebony. This is Starbucks French Roast coffee, and you can’t roast it darker. Straightforward, light-bodied with low acidity, and immensely popular since 1971, our darkest roast is adored for its intense smokiness. Nestlé uses Starbucks trademarks under license.​ © 2025 Starbucks Coffee Company.

From the roaster

• PREMIUM GROUND COFFEE: Enjoy the Starbucks coffee you love at home with this 28-ounce bag of Starbucks French Roast dark roast ground coffee​
• BOLD: Starbucks French Roast is a bold coffee—dark and complex with depth of flavor, featuring notes of dark caramel and sweet smoke
• HOT OR ICED COFFEE: Enjoy your coffee your way—brew it hot or over ice for a refreshing pick-me-up. Add your favorite coffee creamer for a personalized touch, or enjoy balanced, black coffee for a satisfying sip any time of day
• BREW IT YOUR WAY: Enjoy the same delicious Starbucks taste, no matter how you make your cup—whether it’s a rich French press, classic drip brew or smooth pour-over
• CAFÉ QUALITY: Starbucks adheres to the highest quality standards—shipping you the same artfully crafted Arabica coffee beans brewed in Starbucks cafés​

What we liked

• Strong overall Coffee Score of 8.8/10 — ranked #341 of 1193 (29% percentile).
• Distinct flavor profile: Caramel, Smoky, Bold, Smooth.
• Community agrees — a Coffee Lovers Score of 9.4/10 from 8,081 ratings.