Espresso coffee has become synonymous with Italy, as have those beverages which employ this as a base such as cappuccino and caffè latte. This article examines the processes by which espresso became “Italian” over the course of the twentieth century by investigating the way that the taste of Italian coffee has evolved, along with the taste for coffee amongst the Italians. In addition it discusses the ways in which the serving styles of these beverages have been adjusted to make them more palatable to coffee-drinking cultures outside Italy. By focussing on the sensory qualities of the coffee itself, it aims to produce a material history of espresso that can be read alongside that of the socio-cultural conditions that have occasioned its success.