Starbucks Sumatra Vs Komodo Dragon: Which One Is Better?
Although I love my Starbucks visits, sometimes I enjoy making coffee at home. And what is the best whole bean coffee to use when brewing homemade coffee? You guessed right, it’s Starbucks at-home whole bean. I realized that most people who are used to getting their favorite coffee drinks from the shop may not know which whole bean to purchase. So, I created this post to help you learn about two popular Starbucks dark roasts; Sumatra and Komodo Dragon. In the end, you will know which one is better, so read on!
Table of Contents
What are the differences between Starbucks Sumatra Vs Komodo Dragon?
Features/Starbucks Coffee |
Starbucks Sumatra |
Starbucks Komodo Dragon |
Ingredients |
100% Arabica coffee |
100% Arabica coffee |
Taste Profile |
Bold flavors, with a smooth mouth feel, lingering notes of dried herbs and fresh earth |
Rich flavor with notes of fresh herbs and a lingering spice |
Caffeine Content/ Nutritional value |
380 milligrams in a Grande serving |
380 milligrams in a Grande serving |
Availability/ Accessibility |
Easy to access every day in a Starbucks store near you all year round. |
Easy to access every day in a Starbucks store near you all year round. |
Roast level |
Dark roast |
Dark roast |
Starbucks Sumatra Vs Komodo Dragon – How They Compare

Ingredients
Ingredients are the major determinants of a coffee’s nutritional value and taste.
Like the green Indonesian, Island Starbucks procures it from, the Starbucks Sumatra, a spicy coffee, stands alone. It is full-bodied/bold with a smooth mouthfeel and lingering hints of dried herbs and fresh earth and has low acidity.
The highly trained Starbucks master roasters love to transform the unpredictable coffee beans from their raw form (dark coral green) to tiger-orange to rich, oily mahogany, coaxing out bold flavors you cannot live without. Coffee procured from Sumatra is the foundation of Starbucks’ most treasured coffee blends, such as the Starbucks Sumatra Blend.
Conversely, Starbucks creates its Komodo Dragon Blend with coffees it procures from the Indonesian Island. The Komodo Dragon Blend has a rich herbal flavor.
The two coffees are created with coffee sourced from the same region (Sumatra Island). The only difference between the two is their processing method. Sumatra coffee beans are only semi-washed, while the Komodo Dragon coffee beans are semi-washed and then washed.
The Starbucks Komodo Dragon blend wins in this category because its ingredients pass through a more complex processing method than the Starbucks Sumatra Blend.
Taste Profile
Taste is critical when choosing the better of two coffees. Ingredients and roast level are the main determinants of a coffee’s taste profile.
Starbucks categorizes its coffees into three roast profiles. The first is the light roast with the strongest flavor; the second is the medium roast with a moderately strong flavor; the last is the dark roast with the least strong flavor.
The Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon are dark roasts, meaning they are full-bodied coffees. However, their taste profile differs because they are processed differently.
The Starbucks Sumatra has bold flavors, a smooth mouthfeel, lingering notes of dried herbs, and fresh earth. The first thing you will feel after taking a sip of Sumatra coffee is that it has a prolonged aftertaste which you will definitely love. Its acidity is very subtle.
Conversely, the Starbucks Komodo Dragon has a rich flavor with notes of fresh herbs and a lingering spice. Take a sip of the Starbucks Komodo Dragon, and you will notice a unique flavor will strike you upfront.
The Komodo Dragon coffee has a very dense body. Additionally, its acidity is slightly livelier than the Starbucks Sumatra’s, making it a more sophisticated and interesting coffee of the two. Similar to Sumatra, the Komodo Dragon has a great aftertaste.
The Starbucks Komodo Dragon wins in this category because it is a more sophisticated and interesting coffee.
Caffeine Content/ Nutritional value
Caffeine helps to keep you awake for an extended period. However, it is good to keep track of your caffeine intake because, in excess, it might be harmful to your health. The recommended amount is at most 400 milligrams per day.
Caffeine is both good and bad. For strong coffee lovers, caffeine is good because it helps to keep them energized for an extended period. On the other hand, for people with issues with caffeine, it increases their susceptibility to anxiety attacks.
Strong coffee lovers use caffeine content to choose the better of two coffees. For such persons, the option with more caffeine is the better of the two.
The Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon contain the same amount of caffeine. A Grande serving of each coffee (Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon) contains 380 milligrams of caffeine.
This category is a draw since the same serving of the two coffees has the same caffeine content.
Availability/ Accessibility
Even though most Starbucks coffees are readily available in all Starbucks stores all year round, some are not easy to access in some Starbucks locations. Additionally, some Starbucks drinks coffees are seasonal, which means they are only available during holidays or special occasions.
Luckily, the above case does not apply to Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon coffees, because they are easy to access daily in a Starbucks store near you all year round.
This category is a draw because you can easily access the Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon coffees daily in a Starbucks store near you all year round.
Roast level
Roast level is a major determinant of a coffee’s taste profile.
Starbucks classifies its coffees into three roast profiles. The first is the light or blonde roast, which has the strongest flavor; the second is the medium roast which has a moderately strong flavor; the last is the dark roast which has the least strong flavor.
The Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon are dark roasts. Therefore, both are full-bodied coffees. However, their taste is different because they are processed differently.
The Starbucks Sumatra has bold flavors, a smooth mouthfeel, lingering notes of dried herbs, and fresh earth. Conversely, the Starbucks Komodo Dragon has a rich flavor with notes of fresh herbs and a lingering spice.
This category is a draw because both coffees are dark roasts.
Starbucks Sumatra Vs. Komodo Dragon: A comparison review
Starbucks Sumatra – Overview

The coffee is the go-to option if you love a coffee with bold flavors and high caffeine content. Starbucks procures the coffee beans it uses to create this coffee from Sumatra. Starbucks master roasters transform the unpredictable coffee beans from their raw form (dark coral green) to tiger-orange and to a rich, oily mahogany, coaxing out bold flavors you cannot live without.
I liked its bold flavors and lingering notes of dried herbs and fresh earth. The Starbucks Sumatra is suitable for people who prefer coffee with bold flavors and high caffeine content.
What I liked;
- It has bold flavors
- It has lingering notes of dried herbs and fresh earth
What I didn’t like;
- It has an extremely high caffeine content.
Who it’s best suited for.
- Best suited for persons who prefer coffee with bold flavors and high caffeine content.
Starbucks Komodo Dragon – Overview

The coffee is the perfect option if you love coffee with rich flavors. Starbucks procures the coffee beans it uses to create this coffee from Sumatra. The meticulous blending and roasting processes lead to the creation of a coffee blend with a rich flavor and notes of fresh herbs and a lingering spice.
I liked its rich flavor and notes of fresh herbs and lingering spice. The Starbucks Komodo Dragon is suitable for people who love coffee with a rich flavor and high caffeine content.
What I liked;
- It has a rich flavor
- It has notes of fresh herbs and a lingering spice
What I didn’t like;
- It has an extremely high caffeine content.
Who it’s best suited for.
- Best suited for persons who prefer coffee with rich flavors and high caffeine content.
Final Verdict: So, Which is Better? – Starbucks Sumatra or Komodo Dragon
The Starbucks Komodo Dragon is better than Sumatra. The Komodo Dragon’s acidity is slightly livelier than the Starbucks Sumatra’s, making it a more sophisticated and interesting coffee of the two. Similar to Sumatra, the Komodo Dragon has a great aftertaste.
FAQ Section
Which one tastes better between a Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon?
Both Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon are dark roasts; thus, they are bold and fuller-bodied with robust flavors of intense roast. Additionally, both bring forth lingering flavors of fresh earth and herbs. However, Sumatra has almost no acidity making its taste more subtle, while Komodo Dragon’s acidity is livelier; thus, it tastes better.
What is the difference between Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon?
The difference between Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon is their origin, where the former is crafted from coffee beans from the Asian-Pacific region, while the latter comes from Indonesia.
Which one has a more balanced flavor between Sumatra and Komodo Dragon?
Both Sumatra and Komodo Dragon are dark roasts, but Sumatra has a more balanced flavor since it has almost no acidity.
Which one is healthier between Starbucks Sumatra and Komodo Dragon?
Both Sumatra and Komodo Dragon have low-calorie content making either of the option healthy.