I Tried Death Wish Coffee’s New Maple Cinnamon Roast and I Was Totally Wrong
As part of this year’s Sober October, Death Wish Coffee introduced a limited-edition Maple Cinnamon blend designed for people who still want a ritual drink at the end of the day, just not one with alcohol. Instead of cocktails, more people are leaning into seasonal coffee routines, swapping nightcaps for something warm, comforting and a little bit indulgent. It taps into a bigger shift happening around fall: cozy evenings, slower routines and drinks that feel intentional without being over the top.
Death Wish has always stood out in the coffee aisle. Known for its high-caffeine blend of Arabica and Robusta beans, the brand promises a cup that hits harder than your average medium roast. But despite its edgy branding, the company is Fair Trade Certified and uses ethically sourced, organic beans, which gives this fall launch more credibility than just a novelty drop.
The new Maple Cinnamon roast is meant to be bold first and seasonal second. According to the brand, the goal was never to drown the coffee in sweetness, but to layer in just enough fall flavor to make it feel special without losing character. On paper, it sounds intriguing: a strong roast with cinnamon up front and maple at the finish, but as someone who prefers coffee-flavored coffee, I wasn’t sure it would be for me.
I Tried It... Then Poured Another Cup
Normally, I skip flavored coffee. I don’t mind the occasional holiday latte from a café, but ground flavored coffee at home usually tastes artificial and too sweet for my taste. I prefer a simple cup with half and half, no sugar, or sometimes just black if the roast is good enough on its own. So I wasn't expecting much going in.
Everything changed the second I opened it.
A wave of warm cinnamon and maple syrup aroma rushed out of the bag, smelling almost like someone had just flipped a slice of French toast on the stovetop. When the coffee started brewing, the entire kitchen took on that fall-coffeehouse smell: cozy, lightly spiced and inviting in a way that made me immediately want to pour a cup.
I tried it black first, just to get the true flavor before adding anything. The first sip surprised me. The coffee hits first—dark, strong and exactly what you expect from Death Wish—followed right by a warm cinnamon note. The maple doesn’t show up until the finish, and even then it’s subtle, more of a flavor memory than a syrupy presence. Just that last hint of maple lingering at the end to round out the sip. While the cinnamon-maple flavor isn't subtle, neither is the coffee. The taste is a bold blend of flavor that leads with coffee first and follows with autumn spice.
When I poured a second cup with cream, the flavor balanced out even more. It tasted rich and velvety without turning into dessert in a mug. "I really like this," I said with surprise to an empty kitchen. When my wife gave it a try, adding both cream and sugar, she smiled broadly, clearly impressed and immediately drained another sip.
Death Wish Coffee's limited time flavor release is a surprisingly welcome addition to my to coffee stash this October. While I still wouldn't replace my everyday coffee with a flavored roast, I would absolutely buy it again. It's a comforting mug of comfort for those first chilly mornings of fall when you want something that feels a little seasonal and need some extra coziness. For a brand built on intensity, this blend shows a surprisingly thoughtful balance of strength and warmth.
If Death Wish brings Maple Cinnamon back next year, I’ll be putting in an order. If not, I'm anxious to see what they unveil when the seasons change.