Well, the samples are in and my completely unscientific taste test has commenced. Nescafé is marketing their own brand of instant coffee to provide an affordable answer to the Starbucks VIA.
I made a cup of the Taster's Choice similar to the Starbucks, using half water and heavy on the steamed milk for optimum flavor. I also tried the hazelnut flavored Nescafe, when I probably should have stuck with the Columbian blend to compare apples to apples. Or, should I say, coffee to coffee. But I digress...
Does it pass the test? Is the Starbucks VIA just a bunch of hype? According to this frugal coffee drinker, the verdict is in. While the Taster's Choice does offer a different choice for instant, microbrewed single serve coffee, the delivery is lacking. It makes for a nice hot beverage, but lacks the firepower imbued in the VIA. Both drinks have a very smooth delivery, which is not typical of instant coffees, so they both represent an improvement. However, the VIA packed a lot of coffee flavor and the high octane energy boost to boot. After drinking the Taster's Choice, I was still dragging and felt like the extra hazelnut flavor replaced the missing coffee.
So there you have it. The Starbucks VIA is an instant coffee with a smooth delivery that really does pack a punch! Looks like you can believe the hype.
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