The Good: Easy to prepare, Decent taste, No caffeine
The Bad: Environmental impact of packaging
The Basics: Taster's Choice Decaffeinated Gourmet instant coffee is actually surprising good for those who like decaffeinated coffee!
Now that I am getting into the boxes of things I have not reviewed, I am making real strides with cleaning up around my house. I've been reviewing the Taster's Choice instant coffees, like Original Gourmet blend instant coffee (reviewed here!) and House Blend (reviewed here!). The biggest shock for me in recent days as far as culinary reviews go is that when I tried the Decaffeinated Gourmet Instant Coffee it turned out to be surprisingly good! Decaffeinated Gourmet Instant coffee from Taster's Choice ought to be the only decaffeinated instant coffee consumers go for.
Basics
Taster's Choice Decaffeinated instant coffee is part of Taster's Choice's new premium instant coffee line and one suspects that the company is trying to compete with the flavors from the International blends instant coffee line. This mix now comes in plastic containers easily found in the grocery store, though for my review, I was provided with premeasured samples which each create a 6 oz. cup of coffee.
Ease Of Preparation
Taster's Choice Decaffeinated instant coffee mix is exceptionally simple to make. The single serving is the packet and six oz. of water. There is no measuring of the product involved, though with the canisters one needs to measure out the Tablespoon of instant coffee. This is a very simple beverage to prepare.
The top of the single-serve packet has a perforated edge and one need simply tear open the top, which is quite easy, and pour the contents of the packet into a mug that is at least eight ounces large. Then, simply pour hot water - near boiling, but not actually boiling as boiling water cooks the ingredients as opposed to simply dissolving them - over the powder and stir. Stir the powder until there are no blobs of coffee granules visible in the water. The beverage will have a dark brown color to it and it will be fairly translucent.
Taste
Unlike many of the Taster's Choice instant coffees, the Decaffeinated Gourmet has a potent coffee aroma. The smell has a slightly nutty hint to it and is strangely invigorating for a decaffeinated coffee. The robust coffee and woody nut smell is enough to make one's nose open up and allow the consumer to actually pleasantly anticipate drinking the Decaffeinated coffee.
That anticipation does not go unrewarded, which was a real shock for me. The Decaffeinated coffee tastes dark, with a slightly burned coffee taste. While that might usually be an undesirable result, in the case of Decaffeinated instant Taster's Choice, it gives it a richer, more full-bodied taste than any of the other gourmet instant coffees from the brand that I have reviewed so far.
Equally as important, this coffee still tastes like coffee when one adds milk or sugar to it. That it is not so weak that either of those additives overwhelm the flavor makes it an ideal decaffeinated instant coffee.
Nutrition
Taster's Choice Decaffeinated instant coffee is a coffee mix and therefore is entirely lacking in nutritional value. There are no calories, caffeine or fat in this drink. This is not a beverage intended to be a health drink or one one might survive on.
Storage/Cleanup
So long as one gets Taster's Choice Decaffeinated instant coffee mix in the packet, it ought to stay usable. Visiting my local supermarket, most of the packages of this instant coffee had an expiration date a year away. One assumes it will last quite a while and dissolve appropriately when one attempts to use it. The packets, for those of us who consider the environmental impact of such things, are terribly wasteful and expensive. The foil/plastic wrappers are not recyclable anywhere I've been.
Cleanup is very easy as well. If the product spills while dumping it into the mug, simply wipe it up or brush it up with a dry or damp cloth. If it has already been reconstituted with water into coffee, simply wipe it up. Light fabrics are likely to stain if this gets on them, in which case consult your fabric care guide to clean it up.
Overall
Taster's Choice has a surprising winner with their Decaffeinated Gourmet Instant Coffee, which is strong enough to make a decent cup of coffee . . . even if it is decaffeinated! As one who is not a fan of decaffeinated coffee or tea, it is a surprise to me that this beverage is a rich tasting one. For those who want good-tasting, comparatively inexpensive decaffeinated instant coffee, this is the one!
For other beverages, please visit my reviews of:
Tim Horton's Fine Grind Coffee
Forrelli Rich Chocolate Hot Cocoa
Kahlua Mocha Coffee
6/10
For other food or drink reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!
© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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