The Good: Easy to prepare, Good scent, Does not taste bad . . .
The Bad: . . . Entirely bland flavor, Comparatively expensive, Environmental impact of packaging
The Basics: The Nescafe Memento Cappuccino flavored beverage has started to hit my local clearance shelves . . . for a pretty obvious reason!
When it comes to coffee drinks, I think virtually every major coffee distributor could learn something from me; I have a pretty good eye for trends in coffee and a decent idea of what consumers are willing to shell out for (when they shell out at all). When Nescafe announced its Memento instant coffee line last year, it was released with three flavors. Before I ever tried any of them, I looked them over and instantly decided that the dud of the line was the Cappuccino flavor. Given that, locally, that is the only one of the line hitting the clearance shelves (where I finally deigned to shell out money on it to try it for enjoyment and review) is the Cappuccino one, I feel like my theory was born out.
The reason I was willing to make such a prejudicial guess up front was simple: Cappuccino is a generic coffee flavor and for the price, people want something they cannot make up cheaper on their own!
Basics
Nescafe Memento Cappuccino instant coffee is part of Nescafe's 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 is the least flavorful and most coffeelike. Each package has premeasured tubes of coffee powder which each create an 8 oz. cup of coffee.
The eight count of packets comes in a box of Nescafe Memento and, rather obviously, yields eight mugs worth of premium instant coffee.
Ease Of Preparation
Nescafe Memento Cappuccino instant coffee mix is exceptionally simple to make. The single serving is the packet and eight oz. of water. There is no measuring of the product involved. 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 ten 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.
Taste
The Cappuccino flavored instant coffee has an aroma that is powerful and the perfect rendition of burnt coffee beans. The scent is strong and it does have a burnt quality to it in addition to the smell of coffee.
On the tongue, the Cappuccino Memento is appropriately rich and bold. Once one gets by the foam that is generated when one stirs up the coffee, the drink beneath is basically one dark blend of coffee. There is a very faint aftertaste of sweetness to the Cappuccino Memento, but it fades remarkably quickly. There is no other aftertaste and the Cappuccino is about as strong as three cups of coffee, without any additional flavorings to it.
Nutrition
Nescafe Memento Cappuccino instant coffee is a coffee mix and therefore is entirely lacking in nutritional value. Each tube of Cappuccino Memento has one hundred calories, twenty of which are from fat. The fat content is generated by two grams of saturated fat, which accounts for ten percent of one’s RDA of fat. There are alco 18 grams of carbs (12 from sugars) and 70 mg of sodium in the drink. I was surprised that the beverage had 2 grams of protein and met 4% of one’s daily requirement of Calcium. Made primarily of sugar, nonfat milk, and soluble coffee, this beverage is not Vegan compliant
It contains milk and coconut ingredients and may contain soy.
Storage/Cleanup
So long as one gets Nescafe Memento Cappuccino instant coffee mix in the packet, it ought to stay usable. The box I bought in early December had a July 31, 2014 expiration date. 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
Nescafe Memento Cappuccino is a lot of work to go through for a generic coffee flavored instant coffee drink; Nescafe could have done better with other flavors as opposed to something that is easy to make for much less money with a similar amount of flavor.
For other Nescafe Instant Coffees, please visit my reviews of:
Caramel Latte Memento
Memento Mocha instant coffee
Peppermint Mocha Instant Coffee Drink
4.5/10
For other food or drink reviews, please visit my Food And Drink Review Index Page for an organized listing!
© 2014 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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