During a long journey, we stopped at a motorway services and popped into Costa for some coffee. Naturally, I went for the current special, Spanish Latte, and then had to ask what it actually was! The lady behind the counter explained it was made with condensed milk flavour syrup. Intrigued, I decided to give it a go.
The coffee looked lovely once prepared, decorated with cocoa sprinkles in wavy lines, a nice touch.
Now, an interesting fact about me: I don’t put sugar in coffee. I do enjoy flavoured syrups when I’m at a coffee shop, though. I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth and love caramel, hazelnut, most of them, really. But 99% of the coffee I drink isn’t sweetened, and I never add regular sugar.
Taking my first sip, I noticed the coffee’s sweetness and a slightly creamier texture than usual. The first half of the drink was alright, a sweet, creamy coffee. However, it was a bit nondescript. I’d been hoping for a custard or vanilla-like flavour, but that might have been wishful thinking.
As I drank more, the sweetness became overwhelming. Despite my sweet tooth, it felt cloying, like someone had added cream and sugar to my coffee, not how I typically drink it. Looking back, I realise the syrup had likely settled at the bottom of the cup, and stirring it might have made the flavour more consistent. Still, this isn’t a drink I’d order again.
If you like cream and sugar in your coffee, it’s probably the perfect indulgence. Personally, I’d rather stick to hazelnut syrup any day.