Costa Coffee has just launched its new range of iced drinks for the summer. And we'll be taking a look at a few of them over the coming weeks.
This one is the Costa Raspberry and White Chocolate Creamy Cooler. The Creamy Cooler range, which essentially is a recipe of cream and ice blended with flavoured syrups, has always been a notch below the Starbucks Frappuccinos but the new additions debuted within the 2013 lineup all sound like solid and more creative contenders.
The appearance of our Raspberry and White Chocolate Creamy Cooler was initially a symphony of raspberry swirl within the creamy white chocolate. However, once we got around to taking the photo, the exterior raspberry sank to the bottom of our cup. Don't worry, it's mixed into the white chocolate and the barista deliberately lines the cup with the raspberry for the appearance. Its smell oozes summer freshness and sweetness too. The drink can be served with optional whipped cream.
OK, now moving onto the important aspect of the drink; its taste. This Creamy Cooler is one of the most delicious iced beverages we've ever had a chance to try. Raspberry and white chocolate are both enjoyed by all of us individually and when they are combined it can be a delightful concoction. Sometimes raspberry flavourings can taste chemically and bland in their flavour - that isn't the case here. Those who developed this drink should be applauded, the raspberry is very authentic and even portrays a refreshing edge just like a real raspberry would. It's heavenly!
The flavour of the raspberry is strikingly prominent throughout the drink and the white chocolate becomes the underlying taste. This is probably for the best, as a medium size (the largest it is available in) isn't overly sweet when the two flavours are intertwined and it can be enjoyed without the feeling that it's too rich. The white chocolate flavour individually is also authentic and luscious but would be very bland without the raspberry. When combined with the raspberry it transmits a refreshing and cooling-down effect, perfect for hot sunny days like today.
The texture is exceptionally creamy, as the name of the drink suggests, but is notably creamier than some of the other Costa Creamy Coolers. It's on the scale of half finished ice cream and this we all adore. The version we tried was the default one made with whole milk but it can be made with soya and semi-skimmed milk upon request.
Overall the Costa Raspberry and White Chocolate Creamy Cooler is no doubt the most enjoyable Creamy Cooler on the menu. We were genuinely disappointed when our cup was empty.
