I am genuinely impressed.
When I first tried Puroast Coffee I think there were only three flavors. Now they have quite the variety…and I have to say – it was pretty exciting, as coffee goes, to try the new flavors as they came out. Every coffee roaster out there has their own array of flavors, some boasting a veritable arsenal of them. Many are passable, most need sugar to unlock the actual “flavor” of it…and some are downright awful, leaving a nasty aftertaste from the syrups used to create flavor.
Puroast’s flavors, however, are different.
As I’ve made clear before: if you’re not drinking Puroast, you’re doing yourself a disservice. As trivial as it may sound to the casual coffee drinker… not all coffee is created equally, ESPECIALLY flavored coffee. How-so, you ask? Oh let me count the ways…
It’s no secret I’m a big Puroast Coffee fan
If you follow this blog, you may have seen my Puroast review a while back. The short version is – I ran into them at an obstacle course race (Battlefrog New England) and was super impressed. I stayed in touch, obtained some coffee samples (they had espresso, not coffee, on site), and did a review. To say the review was positively glowing… would be an understatement.
Coffee is my spirit animal…and Puroast just stands head and shoulders above the rest.
I was SO over the moon, as a matter of fact, that after my initial product review I had a long chat with their founder and became a Puroast ambassador/athlete of sorts. At the end of the day, aside from the occasional Dunk’s hot or iced hazelnut…I just can’t go back to other coffees. Puroast has ruined me for other coffees. It’s honestly that good. It’s like Puroast is the One Ring and I’m freakin’ Golum. I could go on for days…instead go read my Puroast review.
*ahem*…sorry, I was drooling for a second there…
SO… as part of that ambassadorship I had the opportunity to try just about every flavor they offer. I honestly have not run into one I didn’t like.
“Roasts”
So, some of these “flavors” aren’t really “flavors” like you might think. Instead, they’re different roasts…and yes, they’re just as different from each other as hazelnut is from vanilla.
Dark French Roast
I smell the coffee – both the unbrewed grounds and a brewed cup. Puroast’s Dark French Roast has a great, deep, rich smell. Not burnt, like some dark roasts. Deep. It has a taste to match. It’s rich, full-bodied, and dark as night…without being bitter. I know, we’ve established Puroast isn’t bitter…but sometimes in flavors where you kind of expect some bitterness…it still catches me off-guard.
Dark Guatemalan Roast
The Dark Guatemalan Roast is very similar to the Dark French Roast…but it’s a bit smokier. I NEVER in a million years would’ve been able to tell the difference between dark roasts before Puroast.
Sorry I’m not sorry...I sound like a broken record, but there it is. The low acidity and lack of bitterness strikes again, allowing me to detect flavors…and enjoy flavors…that I have never been able to detect and enjoy before in a cup of coffee.
Espresso Roast
I happen to be drinking Espresso Roast right now. This flavor always reminds me of when I first ran into Puroast, as it was their espresso I (unknowingly) tried first. Like, ACTUAL espresso…so smooth I thought it was coffee. Their Espresso Roast is very similar – very smooth, not offensive or bitter as you might expect espresso to be. Definitely a full-bodied profile – the “true” taste of espresso is able to shine through.
“Flavors”
These are what you expect when you hear “flavored”. They are very different from each other, VERY different from the various “dark roasts” Puroast offers, but they are all VERY tasty. Puroast prefers to use natural flavorings. They blend in these flavors after roasting, when the bean is “open” and more receptive to infusion. Once the process is done they do a rigorous taste test, of course, to ensure the finished flavored coffees are nothing but the best.
Chocolate Almond
I was pretty impressed with the depth of flavor I got out of this one. Puroast Chocolate Almond is a very light brew…not just color…it’s just not a heavy coffee…if that makes sense. There’s a subtle semi-sweetness of chocolate to it, which…with the lack of bitterness…you’re able to get. Also…you almost get the dryness of a raw almond, with overtones of roasted almond. Imagine that…a “chocolate almond” flavor that ACTUALLY tastes like chocolate and almond. I think I’m in love.
Mistletoe Mocha
This was another I really wish I could’ve made last longer. Mistletoe Mocha had a subtle chocolate bitterness – not bitterness like coffee bitterness, more like the bitterness of a dark or semi-sweet chocolate. This flavor wrapped that pure chocolatey goodness up with a warm, medium body. I’d like another, please.
Toasted Chestnut
Very light flavor – a sweet nutty smell hits you first, then a subtle nutty flavor. The warm, full flavor of the chestnut comes through later on the back of your palate. A nice treat for the holiday season.
Vanilla Nut
In keeping with the theme of most of their flavored roasts, Vanilla Nut was very subtle and light on the palate. You definitely got a bit of a sweet vanilla taste – a bit more gentle than most “french vanilla” coffees you find.
Bourbon Pecan Torte
This was actually the first Puroast coffee variety I ever tried. Sweet smell right out of the package, as if there’s an actual pastry hiding inside! The scent after brewing is incredibly similar. Light to medium body, again…very easy on the palate. Aptly named, as it does taste like a rich bourbon pecan torte in your cup. Well Done!
Hazelnut
I find I often judge coffee companies on their ability to execute a good hazelnut. Not like it’s the one true coffee flavor to measure all coffee brands by…it just happens to be my favorite, so if you can’t hack it I’m probably going to dismiss you as a whole (whether that’s fair or not). I am happy to report, Puroast nailed it. Their hazelnut has a great subtle, gentle, nutty hazelnut flavor. Not overpowering, but definitely there…just right. It’s very light on the palate, I’d call it light body, not quite medium. I could drink this all day.
Nutcracker Sweet
Light bodied and gentle on the palate. It does have a hint of nuttiness to it, but I’m not sure I’d call it “sweet”. A tasty & pleasant brew nonetheless.
