This is a recurring series of posts based on new products we find in the marketplace that are fun, different and FLAVORFUL! 

This time around, we explored Asian inspired beverages

I am not sure about you but I going through travel withdrawal. I mainly travel to experience the food and the music. To me, these are the two most important ways to connect with a culture irrespective of language barriers.

So what does one do when travelling it not an option

Well for me I decided that a trip to my local Kroger down the international aisle will have to do.

I stumbled across some interesting Asian beverages. Since I have places in this continent such as Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines on my bucket I decided to give them a try.

Did Someone Say Tea?

Kaisi Oolong Tea (Unsweetened)- This was a pleasant surprise. Slightly roasted tea aroma which was present upon tasting. Inherent bitterness and astringency associated with tea. Overall this tea was balanced and very refreshing and I didn’t even miss the sugar!

Kaisi Oolong Tea (Sweetened)- Similar to the unsweetened version with a roasted aroma and flavor notes. The almost unnoticeable sweetness intensifies the dried hay-like notes. Some sweet teas can be a bit syrupy as if someone was doing the ultimate solubility experiment, well this is not that.

Sweet Like Nectar

Viloe Guava Drink- Ok well guava isn’t a new flavor to me but I still wanted to try this. First you notice the beautiful pink color, upon opening it smells like fresh guava, the juice had a thick consistency almost like nectar. This was also very refreshing but I could be a bit biased.

Viloe Soursop Juice with pulp (Guanabana)- Say Guanabana quickly and I challenge you not to think of the Muppets…you know..you know that song, “Mahna Mahna”. If you have no idea about the Muppets, you might be too young to be reading this blog! Just saying! This beverage had a thick nectar-like consistency, it was also very creamy. Beware this one is astringent.

Viloe Chia Seed Drink & Mango juice – This beverage smelled and tasted like a ripe juicy mango. The texture was slightly thick but not in an off-putting kinda way. The chia seeds made this a very interesting experience.

Viloe Passsionfruit- Again no surprise here, the texture was like..say it with me….NECTAR! Quite refreshing though. It was very sweet with additional fruity notes. There was a slight astringency at the end but not enough to make one stop drinking it. If you want to learn a bit more about passionfruit check out my other blog post.

Let’s see about Lychee

Calico Lycee- I generally don’t know of a lot of white beverages with the exception of milk so I wasn’t sure what to expect. This drink has a strong candy-like floral/rose aroma that is very present when drinking and lingers after swallowing.

Milkis Melon Carbonated Drink- I will be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect of a carbonated milk flavored beverage. Typically milk and carbonation are not words I put together. I must say they did a good job on this one. The melon notes are very candy-like but the carbonation is a pleasant distraction from the milky note. It seems more like a kids drink but at least now I know what the kids drink in Korea.

Milkis Strawberry Carbonated Drink- This one had some slight cooked milk aroma coupled with strawberry candy notes. Surprisingly there was less of a strawberry flavor when tasting. It was a tad sour. Overall this one reminded me of a strawberry soda.

Next time you are dreaming of some #wunderlust. Just go ahead and saunter down the “International” aisle of your favorite store. You might be pleasantly surprised at what you discover. These days it is safer than getting on a plane.