Starbucks Via Instant Latte White Chocolate Mocha, reviewed

I used to drink white chocolate mochas on a regular basis and I still am partial to them to this day, especially when I am in the mood for something dessert-like. White chocolate is an excellent match for coffee because its creamy, vanilla sweetness contrasts well with the strong, roasted flavor of the coffee beans. Good quality white chocolate will have an emphasis on the flavors of dairy and vanilla, not on sugar, and the same is true for well-made white chocolate mochas, which should allow you to taste creamy vanilla, cocoa butter and coffee without giving you a toothache.

Starbucks recently added a White Chocolate Mocha option to its line of Via Instant Lattes. The mix has a short ingredient list that includes sugar, milk(dairy powder) and instant coffee, as well as other natural flavors, to make a powder that will dissolve almost instantly in hot water. The balance of flavors in the drink is spot-on. It smells as creamy as real white chocolate and has a nice balance of vanilla and coffee when you take a taste. You can easily identify it as white chocolate, but it is not overly sweet. It’s a nice balance and a welcome alternative to some of the mocha and hot cocoa mixes in my pantry.

The directions on the packaging will direct you to mix one packet of the Via Latte with 8-oz of hot water, then stir and serve. It is well balanced when made according to those directions. That said, I also like the mix when it is combined with 8-oz of hot coffee, which bumps up the coffee flavor considerably. If you prefer your drinks on the sweeter side, consider using 8-oz of hot milk and topping the drink off with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.