Power rankings: Flight Coffee cold cans
All the brews, ranked for you.
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Dial up that power up
RTD coffees are big business. Globally, the market is expected to reach US$42.36 billion by 2027, so it’s no wonder that so many New Zealand companies are getting amongst it.
Wellington’s Flight Coffee have expanded their line up to FIVE different flavours. I try them all so you don’t have to.
Here’s the Flight Coffee cold can power ranking.
#5 Oat Milk Chai Latte
I was on the fence about chai, but this really pushed me off it and into the category of a non-chai lover. In fact, I'm now a chai-hater.
As this isn’t a coffee based drink, I knew I was up for a new experience - and boy was it an experience I’m not keen on repeating.
The label says it had a ‘hint' of spice, a description only accurate if by ‘hint’ they meant so much spice it’ll blow ya face off.
On top of that, because the can was brown and the drink was brown, I sort of expected a bit of a choco milk vibe. But nooooope - spice, spice, spice.
Hated it. Wouldn’t trade again.
#4 Straight Up Cold Brew
No gimmicks, just cold coffee.
It’s pretty simple, though so many companies seem to get this wrong. Not Flight Coffee though - no, this is pretty good.
Using the Bomber Blend for this one meant I was already pretty familiar with what I should expect to taste. And this is a pretty faithful re-creation of the long black that you might have down at The Hanger in Wellington.
It tasted a little like Lindt Dark Chocolate with Orange. The lingering aftertaste was pleasant and overall this was very good.
#3 - Sparkling Cold Brew
I've really been a fan of this drink since it first came out. The thing I really love about it is that it takes cold coffee and adds something else. In this case honey, mandarin and fizz!
It feels like summer. Tastes like awesome. It's just a hell of a great time.
#2 - Oat Milk Flat White
In a sea of milky coffee drinks (see this post from March), Flight’s Oat Milk Flat White absolutely stands out as the best.
It has a creamy texture, with a nice oaty flavour that works so well with the cold brew they use (again, the Bomber Blend).
I reckon they’ve tweaked the recipe, as I think it’s gotten even better than it was when this first came out.
It’s pretty close to being my favourite of the Flight line up - but it was pipped at the post by the next one in the list.
#1 Oat Milk Strawberry Mocha
My oh my this was yummy!
I had low expectations on this one after one of my mates gave me their review (they’ll remain nameless but they have a pallet that I envy). But this was actually very nice.
Flight Coffee describe it as tasting like strawberry ice cream and I think they’re pretty close. It didn’t have a sickly sugary sweet taste like some milky coffee drinks (though it is 5% sugar), which I think is thanks to the oat milk.
However, I couldn’t detected the coffee in this one, despite it having 195mg of caffeine. So, a coffee drink this is not, but summer in a can it is.
Now you know
This is, of course, just my take on a great range of drinks. I know this one will fire up the opinions, so feel free to share your favourite in the Flight Coffee range, or any of the cold brews out there.
Flight Coffee Sparkling Cold Brew is the go-to!!