One box has 4 sachets and costs PHP 195 only

About 3 weeks ago, I visited Starbucks in Greenbelt 1 to buy my breakfast. My usual fare is a tall hot or iced White Chocolate Mocha (my absolute fave) and whatever breakfast sandwich Starbucks has out, this time it's Ratatouille. But as I entered the store I noticed the boxes of VIA Lattes on display. I immediately remembered Korea where I first saw them a few months ago.

I was so excited on seeing them that I thought I'd buy a box even they cost a lot. I got the biggest surprise when I saw that they were only PHP 195 per box of 4 sachets. That's like 50 pesos a cup, which is not bad, considering a short, handcrafted cup of coffee from Starbucks costs around PHP 125.

I bought 2 flavors, Caffe Mocha and Caramel Latte. The last variant, Vanilla Latte, I'd buy when I finished the 2 boxes.

I first tried the Caramel Latte. As soon as hot water hit it I can already tell it's caramel. It smelled goooood! It also made a bit of froth. It tasted milky and creamy with a hint of caramel. Just like what you'd expect from a latte drink. The coffee taste was there but it was a bit overpowered by the sweetness and milky taste of the mix. I'm guessing this was made from a medium roasted coffee.

The sachet, filled to about half point

I felt it was a little too sweet, but that was probably because it needed a bit more water. I was a little hesitant to put more as it might get watered down.

The Caffe Mocha, on the other hand, tasted more like a hot chocolate drink. I couldn't taste any trace of coffee. It had the right color, a rich dark brown like Starbucks' mocha coffee. It did smell like hot choco and not very much like coffee. So, I didn't like it that much. And, it left too much cocoa residue at the bottom of the cup.

For the Vanilla Latte, it was a little milder than the caramel one. You can also tell that you are drinking coffee because you can taste it. It was milkier and the sweetness was just right, too. It also had the lightest color out of all the VIA Latte variants.

To me, this VIA series still tastes like a handcrafted Starbucks drink, but in an instant form you can take anywhere. It's something I would buy on a regular basis, given its affordable price, but it would definitely not replace a good cup of coffee made by a skilled barista.

BTW, every box you buy earns you 1 VIA star when you use your Starbucks Card.