Vanilla and cardamom are the perfect flavors to add to your winter coffee. Imagine holding a piping hot mug of coffee with mitten-clad hands. Whimsical scents of vanilla and cardamom hitting your nose while the coffee slides down your throat and warms you to the core. Wait, hold on. This is cold brew, though? Who at Trader Joe’s thought this wintry drink should be served cold? While you certainly can heat up your cold brew coffee, that seems to defeat the purpose of this Trader Joe’s Vanilla Cardamom Cold Brew just a teeny bit. But hey, far be it from me to get in the way of your winterland fantasy.
I wanted to consume this as intended, so I simply drank it right out of the fridge. When I opened the bottle, the aroma that hit my nose can only be described as “grandma’s closet.” It’s like years of perfume spritzes and mothballs conspired to create this scent. Unfortunately, the flavor wasn’t much better.
- Trader Joe’s Vanilla Cardamom Cold Brew Coffee
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Pros: Trader Joe’s has shown themselves to be fairly proficient in brewing cold brew coffee (we really like their original unflavored arabica cold brew). And that does translate into this version. The coffee itself is more mild than a traditionally brewed cup. That, combined with the money you’d save from getting your caffeine fix from a coffee shop, gives me hope that this could be the right fix for someone who enjoys this flavor profile more than I do.
Cons: If you’re not familiar, cardamom is an aromatic seed that’s peppery, piney, and a little bit citrusy, too. It’s great in certain dishes and drinks, but I fear that someone overdid it here. You’re much better off just getting Trader Joe’s plain cold brew and adding in your own cardamom and vanilla. I think you could play around and create a blend with a much more enjoyable ratio. It sucks to have to go the extra mile, but at least you’re still saving some time and money.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!