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JANUARY 2020
ONNOISSEURS HISTORICALLY HAVE shunned in-
stant coffee as a heavily processed shadow of the
bean, lacking in both aroma and flavor. But
change is brewing. Many of our favorite roasters
are gently freezing, dehydrating, and crystalliz-
ing their offerings to preserve those subtle, sweet
notes that attract us to their coffee in the first place. The result?
You can enjoy a high-quality, ethically sourced cup on a busy
travel day, a camping trip, or one of those particularly hectic
weekday mornings.
With the help of Reagan Petrehn, cofounder of 1900 Barker
in Lawrence, Kansas, outside of Kansas City, and head of brand
at New York City’s Felix Roasting Co., we taste-tested 10 instant
coffees to determine which options are just as delicious and
satisfying as the real deal. —OSET BABUR
C
STEEPED COFFEE
DRIFTWOOD BLEND
EXTRA DARK ROAST
Thinner-bodied with some light
notes of black tea and caramel
$1.50 per cup
($15 for a 10-pack,
steepedcoffee.com)
STARBUCKS VIA
INSTANT PIKE PLACE
ROAST
Dark, traditional notes with
molasses, caramelized sugar,
cinnamon, and cloves
$0.75 per cup
($6 for an 8-pack,
ta rget.co m)
TANDEM COFFEE
ROASTERS
TIME AND TEMPERATURE
A bright but sweet medley
of caramel and butterscotch
notes
$2.50 per cup
($15 for a 6-pack,
tandemcoffee.com)
RITUAL
“INSTANT” COFFEE
CRYSTALLIZED BY SUDDEN
Early notes of blueberry, clove,
and green apple with some
floral hints
$4 per cup
($16 for a 4-pack,
ritual.myshopify.com)
INTELLIGENTSIA
ILLUMINATION BLEND
CRYSTALLIZED BY SUDDEN
Burnt toffee and chocolate
notes with hints of cranberry
and citrus
$3.25 per cup
($13 for a 4-pack,
intelligentsiacoffee.com)
VOILÀ
CIRQUE WEIRDO BLEND
Complex and balanced with
juicy notes of white grapes and
blackberries
$3.20 per cup
($16 for a 5-pack,
voila.coffee)
TANDEM COFFEE
ROASTERS
DALECHO
Blackberry, plum, and candied
lemon notes, plus some unde-
niable hints of dark chocolate
$2.50 per cup
($15 for a 6-pack,
tandemcoffee.com)
SWIFT CUP COFFEE
BURUNDI LONG MILES
NATURAL
Very rich, nutty, and full-
bodied notes of chicory,
molasses, and cocoa
$2.50 per cup
($15 for a 6-pack,
swiftcupcoffee.com)
CANYON COFFEE
INSTANT CELINGA
Strong, developed notes of
peach and caramel with some
pleasing, subtle spices
$3.33 per cup
($20 for a 6-pack,
canyoncoffee.co)
SWIFT CUP COFFEE
MAINSTAY BLEND
Subtle notes of pecan and pra-
line, as well as red apple and
grape. It’s a crowd-pleaser.
$2.33 per cup
($14 for a 6-pack,
swiftcupcoffee.com)
BRAND RATING TASTING NOTES WHAT’S INSIDE PRICE
Lancaster, PA–
based Swift’s sea-
sonal offering
Small-lot coffee
from Mutana Hill in
Burundi
Batch-brewed
coffee from
Celinga, Ethiopia
Our favorite from
Voilà’s Discovery
Box of five coffees
Ethiopian coffee
from Portland,
ME’s Tandem
Rotating seasonal
espresso blend
Organic coffee
from Hambela
Gotiti, Ethiopia
Blend of coffees
from Ethiopia and
the Peruvian Andes
Medium roast
blend of Latin
American coffees
Sachets of coffee
from Cauca,
Colombia
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