Silky smooth, easy to drink, and well proportioned. Not one facet stands above the others from a flavor standpoint— the most memorable thing is the packaging— a floppy breast-implant like bag.
Viva Chocolate Flavour Semi-Skimmed Milk
Sweetness definitely takes a backseat to the other flavors, which is a pleasant departure from the norm. The chocolate is good but not as strong as you might expect after seeing how nicely dark the milk is. Still a pretty satisfying way to spend 25-40 seconds.
You Chun Black Chocolate
Wow, dark chocolate flavor, dialed-back sweetness, great creamy quality— all delivered through a velvety thin texture. The taste lingers nicely on the tongue; you will wish it stayed for longer. Took me 7 weeks in China to find one, but the remainder of my time here will be spent with a carton of this in close proximity.
Yili Chocolate Milk (250mL)
Powdery, fake, candy-like flavor that fortunately dissipates quickly due to the watery texture. It does leave you with an aftertaste that reminds you that you've made a mistake.
Namyang Chocolate Milk Drink (UHT)
Korean product with a distinctive flavor that certainly stands out in China— it’s got a great salty base that carries the other flavors competently and the box is gone before you know it. Buy several.
Frisian Cow Chocolate Milk
Enough creamy taste and chocolate flavor to manage an average score, more flavorful than the ingredient label might suggest. Would greatly benefit from a bit more salt, but not a bad find in China.
Bright Dairy Chocolate Milk (UHT)
More watery than I remember the fresh version being, but definitely a strong resemblance in flavor. No cream, no salt, not good.
Salzburg Milch Premium Austrian Alpine Chocolate Milk
Strong cocoa flavor (with a smoky, almost anise-y bent) helps to cover the lack of cream (it’s fat free) quite well. My low expectations were surpassed and on its own it’s tasty enough to be considered a treat.
Sterilgarda Alimenti Merendix Latte Cacao
Very thick and sweet, with almost a boozy chocolate flavor and scent. The taste is much better than the texture (for me)- it’s way too thick.
Laciate Chocolate Flavored Milk
Dominant amaretto-ish flavor that some may really enjoy (boozy is not really my scene). It’s distinctive in that way, and the secondary attributes do well to support that flavor: adequate cream, salt, and a chalky exit that works.
Taiwan Agriculture Good Morning Chocolate Milk
The cocoa flavor won’t beat you over the head, but this certainly stands above the other Taiwanese products thus far. Smooth, minimally viscous, and lightly sweet and creamy— it’s a pleasant experience with little distraction.
Bright Dairy Chocolate Milk Beverage
A chocolate flavor reminiscent of Caotina that is unfortunately washed out. On its own, the watery-quality is noticeable but the product is still enjoyable. When tasted side-by-side with others, the flavor dilution seems more egregious. Still an above-average drink.
Farmdaily Cocoa Milk
Chalky, but flavorful in all the right areas. It’s not over sweetened, which allows the salt/cream to compliment the chocolate and make it the star of the show.
Taiwan Nature Chocolate Milk (Xi'an)
Better taste than what I had in Kunming a month prior (perhaps due to there being 1 more calorie on the label..), though far from what I would consider decent. There’s still a strange gimmicky taste to the sweetness that stays with you too long.
Go Long
Very similar look and feel to Taiwan Nature but less of a cloying sweetness and more straightforward— definitely toward the bland end of the spectrum and bordering on watery.
Pauls Chocolate Milk Beverage
Noticeable amount of substrate suspended in the milk, and a fermented/rummy odor and flavor. The past-due date is still in the future, but it’s hard to believe after tasting it. Eek. I will caveat my score with the fact that I believe this entire 6-pack to be fermented. Pretty raw deal for $7.
![Nestle Milo (China) [208mL plastic]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5716b9cfb6aa603ffe76a080/1500329666335-IHS1SG35Q8ZZILM1G17I/NestleMiloCNP_FrontR.jpg)
Nestle Milo (China) [208mL plastic]
Seems to have the same look, feel, and taste of the 200mL box version, but there is a slight nuance to the flavor- it’s a bit more malty than vitamin-y, and a tad more pleasant as a result, but not enough to warrant a higher score.
![Nestle Milo (China) [200mL box]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5716b9cfb6aa603ffe76a080/1500329462530-ZZ4IE0WSF9PGRZR4IU2X/NestleMiloCNBox_FrontR.jpg)
Nestle Milo (China) [200mL box]
Different look, feel, and taste from Milos I had in other countries. It’s more of a medium-brown, and has a chalky, vitamin-y taste that you would expect from a fortified drink. Drying to the mouth, sobering to the taste buds.
Muh Chocolate Flavored Milk
Hard not to rate this higher than it deserves given its (less-than-stiff) competition in China, but this is rather enjoyable. There’s a mature / sourish chocolate taste that works well with the creamy presence and salt-sugar balance.
Ovaltine Cocoa (China)
There is some identifiable cocoa flavor which fortunately rises out of a relatively watery base. This is how you would expect Ovaltine to taste if you are used to the powdered version. It’s lightly malty, slightly fortified, and more toward the ‘responsible' end of the indulgence scale.