In this case, less flavor across the board makes it more palatable than many other canned chocolate drinks. The texture is thicker and chalkier than expected but the taste didn't outright offend me-- it was just poor.
DyDo Grand Time Cocoa Drink
Cocoa flavor isn’t terribly bad (perhaps has a slightly burnt quality) and the consistency manages to be rough and watery at the same time. The aftertaste doesn't do it any favors and leaves a tingling in the back of the throat.
Eki Na Cafe Milk Cocoa
Lots of salt and malt— a combination that I really enjoy in a chocolate milk. It’s pretty heavy-handed here, but I welcome the uniqueness.
Doutor Cacao 75% Bitter Chocolat
Excellent dark cocoa flavor that lasts into the aftertaste. The only thing holding it back is the lack of cream, which would add a ton more depth to the flavor and enhance the mouth feel. Still, very good and one to seek out if you are a fan of dark chocolate.
Uchi Cafe Sweets Chocolate
Very odd. Highly creamy ‘feel’ but somehow manages a watered-down ‘taste.’ The chocolate flavor is sour yet powdery, and doesn’t feel authentic. It’s really chalky and the strange properties and tastes going on here leave me a bit confused and looking for my bag of peanuts to replace the flavor in my mouth with something familiar.
Acure Made Rich Chocolate Drink
From a consistency standpoint, this is exactly what you’d expect diarrhea to look like in a cup and feel like in your mouth (here’s to hoping we never get to that point). This may be ‘spoiled’ in some regard, though it didn’t smell or taste rotten, just the chunky/gooey texture couldn't have been presented that way on purpose. I hate to say it, but the flavor wasn't terrible, but on consistency alone, this gets a zero.
Morinaga Luxury Milk Cocoa
Good cocoa flavor and creaminess delivered through a smooth texture that is not bogged down by excess thickening or emulsification. If I lived in Japan, this would be a permanent fixture on my shopping list.
Georgia Ice Cocoa
Hearing the ‘crack’ of opening the can is by far the most enjoyable part of the experience. It’s extremely watery, which usually is a bad thing, but in this case it helps the sucky flavor dissipate more quickly.
Cocoa Milk
Plasticky-looking and even has those tiny bubbles that make it look like it’s being tested for tuberculosis. The taste had a chemical fake-ness to it but it wasn't as strong as you’d expect by looking at it. Low marks, and an unceremonious product to be the 400th I have sampled thus far.
Moriyama Ice Chocolat Au Lait
More focus on the cream initially, then the cocoa punch comes in at the end and ties it up beautifully. This possibly has the best ‘aftertaste’ of any chocolate milk product I've had to date. Everything is 100% spot-on here.
Moriyama Cocoa
Unique, but relatively subtle flavor that lacks the punch of the other Moriyama products. On its own though, it’s a nice overall package with ample cream, cocoa, and not-too-heavy sweetness that would get in the way of the others.
Van Houten Cocoa (box)
Under-salted, possibly even under-sweetened. Rather bland in comparison to the fresh version— not bad, but certainly nothing to get excited about.
DyDo Cacao Rich Cocoa Beverage
My first split-second impression upon taking a swig was ‘beer’ (and I hate the taste of beer). The feeling is fleeting, but it reappears each time I take a sip— there’s a slight hoppy-ness that I can’t deny is there. Feels like it’s trying too hard to be ‘rich’ but it’s really hard to fake it with meager fat content.
Van Houten Cocoa
Mature, slightly sour cocoa flavor that manages to feel indulgent with less than 1g of fat per 100mL. It’s very rough on the tongue, but not too bad on the taste buds.
Family Mart Milk Cocoa
Strong cocoa flavor packed into a thinner-than-expected base that had only the slightest hint of wateriness, but you’d hardly notice if you were drinking this by itself (rather than side-by-side with 4 other similar products). Very well executed.
Meiji Zavas Milk Protein Cocoa
Part fruity, part rummy, part gamey, all nasty.
Van Houten Cocoa (can)
Unnatural across the board-- from the moment it slithers out of the can to the moment your pharynx begrudgingly allows it to cascade down your throat— it feels wrong. It's not the worst thing I’ve ever tasted or anything like that, just quite a step down from the fresh version.
Moriyama Ice Cocoa
Chalky, but super chocolaty and rich. The cocoa taste feels authentic and the second sip you take will be smaller than the first because the flavor is dense and you will want to mete out your sips to make 180mL last as long as possible.
Morinaga Cocoa Beverage
Sweet and somewhat chocolaty, but severely held back by its watery base. Substitute some cream in there and it would make a world of difference.
7-Eleven Premium Cocoa Milk
An explosion of flavor that you won’t want to end. It’s well-proportioned, very creamy and chocolaty, and the cocoa flavor is true to what you’d hope it would be. I want to put this in a vial and wear it around my neck.