Okay, I don't know if anyone else has gotten these samples or tried them. I did, and after some hesitation, I tried one. Put simply, I will never voluntarily imbibe this product again. This is not some fancy, new instant coffee to compete with Via. This is their same, old product repackaged in single servings. I'm not fooled, Taster's Choice, this instant coffee is bunk! Like so many other coffee convenience products, the taste is not even remotely close to satisfying. You can tell just by looking at it that something went horribly wrong with your cup of coffee. I'm assuming that mine was a prototype for astronauts since it looks freeze-dried (is freeze-dried I believe). While I appreciate the free samples, Taster's Choice, and I encourage competition with Starbucks, I promise, I will never be desperate enough to drink your product.
Given that I have already made clear my bias against instant coffees, I'd like to add that this view is not mine alone. I brought these coffee samples to a coffee event. The attendees had come to discuss various methods of brewing and preparing coffee. I reasoned that instant coffee is certainly a method worth exploring. After the group sampled, auto-drip, french press, and Melitta pour-over preparation methods I prepared the Taster's Choice as per the instructions. It was unanimous that the instant could never stand up to their preferred brewing methods. The coffee itself appeared ashy; tasted thin. I apologized to the group for my part in this affront to their taste buds. Maybe I'm a coffee snob, but life is too short to waste on instant coffee.
