Nerd Fuel: Dunkin’ – Holiday Blend

I pulled a sneaky on ya… I mentioned in my last coffee review (earlier this month), that I probably wasn’t going to talk about a holiday coffee this year. As I mentioned, I just couldn’t find anything that seemed interesting. But then, my local store cleared a spot on the shelf and filled it with boxes of Dunkin’s Holiday Blend. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had to snap it up. I’ve been a fan of Dunkin’ coffees for some time. And usually around this time of year they have some sort of peppermint variety. But I’ve never seen an actual holiday blend until now.

The box describes it as a medium roast that’s blended from Colombian and Ethiopian beans. It’s supposed to have a subtle molasses and dried fruit flavor that’s perfect for the season. Well, I don’t often take a lot of stock in the back-of-the-box descriptions on retail coffee. So let’s see what it really tastes like…

For starters, the aroma during the brewing process is moderate. It isn’t overpowering and it has a bit of a spice-like quality to it, but this is very very subtle. The coffee itself is extremely smooth and well balanced. What I’m tasting in this release is; coffee. It doesn’t have the cocoa tones that many of Starbucks’ holiday releases are famous for. That being said, it’s quite different than Dunkin’s everyday coffee. It is a bit more complex. But, somehow oddly appropriate for this time of year.

I can’t say that it is any better or worse than plain old Dunkin. There’s nothing particularly unusual about it. But it is different enough so that someone who drinks their regular coffee on a daily basis will certainly notice the change. I suppose there is a hint of a molasses in the finish. But I can’t say that it’s enough to use as a marketing point.

As far as coffees go, this is a solid blend and one that is likely to please everyone. It’s unique enough to make me want to seek it out knowing that it’s a limited release. But also average enough that I wouldn’t be too upset if they stopped making it altogether.

Score: 3 out of 4

Would buy again?: Probably. I enjoyed this coffee quite a bit. It’s a change of pace from the flavored coffee releases that are so common this time of year. It was just different enough so that I feel compelled to grab a box to add to my collection. Definitely great on a winter morning.