Nerd Fuel: Bettergoods – Smoky Vanilla

My hunt for new and unusual coffees is an endless passion. Several times a week I will take a swipe down the coffee aisle to see if there’s anything new and worthy of my attention. If you’re like me, then you may have noticed a new brand appearing on the shelf at your local Walmart, Bettergoods. Bettergoods is a new private label available exclusively at Walmart stores. It is marketed as a step above Great Value and Sam’s Choice. Bettergoods products are focused on being either health-focused or of gourmet quality. Knowing this, when I saw a handful of new coffee offerings with the Bettergoods label, I decided to snatch them up and give them a try. Today, I’m turning my attention to the Smoky Vanilla coffee.

Having recently tried Starbuck’s Smoked Butterscotch and enjoying it, I was eager to try another brew of the “smoky” variety. So, I popped in the pod and hit the button. As coffee was being dispensed, I was pleased to note the extra strong aroma that this pod brought to my kitchen. The smell can only be described as “smoky vanilla”. The label on box couldn’t be more accurate. The aroma is a mixture of rich vanilla bean over a wood fire. Even though it’s not really being marketed as a seasonal coffee, it somehow seems a perfect fit for a crisp autumn morning.

My first sip of the coffee revealed a pleasant surprise. The flavor is rich and sweet. The vanilla is deep and silky with a burnt/nutty aftertaste. Admittedly, the flavors take front and center stage here. The actual taste of the coffee itself lingers a bit in the back. It’s quite delicious and drinkable. But I think I might prefer it to be a little more balanced. Still, this coffee would be excellent over ice or served as an after-breakfast dessert coffee.

Overall, I was pleased with this find and I look forward to sampling other Bettergoods coffee products.

Score: 3 out of 4

Would buy again?: Yes. Coffee purists and single-origin snobs might turn their nose up at this one a bit. The flavor is a bit stronger than I usually like, but it is admittedly good.