Nerd Fuel: Starbucks – Sunsera Blend
My last coffee review was for a limited edition Starbucks release. So, I figured, why not try yet another Starbucks variety. That’s when I found a brand new addition to their core lineup sitting on my grocery shelf; Sunsera Blend. The reason this coffee caught my eye is because it is a blond roast. My experience with other blonde roast coffees from Starbucks have been quite positive So, it didn’t take any convincing for me to snatch this one up and give it a try.
It’s not every day that Starbucks adds an entirely new blend to their main roster. So, I had really high hopes for this coffee going in. I’m usually a fan of medium roasts, but something about the way Starbucks handles their blonde roasts has always hit it out of the park for me. This coffee was no exception.
Compared to most other blonde roasts I’ve tried, the first thing I noticed was how aromatic this coffee seemed to be during the brew process. It smelled very much like a medium roast. But once I tasted it, there was no doubt that this coffee is a blend of very lightly roasted beans. The box advertises a combination of citrus and almond for the flavor profile. The almond is certainly front and center. But I feel that the citrus has more of a “lemon zest” presentation here, than actual citrus notes. It’s not listed on the box, but I also detect a noticeable pear-like finish in this blend. I’m not sure what the source Starbucks used for the beans in this blend. But I’m almost positive that some of what I’m tasting is Colombian.
It’s easy to see why Starbucks has decided to add this new concoction to their main lineup. It’s a seriously good coffee. In my humble opinion, this is a fantastic blend. It’s flavorful, very approachable, and would pair with most anything. This coffee has easily earn a spot in my top 5 “most likely to buy” list.
Score: 4 out of 4
Would buy again?: Yes. This coffee exceeded my expectation. I know that to many people, most coffees taste pretty much the same. But I feel like this blend would stand-out to even the most casual coffee drinker as something special. It’s really a fantastic release.
