Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Coffee is damn good. I warn you, it does not taste like iced coffee with alcohol.
The new canned alcoholic blend is the opposite. It tastes like a malt beverage that has been modified with coffee flavor. As a result, it tastes a lot like a light coffee stout.
It’s good. I liked it. I actually think it’s unfair to put “Dunkin'” on the label. At least for me, it fell short of my expectations.
I felt like every time they did a book or TV series adaptation of a book series I liked, I understood that they had to make changes to give it the best chance to thrive in a new medium.
Part of me is a little disappointed that this wasn’t a coffee drink with a twist. It’s the same part of my brain that was disappointed when I found out Strong Belwas and Victarion Greyjoy didn’t appear in the Game of Thrones television series.
Dunkin’ Spiked Iced Coffee | Review
In theory, this should be the perfect drink for Patriots fans heading out to a Patriots game party at 10 a.m. when the temperature is 95 degrees. But the taste is completely different than Dunkin’ coffee.
It doesn’t have the bitterness of an iced black coffee. It doesn’t have the milkiness of a regular coffee. If the label were different, I’d shower it with praise. But in its current state, I feel Casey Affleck’s character from the SNL Dunkin’ sketch I wouldn’t approve of that.
How does it taste?
This drink tastes more like beer than regular Dunkin’ coffee.
When you take a sip, the first thing you notice is the dark, roasted malt flavors that are sweetened and have a coffee character. In many ways, it reminds me of a coffee stout, but not as heavy. It’s a bit more syrupy and smooth.
There’s a balanced sweetness. But there’s also a lot of bitter coffee notes. It’s mild, with a slight alcohol aftertaste. It’s like sweetened coffee without milk – and maybe a little bit of mocha flavor hidden inside. Maybe it’s just my brain, but I detected a chocolate accent towards the end.
It’s not so much a coffee drink. It’s a malt alcoholic drink with coffee vibes.
Is it good?
Yes. I liked it. For a 6.0% ABV drink, it was delicious and easy to drink.
Last word
I’m not sure when I’m supposed to drink this. It’s alcoholic, so it would be weird to drink it during the day. But it has real coffee in it, which means it has caffeine, which won’t keep me awake.
I think my only option is to plan an all-night party, give up immediately, and then sit around and watch old seasons of The Great British Baking Show.
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“I Ate It So You Don’t Have to” is a regular food column that discusses unusual dishes, both good and bad. It appears every other Thursday around noon.
