I've been hearing a lot about acai within the beverage industry lately. The health foods community in particular seems fond of the drupe, and it seems like every other beverage on the shelf at most organic grocers have some form of acai in it. Known for its antioxidant nature, acai is widely considered a useful dietary supplement, and its ever-increasing store shelf real estate is a testament to its growing popularity.
I think that is important to note here that I have never had a solely acai-flavored beverage before. I've had acai in plenty of smoothies and other juice cocktails, but never by itself. I found Bossa Nova at a local organic foods store, and after convincing myself that giving it a try would be worth the rather high price tag, I decided to pick one up. Unfortunately, I made the rather foolish mistake of deciding to drink it during a meeting with my engineering design group's project advisors, so I was not able to focus solely on the taste of the beverage, but I do remember enjoying it. The drink has an air of bitterness on the way in (likely the taste left over from the peel of the fruit), but becomes pleasantly sweet quickly thereafter. Seeing as it is fruit juice, the beverage is pretty sweet, but it is still not quite as sweet as other more common juices. The acai had a very mild taste, almost like that of a red grape.
Overall, Bossa Nova sits well on the taste buds and has a smooth and rich effect on the olfactory, but it does leave a bit of that dreadfully specific and lingering "berry" aftertaste in the throat. Regardless, I would definitely drink it again. However, I find that asking over three dollars for 10 ounces of beverage is a little bit high, especially for something that does not have any "stand-out" qualities with regards to the taste. I know that it is intended to be used for the health benefits, but there are cheaper and more "tasty" ways to obtain antioxidants through drink. The price tag alone is not enough to break the recommendation, however, and I do suggest that you give this one a try, even if it's only a one time thing.
Verdict: Recommended
Purchased: Rosewood Market [Columbia, SC]
Size: 10 fl. oz. [296 mL]
Price: $3.59
I once bought a Sambazon. I never drunk it because the smell was horrible.
ReplyDeleteI've never had a Sambazon, but I can definitely say that I liked this one a lot. The smell is a little bit strong, but it tastes much better than you'd expect.
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