Despite my rather rocky history with coconut-centric drinks, I decided to ignore my better judgement and give this one a try anyway. I've never had a coconut nectar before, and although I'm not usually a big advocate of fruit nectars, I thought that it would only be fair to give it a chance. However, when I think of nectars, I usually think of something more thick and viscous. But Sunlee's Palms Juice Coconut Nectar is...different.
Instead of being thick and viscous like other nectars, this one is actually rather thin, which makes sense given how light natural coconut juice is. What's weird about this drink, however, has nothing to do with its viscosity. The taste is so unusual that it is really difficult to describe without utilizing comparisons. Although it does taste fairly "clean" and natural (which makes sense, given that the drink is entirely composed of coconut juice, aside from the 0.002% concentration of added preservatives), it has an almost overbearing sweetness that gives it a very heavy feel that is actually not that bad at first, but quickly becomes much too strange to consume in anything other than very small servings. The closest comparison that came to mind while I was drinking Sunlee's coconut concoction was the taste of the milk remaining after a bowl of Captain Crunch cereal. It's a strange thing to have come to mind while drinking a beverage, but Sunlee's Palms Juice is a strange beverage.
I think that this one is worth the risk if you ever come across one. I'd recommend checking your local Asian market for a bottle. Even though I didn't particularly care for it (it was too strange and sweet for me to drink much of it at all), I think that the experience is interesting and unique enough that it is worth having at least once.
Verdict: Worth a try
Purchased: Unknown Asian market [Spartanburg, SC]
Size: 12 fl. oz. [355mL]
Price: $0.99
I told you canned coconut water was a bad idea but now I'm thinking that the glass would not react at all with the coconut water. I suspect they probably evaporated it a little bit to get it concentrated enough to qualify as nectar. you should try diluting this.
ReplyDeleteI tryed this at my local Thai restaurant, it was served over ice with a bit of milk in it. It was very refreshing and tasted like a cold dessert.
ReplyDeletePlease let me know where in Spartanburg. I would love to have some. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteIt's in the Poppy Square Shopping Center on McMillian Drive. It's just off of Garner Road. There's a Mr. Gatti's pizza in the shopping center that's pretty hard to miss. I forget what the Asian market was called (it may have just been "Asian Grocery"), but it's over in the corner of the shopping center.
ReplyDeleteGood luck in your search! Hopefully they'll still have some.
I love this drink; had it all the time in Hawai'i at my favorite Thai restaurant.
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