I received a free sample of Starbucks’ new Via coffee in the post yesterday, and finally got round to making a cup tonight.
According to Starbucks’ website:
This isn’t coffee as you know it.
This is rich, flavourful coffee, made with finely ground Starbucks coffee beans. We believe this tastes as delicious as our fresh filter coffee, and all it takes to prepare is a little hot water.
and
Starbucks VIA™ is made with the highest-quality, ethically sourced 100% arabica beans (the same high quality as all our coffee). The finely-ground roasted coffee literally brews in your cup when you add hot water. It’s an easy way to enjoy the great taste of Starbucks coffee when you’re not near a Starbucks store.
Hmm. Colour me sceptical. I’m quite fond of Starbucks filter coffee, and that’s a bold claim they’ve got going up there.
So. Kettle on, sachet emptied. First impressions: the coffee powder is unlike any instant I’ve seen – instead of the usual granules you’ve got a very fine, dark coffee powder, finer than regular coffee grounds. Nice aroma too.
Add hot water, stir, pause, taste.
Blimey.
That’s really rather good. It’s not going to replace a ‘proper’ freshly-pressed filter, but it’s damn close, and is certainly miles better than regular instant. Perfect for those of us who don’t live/work near a Starbucks!
espresso coco 
“It’s an easy way to enjoy the great taste of Starbucks coffee when you’re not near a Starbucks store.”
The standing joke here in the States is one can’t turn the corner without running into a Starbucks. Heh.
I should probably already know this, but…do you take your coffee black?
Heh. It’s getting like that over here too, though I seem to have found a Starbucks dead-spot to work in. Nearest one is about 10 miles away in a big shopping mall – too far to get to at lunchtime.
I take my coffee however I can get it, just without sugar. Prefer it with a splash of milk, but will take it au naturel if needs be.