Cara-Louise Scott

It’s that time of year again: when Costa brings out their Christmas menu, much to the delight of their fans. I do not tend to go to Costa that often, but Christmas is that one time of year where I will visit Costa fairly regularly to have their special festive hot chocolates. This year, Costa has not given us many new drinks to try, but they have brought back their beloved festive ‘Terry’s Chocolate Orange Hot Chocolate’ as well as the ‘After Eight Hot Chocolate’ too. They also have their ‘Black Forest Hot Chocolate’ which they have had for many years. If you are more of a coffee fan, they have brought back their ‘Gingerbread Latte’ and Quality Street ‘The Purple One Latte.’ New to the latte menu, is another Quality Street flavour: ‘Toffee Penny.’ Each of Costa’s festive drinks come with a wrapped chocolate, depending which flavour you go for, or a gingerbread if you choose that latte. 

In terms of their food range, there is a huge variety, much more than the drinks. Whilst this review focuses on the festive drinks Costa has to offer, you can also find in stores these festive sweet treats as something to enjoy alongside your drink: ‘Reindeer Cake,’ ‘Chocolate Sparkle Cake,’ ‘Mince Pie,’ ‘Christmas Cake,’ ‘Terry’s Chocolate Orange Muffin,’ ‘After Eight Muffin’ and many other things too. If you are more of a savoury fan, then you might like to try the new ‘Pigs Under Blankets Panini’ or the ‘Pigs and Blankets Mac ‘n’ Cheese.’

Costa is well known for being a little overpriced so be prepared to spend a little bit more on these festive drinks and food – but it is worth it for a treat, especially closer to Christmas on a cold day on campus. 

Terry’s Chocolate Orange Hot Chocolate: Cara-Louise Scott

I tried this mouth-watering hot chocolate on the 3rd November, the day that the Christmas range officially came out for 2021. When I saw the Christmas menu was out, I knew I had to have the ‘Terry’s Chocolate Orange Hot Chocolate,’ as I remembered how much I loved it last year, and I am a big fan of chocolate orange too. 

I ordered a medium drink as I knew a small one would not be good value for money. I was delighted when it arrived at the table in a great sized glass, whipped cream high on top, with mini orange sprinkle pieces to add to the ‘chocolate orange’ look, and a little wrapped ‘Terry’s Chocolate Orange’ next to it. I used the spoon to eat the whipped cream on top as there was so much of it, but it meant I did not have to wait too long to drink the hot chocolate since the cream cooled it down. If you are having this drink in a takeaway cup, I would recommend asking for no cream or very little as it did make the hot chocolate go luke-warm after a short time, so if you are wanting it to last longer, maybe ditch the cream. 

The hot chocolate was exactly how you would want it to taste. There was just enough orange flavour, but not too overpowering. It was sweet, and delicious – a perfect flavour to enjoy around Christmas.

The little ‘Terry’s Chocolate Orange’ piece on the side was a nice addition and is perfect to eat either during drinking the hot chocolate or for after, to savour that magical flavour a little while longer. 

This is by far one of my favourite hot chocolates, and I hope it will stay on their festive menu for many years to come. 

After Eight Hot Chocolate: Tamzin Meyer

I have always found there to be something so luxurious about ‘After Eight Mints’ so of course I had to treat myself and indulge in Costa Coffee’s new Christmas-themed ‘After Eight Hot Chocolate.’ I was desperate for a warm pick me up on a cold winter’s day, and I was impressed as I was served a festive-themed cup with a cute snowman smiling at me.

To my surprise the drink even came with one piece of the mint-filled chocolate on top of the lid, just to add to the luxury. Admittedly, I should have probably waited to eat this so I could appreciate the taste of the drink first but I could not wait. So far, Costa had pleased me.

However, as soon as I tried the drink for the first time, it unfortunately did not meet my expectations. The flavour was far from what I had anticipated with there not being a single hint of chocolate to be discovered. Whilst the mint flavour was certainly overpowering any chocolate that may have been hiding in the drink, something about it just did not taste right, not being helped by the fact that my drink was served to me lukewarm at best.

I could not put my finger on what made this flavour so strange and unpleasant but whatever it was, it pained me to finish the drink. I had such high hopes for this supposed ‘treat’ but all I was left with was a sick feeling in my stomach and an unnecessary coating of sugar on my teeth. If you are looking for an enjoyable festive drink I would point you towards my personal favourite, the ‘Gingerbread Latte,’ instead.

Black Forest Hot Chocolate: Cara-Louise Scott and Sarah Cayless

Sarah’s Review: 

Black Forest gateaux are incredibly rich, so I was expecting this hot chocolate to feel luxurious. It looks decadent with cream, cherry sauce and pink chocolate flakes piled on top, but unfortunately the flavour fell a bit flat. 

The Black Forest syrup settles at the bottom of the glass, but if you thoroughly stir it you can pick out the subtle flavouring. The cherry notes are muted and taste artificial – similar to a shop-bought Bakewell tart. For this reason, the principal outcome of the syrup is extra sweetness, something which the original hot chocolate had not been lacking. As excessive sugariness is something we associate with the Christmas period, this drink does at least feel festive. Its mild flavour also means it is not heavy, making it ideal for a light midday pit-stop.  

Cara’s Review: 

As much as I love the ‘Terry’s Chocolate Orange’ one, this hot chocolate is hands down my favourite festive hot chocolate from Costa and anywhere.

The sweetness of the black cherry is strong but divine, it hits all of your taste buds and makes you want more than just one glass. The hot chocolate is creamy and melts in your mouth, and the mix of chocolate and cherry is the perfect festive combination. If you add cream to your hot chocolate, they put pink glitter chocolate swirls and black cherry sauce on top, which makes this hot chocolate look and taste even more luxurious. This hot chocolate should be on the menu all year round. 

The Purple One Latte: Nicole Morris

‘The Purple One Latte’ captures the flavours of the purple wrapped chocolate from the Quality Street tin. Therefore, expect your normal latte from Costa, with the addition of sweet, nutty syrup, whipped cream, and a chocolate drizzle. A bonus to all of the Christmas Costa drinks is that your drink is accompanied by a small, wrapped chocolate the drink gets its flavour from. 

I did like the flavour of the drink, and the novelty of the chocolate. However, I will not be ordering this drink again because the syrup remained at the bottom of the glass (see picture below for reference), and it was necessary to mix it in with the rest of the drink. Luckily, I had this to drink in the café, as I would not recommend this as a takeaway drink if all the syrup stays at the bottom of your cup. Next time I will opt for one of the other drinks from the festive line-up.

Gingerbread Latte: Nicole Morris

Costa’s ‘Gingerbread Latte’ is my favourite of their festive range of drinks, and I look forward to having it again year upon year. The taste is undeniably festive as its flavour is inspired by the classic Christmastime bake: gingerbread. The appearance is both cute and novel, so every time you order, it is a spectacle for the eyes and the palate. 

The drink itself is delicious because the coffee and gingerbread flavours pair perfectly with one another. If you like both coffee and gingerbread, you cannot go wrong ordering this drink. However, I think the special aspect of the drink is its decoration: the latté is topped with whipped cream, and a gingerbread man. So, as a special finishing touch it looks as if the gingerbread man is floating in a sea of whipped cream.

Toffee Penny Latte: Deborah Smith

I went into trying Costa’s ‘Toffee Penny Latte’ sceptical, as in the past, I have found festive ranges to be hit and miss. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I ordered it with soy milk and without the cream to make the drink dairy free. 

The toffee flavouring is smooth and not too sweet, almost like a lighter, more subtle version of their caramel syrup. In addition, the syrup and soy milk complemented each other well, with the milk not overpowering the toffee notes. The coffee comes with a ‘caramel vermicelli’ sprinkled on top (also vegan) which provides a light butterscotch-like crunch to the drink. Out of all the exclusive toppings Costa has introduced in the past, I have to say it comes quite high on my list. It also managed to not sink into the coffee whilst I was drinking it, which is another bonus. 

Similar to the other drinks in the Christmas range, the ‘Toffee Penny Latte’ comes with its chocolate (or rather, toffee) counterpart. 

Overall, I’d say the ‘Toffee Penne Latte’ was a winner. Also, as it is not super sweet, nor ‘out there’ in flavour, I would say it is a great option for coffee-lovers getting into the festive range for the first time, or those hesitant over adding syrup to their drinks in general.

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