While I’ve visited Kyoto, Japan, a couple of times, I must admit that I never stopped into a coffee shop to try one of their traditional Kyoto iced coffees.

I’m almost embarrassed to admit now that any caffeinated drinks I tried while I was there were from either vending machines or Starbucks—but I recently got the chance to remedy my mistake thanks to a coffee brand called Dripdash.

Dripdash has combined this unique Japanese brewing tradition and attention to quality with the elements of specialty craft coffee in order to create a luxury street coffee brand, and when the team behind it reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in reviewing it, I had to give it a shot. After trying all three flavors, I can say they have a new fan.

The Brand

While Dripdash is a very modern company, they utilize a centuries-old brewing coffee process that dates back to the 1600s to make the ultimate Kyoto iced coffees. During this process, cold water falls over lightly roasted coffee grounds drop by drop over the process of 16 hours in order to create their small batches of coffee, which are immediately chilled to preserve freshness. The result is coffee with little oxidation, with enhanced flavor that reflects the full complexity of its beans.

And the coffee doesn’t just taste better. It strives to be better for you, too. It’s non-GMO and all-natural, and since the oat milk lattes use gluten-free oats, all of their products also contain zero gluten. Their coffees contain no refined sugars and are dairy-free, vegan and non-allergenic. Their freshness and lack of preservatives are also apparent in the fact they’re not shelf-stable, so be sure to keep them in the fridge. At the same time, their beans are ethically sourced and then roasted using the world’s first zero-emission commercial coffee roaster. They even have direct relationships with the farmers at every step of their supply chain.

Dripdash sells in 9.5 oz cans and is available in Kyoto Iced Coffee, Lavender + Maple Oat Milk Latte and Black Sesame Oat Milk Latte Flavors. You can buy a dozen cans in your favorite flavor for $69, or a The VIP variety pack of 12 cans for $69.95. Click HERE to find out where Dripdash is sold near you, or purchase it on their website.

Dripdash iced coffee three flavors

(via Dripdash)

The Flavors

Kyoto Iced Coffee

I decided to start my experience with Dripdash with their standard Kyoto Iced Coffee. With no milk or sugar to hide behind, it’s just pure black coffee, giving drinkers the purest experience possible.

Now, I’m not much of a black coffee drinker, so I wasn’t sure at all what I should expect. When I took my first sip of the coffee, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, it was still bitter, but it was also surprisingly smooth, with just a hint of bright acidity that made it oddly easy to drink. While I’ll always be the type of person who prefers sweet, milky coffees, I bet that this will be a treat for those who drink their coffee black. It has none of the icky burnt taste I’ve come to know from unflavored coffee. At zero calories, it really is just strong, tasty coffee and water.

This coffee also contains 200 mg of caffeine—or about as much as three shots of espresso. For regular coffee drinkers, that’s probably a nice boost of caffeine, but for me (who mostly sticks to decaf these days) it was a lot, and if you’re like me, expect to feel that full dose of caffeine during your day—and maybe a restless night, too.

Dripdash kyoto iced coffee

(via Dripdash)

Lavender + Maple Oat Milk Latte

Next, it was time to get into the coffees that were more my speed—the oat milk lattes. I’m always a sucker for anything lavender-flavored, so I was very much looking forward to this coffee, and it exceeded all of my expectations.

The oat milk made it ridiculously smooth while being sweetened with real Vermont maple syrup, taking the edge off of the Kyoto iced coffee. It was just lightly sweet, with the bitterness still just there, and a gentle floral finish that I adored. Together, the flavor had a nice softness and an almost citrusy effect that worked strangely well with the coffee. At just 80 calories, it was a welcome addition to my morning meal, and while 160 mg of caffeine was still a lot for me to handle, it made me feel a lot less buzzy than the Kyoto Iced Coffee had.

Dropdash lavender maple oat milk latte

(via Dripdash)

Black Sesame Oat Milk Latte

Last was the Black Sesame Oat Milk Latte, which also sounded delicious, given that I’m a big fan of anything black sesame-flavored. It actually wound up becoming my favorite of the three flavors.

It was just as creamy as the previous latte, but this one also had the rich nuttiness of the black sesame, all brought together with just enough sweetness and the strong flavor of the coffee. It was complex without too much going on, making it well worth the 90 calories, and by the time I tried this one, the 160 mg of caffeine actually felt just right.

Dripdash black sesame oatmilk latte

(via Dripdash)

Bottom Line

If you’re looking for a high-end iced coffee drinking experience using only the very best ingredients and processes, Dripdash is a must-try. Their coffees blend classic techniques with innovation to create something brand new, and while black coffee fans will love their Kyoto Iced Coffee, people who are used to something sweeter won’t be able to get enough of their oat milk lattes. At about $5.75 per can, they don’t come cheap, but I think they’re worth trying at least once to see what the fuss is all about, and then you can decide whether that’s worth it to you from there.

Can’t start the day without your morning cup of coffee? Click HERE to find out why coffee might also be the missing ingredient in your skincare routine.

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Dripdash's Delicious Kyoto-Style Iced Coffees Aren't Quite Like Any Coffee You've Tasted

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