Flavoured sugar tastes like sugar first and the flavour second. The sweetness is the base, and the flavour sits on top of it and changes depending on what the sugar is made from and what you put it in. If you are trying it for the first time, here is what each of our four tastes like, and which one to start with.
What does flavoured sugar taste like?
A good flavoured sugar smells strongly before you taste anything, because much of what you experience as flavour is aroma. On the tongue it starts sweet, then the flavour arrives, then it fades cleanly. Unlike a bottled syrup, it adds flavour without adding liquid. For the full primer, read what is flavoured sugar.
Dirty Vanilla
Tasting notes: warm and rounded, with real vanilla bean and a bourbon edge.
The golden demerara base brings a touch of molasses depth. It is among the most coffee friendly of the range and the easiest place to start.
Best for: hot and iced coffee, porridge and baking, and Old Fashioneds. Shop Dirty Vanilla.
Juicy Strawberry
Tasting notes: bright, tart and fruity, made with freeze dried strawberry and malic acid.
It is the sharpest of the range, built for drinks that want a lift rather than richness.
Best for: cocktails and cocktail rims, fizzy drinks, lemonade and desserts. Shop Juicy Strawberry.
Midnight Mocha
Tasting notes: rich, dark and bittersweet, with cocoa and real espresso on a light muscovado base and a finish of sea salt.
It is the richest of the range, and the one that tastes most like a dessert.
Best for: mochas, hot chocolate, brownies and espresso martinis. Shop Midnight Mocha.
Spiced Chai
Tasting notes: warm and gently spiced, with cinnamon, cardamom, ginger and clove on a soft muscovado base.
It is the one for colder days. There is no tea in the pouch, so you choose the tea, the milk and the strength.
Best for: chai lattes, dirty chai, porridge, toast and baking. Shop Spiced Chai.
Which one should you try first?
- You drink coffee every day: Dirty Vanilla.
- You make cocktails or fizzy drinks: Juicy Strawberry.
- You are a chocolate or dessert person: Midnight Mocha.
- You love chai or warm spices: Spiced Chai.
- You cannot decide: The Full Set gets you all four for £17.99.
How to taste it properly
- Open the pouch and smell it first. The aroma tells you a lot.
- Taste a pinch on its own to get the base sweetness and flavour.
- Stir a level teaspoon into a small cup of hot water and taste again. This is closest to how it behaves in a drink.
- Then try it in the drink you actually plan to make.
Tasting FAQ
Does flavoured sugar taste artificial?
It depends on what it is made with. Ours uses real ingredients such as vanilla bean, freeze dried strawberry, cocoa and spices, and you can check what goes into each pouch in our ingredients breakdown.
Is it very sweet?
It is sugar, so it is sweet, but you control how much goes in. See our teaspoon guide.
Once you have found your favourite, see how to use it in 15 ways to cook, bake and drink with flavoured sugar.
