Starbucks VIA Instant Coffee Flavors, Ranked

There's no denying the convenience and appeal of instant coffee, but more often than not, the taste of this quick option is less than satisfying. Instant coffee is known as the tenth-rate product of the coffee world for good reason; many grocery store coffee brands offer cheaper instant coffee varieties of their classic drip brews, and they're known to leave a lingering aftertaste with sour, pungent notes. Nevertheless, instant coffee remains in demand, making up about 25% of all retail coffee sales. With the ever-growing popularity of the most legendary caffeinated beverage of all time, companies that produce high-quality, ethically sourced coffee are whipping out instant options so fans of their products can enjoy a delicious cup without the need for a coffee-making apparatus.

Enter Starbucks, and its VIA instant coffee collection. This instant coffee from the king of chain coffee has been on the market since 2009, and Starbucks is offering deals on its instant brews for July 2024's Amazon Prime Day. Considering instant coffee's infamous reputation, Starbucks' take on it is worthy of a critical eye. I tried Starbucks' VIA Colombia, French Roast, Italian Roast, and signature Pike's Place Roast varieties and ranked them from worst to best, based on my honest opinion of their taste and quality. Let's see if Starbucks can bring a little class to the world of instant coffee.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

Although Starbucks is undeniably known best for the coffee brewed by its trained baristas, that doesn't stop the company from offering an array of do-it-yourself products so fans can enjoy a classic cup at home or attempt to recreate the chain's famous drinks. Starbucks stays true to its roots with its instant coffee, promising 100% natural ingredients, including no preservatives, and sourcing high-quality beans. Starbucks even developed its own patented technology to keep its instant joe preserved for longer without the need for taste-altering chemicals that are typically the cause of instant coffee's egregious reputation.

Each variety of VIA instant coffee comes in individual serving packets, so taking them on the go is easy and convenient. This coffee is designed to be enjoyed at home, on the campsite or backpacking trail, or brought to the office — no coffee maker necessary. VIA comes in four different roasts — including two medium-level and two dark-level roasts — each boasting their own tasting notes and specific bodies.

If you're feeling confident in Starbucks' ability to produce a quality instant cup and are looking to purchase some to try for yourself, you'll be glad to know that VIA instant coffee isn't hard to track down. Each of the four flavors are sold separately and are available for purchase from major retailers including Target, Wal-Mart, and Amazon. Boxes of eight individually packaged microground coffee servings go for $7.48 at Wal-Mart, while bulk boxes containing 26 servings, as well as six boxes of eight servings each, are priced at $34.06 and $44.88, respectively. Be on the lookout for online purchasing deals. At Target, VIA instant coffee is $7.99 per eight-serving box, with no bulk options available.

Amazon offers VIA instant coffee eight-serving boxes for $7.48, regular price. Bulk boxes with 50 servings per box are priced at $48.99, while another bulk option with a whopping 96 servings is available for $71.88. These prices decrease significantly, especially for the larger, bulk options, when purchased on Prime Day. Note that each box, whether bulk or smaller options, only contains one roast flavor, with no multi-pack options available as of now.

Starbucks' Colombia roast would catch the eye of any lover of lighter coffees. It's described as a single-origin medium roast with notes of walnut and fresh herbs, and it's available as VIA instant coffee, ground coffee, and Nespresso Vertuo pods, original Nespresso pods, and K-cups.

The first noticeable detail about this coffee is its aroma. It's deep and smoky, and the walnut essence is powerful. Tasting it only amplifies the smoky and nutty flavor notes and introduces tobacco notes, as well. The smokiness hits the nose and palate simultaneously with the first sip, and a robust aftertaste lingers for longer than it should.

The coffee's flavor notes create a beverage that is almost too smoky for its own good, landing it in last place in this ranking. The body of the coffee is light and almost tea-like, typical of a medium roast. But it felt so light that it was almost watery, despite the fact that I followed package directions and included only 8 ounces of hot water per packet. Overall, this roast was the most reminiscent of classic, grocery-store instant coffee, and I was unimpressed.

Every coffee collection needs an Italian roast, and Starbucks offers its version of the beloved dark coffee as VIA instant coffee, ground coffee, and K-cup pods. The chain describes this roast as dark with subtle sweetness and an underlying richness.

Italian roasts, unlike other popular coffee roasts, are characterized by their intensity and slightly bitter flavor. The VIA Italian Roast stays true to what separates an Italian roast from other dark coffees, albeit with a bitterness that's too overpowering. Hints of vanilla in its taste and aroma subdue the bitterness slightly. Its body is verging on oily, but a splash of milk adds a necessary creaminess that amplifies this coffee's taste and texture.

While this coffee was eons better than typical instant coffee, it didn't resonate as anything special. The lack of artificial ingredients and chemical preservatives is apparent, with the coffee tasting bold and fresh, but its sweet flavor was contrasted by sharp and bitter notes that were too acrid even for an Italian roast. Nevertheless, if doctored up a bit, this coffee is still an ideal choice for Starbucks fans who don't have time to stop there before work. Cream and sugar are necessary in this roast to subdue its bitterness; I'd recommend plopping a scoop of vanilla ice cream in for an impromptu affogato-like treat.

Starbucks' Pike Place coffee is among its most signature brews, a well-rounded brew that's designed to drink daily. Starbucks describes this coffee as having toasted nut and subtle chocolate notes. Along with instant coffee, it is available as ground and whole bean coffee, K-cup pods, original Nespresso pods, and Vertuo Nespresso pods.

I like Pike Place Roast as a cup to enjoy first thing in the morning. Its light and bright taste and aroma perk up the senses and ignite the spirit for the day ahead. Caramel, citrus, nuts, and chocolate all combine to give this coffee a nuanced yet mellow flavor. Zesty citrus tang offers a necessary wake-up call for those who need the thought of that first cup to crawl out of bed every morning (guilty), while a smooth cocoa aftertaste calms the palate and makes brewing a second or third cup seem more and more appealing. The contrast between tasting notes gives this coffee an overall earthy flavor and completely rejects everything that makes instant coffee so unappealing. In addition to tasting good as-is, Pike Place Roast would be excellent in a coffee-centric aperitif or as an iced brew.

Starbucks' classic French Roast is a popular choice for devotees of the brand, prompting the company to include it in its line of VIA instant coffees. It also comes as ground and whole bean coffee and K-cup pods. It's described as intense and the darkest coffee that Starbucks offers. Starbucks also states that this roast is the smokiest option in the VIA line, but I found Colombia significantly smokier.

This coffee's rich, dark color is emblematic of any French roast, and its taste and aroma prove to amply this fact. Its scent is deep and slightly smoky, with hints of chocolate. My first sip introduced a variety of nuanced flavors, from chocolate to berry, all accompanied by a smooth and velvety body. Tasting this coffee was to taste any classic French roast, and — I'll be honest — I forgot that I was enjoying a cup of instant coffee and not my usual morning French press dark roast. For that, it takes first place. VIA French Roast would also be a great option for a smooth and creamy coffee cocktail — like an instant espresso martini — while camping.

The ease and convenience of instant coffee is tempting, and although it's hard to believe that a quality cup can be brewed using nothing but hot water, Starbucks is one of the few companies that manages to create quality instant coffee. I'll admit that I had my doubts, as well as low expectations, but I'll happily put my judgments to rest after trying each of the VIA instant coffees. While I enjoyed some of the roasts more than others, I can't deny that these coffees taste high quality, with none of the pungent flavors and aftertastes that instant coffee is known for.

As one of the best instant coffee brands on the market, Starbucks VIA is absolutely worth it for coffee enthusiasts who crave the convenience of instant coffee but tend to shy away thanks to its infamy. The coffee's powder-like, microground grind size is also ideal for making Turkish coffee at home or to enhance the flavor of homemade chocolate. Use this coffee when camping or backpacking for a lightweight option that doesn't require lugging around a French press or pour-over contraption. Or, of course, you can also use the VIA instant coffee to recreate Starbucks' drinks from the comfort of home.

To give an unbiased assessment of each of the four VIA instant coffee roasts, I started by following package directions and brewing each cup with 8 ounces of hot water. I tested each coffee black initially, and then added milk and sugar to each to compare their differences — I found that only Italian Roast's flavor was enhanced with added milk and sugar.

I compared these coffees to their traditional counterparts, determining whether Starbucks' French roast was a true French roast, and so on. I aimed to set aside personal biases and dissect the nuances of each coffee, establishing what flavors melded well and which were unimpressive, all the while comparing the VIA instant coffees to standard instant coffee options typically found at grocery stores.