It was another one of those miracle sunny days in February, which called for a break in the Working From Home routine and a wee lunchtime stroll. I had previously floated the idea past my friend who lives (and WFH) in Rosemount who was all game to support me in my quest, both in terms of recommendations in her area, as well as joining me for a walking review.
It was her suggestion that we start with The Cult of Coffee (both of us coming from communications backgrounds and appreciating the creative branding of this particular café). I had good memories of this place from my previous visit so soon we were meeting outside its doors.
They had laid out a one-way system for queuing where usually they would have a few tables set up (which I made use of on my previous visit) and where you can also build up an appetite for a sweet treat with their cake display, or decide to purchase some ground coffee and accessories for enjoyment at home.
In the time that we waited to order and pick up our drinks the place experienced a steady flow of customers. You order within Cult‘s double-door entrance, sheltered from the elements but without properly entering the premises, giving you the full view of the venue inside. While my friend is a black Americano drinker, I had a choice to make: dark or milk chocolate for my mocha? I wish I had looked back on my review from 2018 when the barista advised me to go for the milk option, because without that guidance this time I felt the right option would be to sample the dark version. As for milk alternatives they offered oat or split pea – I went for the former.
Due to the limited space, we had to wait around the door for our drinks to be ready before letting the next person order, to ensure social distancing. The wait wasn’t at all long though: beautifully presented in branded cups (oh, we do love quality marketing!) with chocolate shavings already melting on top of the brew.
But did the taste live up to the looks? Well, so-so. The first word that popped into my head after the initial sip was: buttery. While a smooth and well blended concoction, it was definitely more of a decadent experience, with a prevailing bitterness throughout. Only with the last sips did I get a stronger note of sweetness, that instantly made me think: “this is the taste that I was expecting!”
And only at that moment I realised my error – I ordered dark chocolate, after all! I do believe that the milk chocolate would have been more to my taste. The milk alternative confuses things further: I found many of the store-bought oat drinks sweet, but not all, depending on the brand. Maybe the dark chocolate + Cult‘s oat “milk” option are not the best combination…
So, it’s a bit of a mixed bag… If I was to score this particular mocha alone, it would be a 3.5/5 – but it may be down to my poor choices. Then there’s the price, which is rather hefty for a take-away coffee (without a breakdown I’m not sure if the milk alternatives are charged extra).
On the other end, their commitment to branding gets two thumbs up to me (their printed cups are still Vegware – well done!), plus their passion and positive customer service radiate, even from behind the masks. And my friend said the Americano was spot on – so espresso quality is also up there.
An encouraging 4/5 here – and I will be back to try the milk chocolate oat mocha next time, for good measure!
Price
Dark Chocolate Oat Mocha: £3.55
Verdict
Good quality coffee although rather pricey; but the overall experience leaves you uplifted (and don’t we need that just now!)
Learn more about Cult of Coffee on their Facebook page.
A Black Spot 