Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
The 純萃。喝 craze is still on even after weeks since it has arrived to our Singapore shores! How is it even possible that stocks in selected 7-Eleven stores nationwide get wiped out within minutes?
So much so that they have put up signage limiting customers to only six bottles at a time, due to its overwhelming response. Its popularity really baffles me.
I’ve seen friends posting pictures of these bottles of drinks on Instagram whenever they’re in Taiwan, raving about how delicious it is. Finally, I’ve had my chance to taste if it’s worth all that attention.
We’ve gotten both flavours that are currently sold on our shelves, Milk Tea and Latte, which are both priced at $2.80 each.
The other flavours that are available in Taiwan are Black Milk Oolong, Mandheling, Cocoa Milk Tea, Sumiyaki, Green Milk Tea, and Cafe Au Lait. I dare not think what would happen if Abana Singapore Pte Ltd (the distributor) decides to bring them in.
Upon emptying the milk tea from its bottle — that resembles very much like a shampoo bottle — the drink is evidently silky and creamy from its milky content. Interestingly, the milk tea is a shade darker than the latte.
While the Chun Cui He Milk Tea hides notes of aroma from the tea leaves and milk that the drink uses, it also had a very strong accompanying syrupy sugar scent.
On the other hand, the Latte had a subtle coffee fragrance, a slight chocolatey taste, and a whiff of caramel to it.
I enjoyed the Latte way more than the Milk Tea, it was much lighter and refreshing in taste, and more aromatic than other bottled lattes you can get at convenience store in Singapore.
I cannot say the same for the Milk Tea, which could be easily outshined by other brands in our current market. I’ve surveyed the ground, mainly among friends and colleagues, and most had the same conclusion: there are better milk tea brands out there.
Nonetheless, being Singaporeans and having born with a competitive nature, I’d say go for it if you haven’t managed to get a bottle and try it for yourself. There’s even an official Abana Facebook page where you can monitor when they will be replenishing stocks in 7-Eleven, and tips from fans on the outlets with higher chances of getting these bottles.
To each its own taste, perhaps you’ll enjoy the milk tea more than I do. Would I hunt for this milk tea all over Singapore? Probably not – In Taiwan and Hong Kong, its easily available like a bottle of Pokka green tea.
Expected damage: $2.80 per bottle
