Nails the creaminess that the lower-fat version was lacking (which instead was watery)— but has no noticeable salt whatsoever. With the addition of a nice salty punch, this would be in elite company.
San Yuan Chocolate Milk (200mL bag)
Worlds apart from its boxed counterpart— which appear to differ only by a couple calories (and the packaging). This is much lighter complected, thinner, and sports a fruity quality (cherry?) that drowns out the chocolate or anything else pleasant. Just double-checked the date— seems to be in code.
Rheinburg Kakao Milch-Drink
Quite a different experience— it’s salty first, earthy second, chocolaty third. The first sip might shock you, the second will be better— expect it to plateau after the 4th. It dries out your mouth, imploring you to drink more. Your tastebuds may begrudgingly acquiesce, depending on your salt threshold.
San Yuan Chocolate Milk
Very well balanced— flavorful without reliance on sweetness. A budget boxed chocolate milk that you wouldn't be embarrassed to serve in a wine glass.
You Chun Simple Inside Chocolate Milk
Malty, salty, creamy— what else do you need? Oh— chocolate— it has that too, though not as blatantly as the dark version. Another example of a chocolate milk with downplayed sweetness that works to its advantage.
Happy Cow Cocoa and Milk
Excellent combination of thin and creamy, which with average sweetness makes the drinking experience enjoyable. The chocolate piece is very hard to locate but I enjoyed the search and would gladly do it again.
Hai He Chocolate Milk
Silky smooth, easy to drink, and well proportioned. Not one facet stands above the others from a flavor standpoint— the most memorable thing is the packaging— a floppy breast-implant like bag.
Viva Chocolate Flavour Semi-Skimmed Milk
Sweetness definitely takes a backseat to the other flavors, which is a pleasant departure from the norm. The chocolate is good but not as strong as you might expect after seeing how nicely dark the milk is. Still a pretty satisfying way to spend 25-40 seconds.
You Chun Black Chocolate
Wow, dark chocolate flavor, dialed-back sweetness, great creamy quality— all delivered through a velvety thin texture. The taste lingers nicely on the tongue; you will wish it stayed for longer. Took me 7 weeks in China to find one, but the remainder of my time here will be spent with a carton of this in close proximity.
Yili Chocolate Milk (250mL)
Powdery, fake, candy-like flavor that fortunately dissipates quickly due to the watery texture. It does leave you with an aftertaste that reminds you that you've made a mistake.
Namyang Chocolate Milk Drink (UHT)
Korean product with a distinctive flavor that certainly stands out in China— it’s got a great salty base that carries the other flavors competently and the box is gone before you know it. Buy several.
Frisian Cow Chocolate Milk
Enough creamy taste and chocolate flavor to manage an average score, more flavorful than the ingredient label might suggest. Would greatly benefit from a bit more salt, but not a bad find in China.
Bright Dairy Chocolate Milk (UHT)
More watery than I remember the fresh version being, but definitely a strong resemblance in flavor. No cream, no salt, not good.
Salzburg Milch Premium Austrian Alpine Chocolate Milk
Strong cocoa flavor (with a smoky, almost anise-y bent) helps to cover the lack of cream (it’s fat free) quite well. My low expectations were surpassed and on its own it’s tasty enough to be considered a treat.
Sterilgarda Alimenti Merendix Latte Cacao
Very thick and sweet, with almost a boozy chocolate flavor and scent. The taste is much better than the texture (for me)- it’s way too thick.
Laciate Chocolate Flavored Milk
Dominant amaretto-ish flavor that some may really enjoy (boozy is not really my scene). It’s distinctive in that way, and the secondary attributes do well to support that flavor: adequate cream, salt, and a chalky exit that works.
Taiwan Agriculture Good Morning Chocolate Milk
The cocoa flavor won’t beat you over the head, but this certainly stands above the other Taiwanese products thus far. Smooth, minimally viscous, and lightly sweet and creamy— it’s a pleasant experience with little distraction.
Bright Dairy Chocolate Milk Beverage
A chocolate flavor reminiscent of Caotina that is unfortunately washed out. On its own, the watery-quality is noticeable but the product is still enjoyable. When tasted side-by-side with others, the flavor dilution seems more egregious. Still an above-average drink.
Farmdaily Cocoa Milk
Chalky, but flavorful in all the right areas. It’s not over sweetened, which allows the salt/cream to compliment the chocolate and make it the star of the show.
Taiwan Nature Chocolate Milk (Xi'an)
Better taste than what I had in Kunming a month prior (perhaps due to there being 1 more calorie on the label..), though far from what I would consider decent. There’s still a strange gimmicky taste to the sweetness that stays with you too long.