It must be over 20 years now since KAZUKIN started enjoying cafe au lait made with Blendy bottled coffee.

I've surely tried various bottled coffees, but oddly, for cafe au lait it's still Blendy only.

If I drink canned coffee, I root for UCC. But when it comes to cafe au lait, that's another matter.

For cafe au lait, it's Blendy.

This is the one thing that has barely wavered in over 20 years. It's Blendy, so it never blurs. (A pun that only works in Japanese, where “Blendy” and “bure-nai,” unwavering, sound alike.)

...I said it.

Before I knew it, the company had changed

Blendy bottled coffee was originally made and sold by Ajinomoto AGF, but it has been handed over to Suntory Beverage & Food from around spring 2022. KAZUKIN, however, didn't notice that at all and kept buying it as usual.

I didn't notice the company making and selling it had changed.

But I do notice immediately when Blendy is gone from the fridge.

Human senses are remarkably convenient.

The near-lead is the milk

And what you must not forget in making cafe au lait is the milk.

The coffee tends to be thought of as the star, but milk greatly affects the taste too. If anything, in cafe au lait, the milk is a very important near-lead pretending to be a supporting role.

KAZUKIN's favorite is Meito's “Shikkari Noko 4.4.” A milk drink with 4.4% milk fat, characterized, as the name says, by a rich, full-bodied taste.

The other is Megmilk Snow Brand's “Tokunoh.” Also 4.3% milk fat, it offers a solid milky richness.

To be precise, both are classified by type not as “milk” but as “milk drinks.”

But what matters to KAZUKIN is not classification.

Whether it's delicious when mixed with Blendy.

That's all.

Ordinary milk is of course tasty too. But with a rich, high-fat type, it receives Blendy's coffee flavor and finishes as a mellow, thick cafe au lait.

...I think.

There's no scientific basis to my taste. It's the personal view of KAZUKIN, who has been pouring by eye for over 20 years.

Before I know it, it's 1.5 times

Put ice in a glass, pour rich milk, and add Blendy.

If I put in too much coffee, I add milk. If I put in too much milk, I add Blendy.

And after repeated adjustments, it ends up 1.5 times the amount originally planned.

This too is the usual outcome of KAZUKIN-style cafe au lait.

Summary

Blendy, which I've kept drinking for over 20 years without noticing that the company changed.

Today again, I open the fridge and take out the usual bottle and rich milk.

Trendy stylish cafe au lait is fine. But in the end, I come back here.

Cafe au lait is great, right?

KAZUKIN Rating

  • ☕ Unwavering loyalty to Blendy for 20+ years — ★★★★★
  • 🥛 Obsession with rich milk — ★★★★★
  • 🏢 Noticing the company change — ★☆☆☆☆
  • 📏 Reproducibility of ending up 1.5x by eye — ★★★★★
  • 🔁 Rate of returning from stylish cafe au lait — ★★★★★

This article is a personal opinion. KAZUKIN LAB has no relationship with Ajinomoto AGF, Suntory Beverage & Food, Kyodo Milk Industry or Megmilk Snow Brand. I'm just a customer who loves cafe au lait. Product names and ingredient labels are as of writing and may change. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.

The illustration is an image based on KAZUKIN's experience. It may differ from real stores and products. It is not an official manufacturer image.