Charlotte Glass / Daily Nexus

What better way to start off your morning than with a crisp, sweet cup of hyper-caffeinated goodness? While the name alone sounds decadent enough, Cajé’s honey-lavender latte delivers a taste that even the most seasoned coffee connoisseurs would approve of. I, an avid latte consumer, was utterly wowed by Cajé’s creation. 

When I first sipped this latte, my taste buds registered the familiar taste of coffee, but then all of the sudden there was this twist — a woody, almost minty flavor took over. It actually took me a second to remember what I was drinking and realize that this was the lavender kicking in. Once recognized, though, the lavender presented a pleasant surprise that kept my taste buds wanting more. Refreshing, herbal and almost detoxifying, it provided the perfect accompaniment to the candied taste of honey. Honey provides the ideal sweetener to this latte as it possesses a distinct flavor that reins the lavender in — agave or sugar would likely just dilute the herb’s potency and make it appear out of place alongside the coffee. After all, honey and lavender are an iconic culinary duo. 

The quality of these two keynote ingredients, both organic and locally farmed, made itself undoubtedly apparent. Higher-quality honey is always recognizable because of its sharper flavor — it’s not just sweet and sugary but also has a unique kind of syrupy flavor to it. The farmed lavender, earthy yet not overdone (as typically seen in chemically-derived lavender products), also shined. I’m a staunch believer that higher-quality ingredients always yield a higher-quality product — a credo definitely apparent in this latte. And, on top of all of that, I have yet to mention the most magical aspect of this drink: no bad coffee aftertaste! The combination of lavender and honey completely derides drinkers of that sometimes unsavory aftertaste that coffee beans harbor. As I already said, magical. 

Now, if you have an extreme aversion to lavender (maybe it reminds you too much of laundry detergent or soap or whatever), then this latte is, unfortunately, not for you. However, if you’re a little more on the cusp about lavender, I think a good indicator would be whether or not you like mint coffee; lavender is just kind of taking coffee in a different herbal direction, so if you like mint coffee, I would recommend that you try out this latte. I myself tend to have a love-hate relationship with lavender, but I thought Cajé utilized it really well, especially by pairing it with honey. If you’re a big lavender lover, this latte will easily win you over. Regardless, I would encourage any coffee drinker to try it out — how else will you build your coffee knowledge base without going artisanal? 

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