Starbucks describes Chantico as "decadent ... dramatically different from hot chocolate"

Starbucks says in a news release: "With Chantico drinking chocolate, we're introducing our customers to the pleasures of drinking chocolate -- transforming the way consumers think about chocolate, just as we transformed the way consumers experience coffee." The drink, which debuts on Saturday, Jan. 8, is called "a liquid heart attack" by one STARBUCKS GOSSIP reader and Starbucks employee. (Read comments on the drink.) (Starbucks PR)

> Chantico review: "Imagine melted Godiva bars covered with hot fudge and Hershey's syrup"

Comments

[melina]

i just had a sample from my nearby drive-thru starbucks last night. i think i shocked the shit out of them because i knew more about chantico than they did...thanks to this blog!!!

it's heavenly...but definitely take it in SMALL doses.

it's RICH! RICH/RICH/RICH (said like karen o. from the yeah yeah yeahs)

[sbux girl]

it 'll take me the whole afternoon to finish a short cup of it...it IS RICH, but i like it!

[CoffeeBoy]

Rich.. Good; but a little goes a long way....

[Hirayuki]

I split one with my husband while running errands the other day. That's probably the best way to do it, or to take really small sips (though it would be almost too cool/thick to drink toward the end). We both enjoyed it very much and found it "moreish"--we left it in the car while we popped into a bookstore and I found myself wanting to go back outside and drink more!

[rev_matt]

It's the consistency of thick tomato soup. And it's really really really good. I wasn't able to get to my regular SB until Friday last week, and when I asked about it they gave me a free one to try out. It's really really really good.

[Maureen Monroe]

This drink is too sweet, a real shame. Starbucks fails to realize that people want REAL CHOCOLATE not hersheys flavored goop.

One might think they are imitating an imitator. Nothing is as flattering as imitation. Portland Oregon based Moonstruck Chocolate Cafes beat Starbucks in the Chocolate Drinks anyday.

[JD]

I think it tastes best with two shots of espresso

[jvjjr]

I had a sample of it in my fav SB... they just walked around handing it out. Almost immediately my arms and legs froze in place as my choleserol shot up to about 8,000 and I think maybe I saw God.

[melanie]

360 calories in a 6oz serving. That means, over 1000 calories in a 20oz venti. which a customer ordered the other day.

[kelly]

Disappointing. Too sweet for the true chocolate lover. I couldn't finish it.

[Rick]

I haven't tried it yet, but I plan on trying it tomorrow, Thursday the 13th. Starbucks locations will be giving away samples of Chianto that day according to their e-mail list.

[Nick]

Does anyone know anything about those little brown cups?

Is Starbucks planning on going all-sizes with those textured brown cups, or is it just for the 6 oz. size?

[cornfrost]

Nick, those textured brown cups are for the Chantico only. Special drink, special cup.

[Fattyfattyboombalatty]

I am going to get me one of them Carl's Jr. Pastrami and Burger sandwiches and wash it down with a cup of drinkin' chocolate.

Haven't seen my feet for 14 years but what the hell, I know what feet look like.

[elaine]

The heck with the calories - I really liked it. Tried it for the first time last night with little butter cookies and it was a perfect dessert! I have to say that as much of a chocoholic as I am, that was the right size. Who could drink a venti of one of those?

[Jill]

Got a free coupon for one so I decided to give it a try. I drank about 1/4 of it and threw the rest away. I looooove chocolate but this was way too sweet. Not good. Now I feel sick...

[Findlay]

I'm no longer holidaying in America so I can't try this latest incarnation of hot chocolate. However by the sounds of it I would much rather have a Blizzard at DQ than than a Chantico thingo at SB.
Goes to show that Simple(and Cheap)is often better, if not best.

[Cyberkitty]

I tried this for the first time today! All I could say was DAMN! I am in love with this tasty treat. This can replace any other dessert beverage I have enjoyed...well, except a snifter of Drambuie.

[Lee]

I'm definitely in love with this drink. I love chocolate and this satisfies from head to toes!!!

[c0deine]

This is an immitation of E.Wedel cup of hot chocolate that you can find in Warsaw! Nonetheless, it's pretty good and brought me back good memories.

hey c0deine! Yes, totally! I grew up in Poland and I love all E. Wedel products (a company of Cadbury). It does taste like E. Wedel.

sounds good....

Chantico sounds like Quantico which is something governmental and military...I think...

[Chocoholic]

How do you think they make this stuff? I want to make this at home, only less sweet. Does it have butter and cocoa? Any ideas?

[Marjorie]

You know what I did? I ordered a chantico, but in a big coffee cup, with a shot of espresso, steamed milk and whipped cream. YUM! I had to really specify it though.

[Jeff]

Tried one last night. It was like drinking warm chocolate frosting. Intense flavor. Then I read the nutrition (yeah right) info this morning. Heart attack in a cup.

[AJ]

My co-workers have been raving about Chantico for weeks, knowing what a chocolate lover I am. So I finally got one today and BLECH, what a disappointment! Maureen and Kelly were both right--WAY too sweet. Reminded me completely of drinking Hershey's syrup, which does NOT qualify in my book as good chocolate! (Yup, I'm a snob, worked at Godiva & regularly visit Teuscher. I'm in Portland, am familiar w/ Moonstruck, but they're also a tad sweet to my palate.) But I guess they want to sell to the masses, so...

[Don Tomas]

I tried Chantico today and I think it is too sweet. Make a thin ganache with Valrhona and drink that instead. Better yet, go to Oaxaca Mexico and have some real hot chocolate.

The only problem with a true ganache is that it makes Chantico look like a lowfat health drink. But it does taste soooooo good

[Pascal]

I tried one tonight... Not bad. A little sweet for my tastes. I thought I'd try to make it at home. The resulting chantico recipe was born: (all measurements are approx)

Homemade Chantico
3/4 cup warm water
3 heaping tbsp Frys Coco Powder
8 heaping tbsp sugar
2 tsp cornstarch + (1 tbsp water)
1 pinch salt
2 tsp butter (optional)

Heat the water to near boiling. Reduce heat to medium. Add the coco and the sugar. Stir with a wisk for about 5 minutes to really disolve the coco powder. In a seperat bowl, add water to cornstarch and mix until completly dissolved. (If you don't, you'll get some nasty clumps.) Add the cornstarch mix to the coco/sugar mix and wisk briskly. After a minute or so you *should* have a smooth velvety yummy drink! For more flavour, add the salt and butter.

It will thicken a bit as it cools, so add just a wee bit of hot water to thin it out again.

The result is a very rich dark sweet coco, very similar to $tarbuck$.

[Jennifer Torok]

Mmmmmmm....
Just finished my Chantico today...now for the Verona chaser! If only I could have one every day...life is sweet!

[Viv]

Chantico is all we hear about now, but what really rocks my socks is their Java Chip Ice Cream! One of the best things Starbucks has to offer for sure, and I would know, my fiancee is assistant manager of one of the mobile stores, so I try everything!

[Chanticoholic]

OMG!!! My son introduced me to Chantico this weekend in Chicago - I am still recovering from THE most intense orgasmic experience!I am planning my calorie intake to allow me to have another in the next few months!

[Layla]

we stopped ordering the artery clogging "liquid", we probably sell 1 a month.

[myfrienddrinkschantico]

I have a friend from Ukraine who detests the too sweet desserts here in the US of A. He, however, got hooked on Chantico, because he says they're more like European drinking chocolate. Now, we have decided that they need a little more bitter, and that they ought to be served in 3 oz. sze, since no one needs that much. I have to say, the asthetic side of me loved the little textured brown cups...such a marketing gimic, that I am embarassed to admit worked on me. Sigh. Wish the other coffees were in such a lovely brown color cup.

[myfrienddrinkschantico]

My last post made it sound like we were complaining...about the size and the 'needs more bitter' flavour...I didn't mean it that way. We enjoy our shared Chanticos very much...and thus we get a 3 oz one each, anyhow. Thanks, someone above, for the experiment in recipes...I'll try it. Anyhow, didn't want to sound complainy. Blessings...

[Chocolat']

WOW! No such thing as too sweet or tooo rich! I tried it yesterday and had another today!! I had it with a shot of espresso each time!

[cait]

I had a chantico for the first time yesterday, and I would describe it as an orgasm in a cup.

[boo]

I drank about half of the 6 oz. size and felt stuffed, so I put the other half in the fridge. Then the next day I zapped it in the microwave. It was about twice as thick and had the consistency of hot fudge sauce. What a killer! Seriously, though there are rumours going around that these little babies are going to be taken off the menu's soon due to their nutritional setbacks, so drink em up now.

[STARBUCKS GOSSIP webmaster]

Rumors, Boo? That was reported on my main page about two weeks ago. Check it out.

[truechocoholic]

My sole reason for frequenting Starbucks is gone: they no longer have Chantico! They just stopped making it. This makes no sense whatsoever, since the majority of people who tried this drink,loved it and wanted more it seems. It was one of the best products Starbucks has been making and I think its a real shame.

Majority of the people who tried might have loved it they certainly didn't buy it.

[Stacey]

I just heard about this drink for the first time TODAY!!! I am so upset that I didn't get to try it at least once. Can't they just bring it back one more time?!? =) & then advertise it more!

depending on where you live stacey you can still get chantico I live in canada and I make it at work everyday check with the store manager at your regular starbucks and see if they are still able to order it...because they hsould still be selling it!
Chantico is rich aztec chocolate like in the movie!!!