What a decision I had to make; a decision we all have to make, I suppose.  I was checking out K-Cup Challenge sponsor, Shoffee.com when I saw them; two new offerings from Coffee People for the election season; Obama blend, and McCain blend.  Now when it comes to Obama vs. McCain, we don’t really have the option of choosing both (nor would I want to).  I suppose I could have chosen neither, but it’s not like there are any other viable options (Nadar blend sucks).  Am I still talking about coffee?  Anyway…

To say I have reservations about both the Obama and McCain blends would be an understatement. After all, what do we really know about the Obama blend?  My concern was that, despite all the beautiful packaging and robust promises, my box of Obama blend would lack substance, or worse, be nothing but an empty box of hot air.

I feel like I know a little more about the McCain blend.  It’s been on the shelves in one form or another for years, decades even; possibly centuries.  To be sure, the beans have aged longer than the Obama blend, but even at their peak, the McCain beans are known to inexplicably change flavor from one day to the next, which isn’t exactly the consistency I want to see in my Coffee-In-Chief.

More disconcerting; based on what I’ve seen lately, the McCain beans have aged so far beyond their prime that they’re starting to take on an unpleasant bitter flavor.  Old and bitter, who wants a cup of that?

Of greater concern to me still; what happens if my box of McCain blend expires before I finish the box?  Will I awake to find a half-empty box of Palin blend (all Palin blend boxes are half-empty) on my kitchen counter?  Will it try and fire it’s brother-in-law ?   Make no mistake, that’s a batch of beans picked well before they’ve ripened.  Palin Blend is simply not yet ready for consumption (although it might help you see Russia from your house), and I want none of it.  Unlike Sarah Palin’s daughter, I’m abstaining.

When decision time arrived, I had to balance the promise of the Obama blend with the better-known McCain (blend).  After much introspection I arrived at the conclusion that, even with a well-lipsticked pig sitting next to it, the McCain blend is very similar, in fact virtually indistinguishable from the coffee I’ve been drinking for the last 8 years or so.  Quite frankly, the last 8 years have given me one hell of a stomach ache, and it’s very clearly time for a real change.  Obama blend it is.

The Aroma

Smells like a brand new day.  It smells like change.  Also, it’s mildly smokey with just a hint of fruit tones.  No, seriously.  And my wife thinks it smells good.

Drinking it Black

Boy…the joke kind of writes itself, doesn’t it.  I’m also hesitant to start a sentence with “Drinking Obama…”  In truth, and all kidding aside, Obama blend is a little earthy, but has winey sweetness to it that reminds me a bit of Green Mountain’s Kenyan AA.  Seriously…I’m not making this up.  How about I say it’s very good, and not bitter, and just leave it that.

With Cream and Sugar

You don’t want to add too much cream and sugar to the Obama blend (why risk losing the inner city vote).  Kidding…  Anyway, the Obama blend is an extra bold, which means it takes more than a little bit of cream and sugar to change the flavor (this isn’t a breakfast blend).

Even with cream and sugar, Obama blend holds it’s flavor and maintains its character and body. We’re talking about no frills, good coffee, that you can depend on.

Final Thoughts

All jokes aside, I’m fairly certain that Coffee People’s Obama and McCain blends are absolutely identical products.  Hopefully, for all our sakes, that’s not true of the candidates themselves.  Regardless, kudos to Coffee People for coming up with an interesting angle for advertising a very good cup of coffee.

I don’t know if Coffee People developed a new blend for the election season, or just repackaged one of their other varieties.  Either way, Obama blend (and presumably McCain blend) is a medium-bodied, robust cup of coffee with good flavor.  It stands up well to cream and sugar, has no bitterness, and unlike Bush blend, Obama Blend doesn’t leave an unpleasant aftertaste, flush our economy down the crapper, or invade sovereign nations.  “Now watch this drive…”

The bottom line, it’s certainly worth trying a box.  If not for the coffee, try it as a conversation starter.

Shameless Plug

Although I can’t stress enough that this review was in no way shape or form endorsed by Shoffee.com, they did provide my sample of Obama blend.  If you don’t agree with me or this review, why not show your support for John McCain by picking up a box of McCain blend from Shoffee.  For those of you more aligned with my way of thinking, Shoffee can, of course,  hook you up with a box of Obama blend as well.

24/Box $10.98

24/Box $10.98

Shoffee.com overs a huge selection of coffee and teas for your Keurig home brewer (not to mention the brewers themselves).  Check out Shoffee sister site, CupofTheWeek.com for discount pricing on their, wait for it… K-Cup of the week.

While you’re hear at Qwowi.com check out the growing list of reviews in my K-Cup Challenge.