I am on an AF journey and I splurged when there was a sale, purchasing several samplers. None of the flavors I tried were overly sugary or anything close to a simple syrup masquerading as something for soda or cocktails (or mocktails! Though they need a better name). These included the following flavors:
Authentic Ginger
Bright Chai
Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
Hibiscus-Cardamon
Lavender
Marionberry
Pomegranate Cherry
Raspberry Rhubarb
Rose City Tonic
Rose Cordial
Spiced Cranberry
Spicy Ginger
True Cola
Vanilla Rooibos
Yuzu
Still reading? Here’s some opinions specific to my taste buds and maybe relevant to yours.
Authentic Ginger- This syrup delivers some ginger kick, but I’d invest your money in the “spicy ginger” if you’re looking for something more potent than a mild ginger ale.
Bright Chai- Yum! Not tongue numbing like some chai syrups and preparations. Ordered more of this one.
Brown Sugar Simple Syrup- yeah okay, this is a simple syrup and, unsurprisingly, it tastes like one. I don’t know what I was thinking when I purchased this comparatively tame in name variation. I guess I was tempted by the brown sugar, although I could have easily tried my hand at a diy version as frequently I make simple syrup with white sugar. Who knows. If you’re looking for a fast solution for your simple syrup needs with the caramelized notes of brown sugar, give it a shot.
Hibiscus-Cardamon- Nice flavor combination. Both the hibiscus and cardamom come through clearly without being cloying, numbing like nutmeg, or too otherwise weak to detect. Ordered again.
Lavender- Obviously very floral. Not all that sweet. I enjoy layering this one with other flavors in drinks rather than on its own. It adds an interesting profile to the mix.
Marionberry- Reminds me of time in the Pacific Northwest. Nice berry flavor, but it requires a heavier pour for stronger notes of berry to shine through.
Pomegranate Cherry- Another top favorite. Much tastier than the multiple attempts at this type of flavor that I’ve made with juice combinations from different brands previously at home. Ordered again.
Raspberry Rhubarb- The one (tiny) note I would have is that this flavor tasted chemical-steeped to me, especially compared to all of the others I sampled. I suggest seeking your rhubarb and raspberry kicks elsewhere.
Rose City Tonic- Very rose forward, but less so than the cordial. Ordered more to add variety to my collection.
Rose Cordial- All rose all the time. Floral without being gross. I liked it better combined than on its own.
Spiced Cranberry- I didn’t pick up the spice notes the name promised. Not bad, not great.
Spicy Ginger- Much better than the regular ginger in my opinion. Something akin to, and ‘spicier’ than many pre-packaged ginger ales and ginger beers.
True Cola- I liked it. Still playing with my own cola mix. This does a great job as a placeholder.
Vanilla Rooibos- True vanilla. I thought this one was a rich flavor coming in hot on the vanilla. I suggest using sparingly to start then adjusting it to your own taste.
Yuzu- Nice gentle notes of Yuzu. Nothing more nothing less. I remain on the market for a better yuzu option.
Happy mixology experimenting! Also worth noting, customer service was out of this world fantastic when I had a shipping issue.
Yuzu, passion citrus and strawberry lime are our favorites. I like to make a soda that is extra fizzy and easy syrup. It’s delicious!
A great ginger flavor without being over"hot". Perfect for my cocktails!
I love the build your own sampler packs! They make perfect gifts and are a way to introduce these high quality syrups to others!!
In the past I gave a drink mix pack as a gift to my son-in-law...he is now ordering from Portland Syrups!
I think both the products and the customer service are wonderful!
I'm addicted to Portland syrups. My current favorite varies week to week, but my general picks are Yuzu, regular and spicy ginger, and recently the grapefruit tonic. I love that I can make not too sweet sodas that are delicious
I love it. I have purchased more after my first as gifts since I enjoyed it so much. Can’t wait to share it with everyone over the holidays! 🎅🏼
Great replacement for traditional soda, haven't tried the peppermint yet but looking forward!!
This syrup pairs well with a nice bourbon for a seasonal old fashioned or manhattan!
I wish I could give a product review.. . I was so excited to try these syrups, but the customer service has been a joke.I ordered on 12/2, says it was mailed on the 5th and would be delivered by the 10th.My package is now somewhere in La La land.I contacted company and all I was told is it shows it out there. I know it is the holiday season, but I have packages I ordered a week after from other companies that have already been delivered!! At least show some kind GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE when I try and contact/speak to someone!
It's just a great way to give a variety of syrups, let the receiver have fun tasting and experimenting. Thanks for making such an attractive package! Almost doesn't need wrapping (but of course I will).
The Passion Fruit was so delicious, and the Portland Syrup team has excellent customer service!
The simple syrup has a deep butterscotch-like flavor to it which is not what I want from my simple syrup. I find it overwhelms simple drinks like an old fashioned. The Grenadine and Ginger syrups are lovely and great additions to our home bar.
2 ounces spiced cranberry syrup with 10 ounces of cranberry blood orange seltzer over ice chips with an orange twist garnish! Perfect combination of refreshing and sweet
I've been watching Anders for about a year now and heard him talking about this grenadine, so I thought now would be a great time to give it a try! I thought it tasted delicious and you can tell it's not like the other commercial brands. So happy with my grenadine purchase and can't wait for my cousin to open the gift of the holiday must have (three syrups) I got him for his bar. Cheers!
This build-your-own sampler pack is the perfect way to try out a few new flavors and also have some on hand for travel and hosting! The flavors we've tried so far have been delightful - and I love that I'm able to enjoy them even with food allergies I have. I made a peppermint hot cocoa just this morning - comfort in a cup!
Got one whole set for my dad who loves his soda stream, and another set for gifts at work. Everyone had fun checking out all the options and said there were too many good ones to pick from.
These are great mixers! The ginger tastes especially good as an addition to a bees knees.
Not sure if I got a bad bottle or what but this is nasty stuff. Smells like tomato juice. Tasted sweet but with a really not good taste. I'm no expert on Pomegranates but this doesn't taste right. I usually buy Liquid Alchemist and it's heavenly compared to this. Very disappointed.
I really like the sampler three pack as you get to choose the flavors so it can be customized to your friends (and your) tastes. Makes for great gifts. Thank you Portland Syrups.
First time I’ve tried the sample pack. Great for trying flavors you haven’t tried yet.