We aren't fussy coffee drinkers in our house, none of particularly like 'proper' coffee and if we are going to drink it we prefer something smooth and instant. We do drink value brands from time to time but we do prefer the 'better' end of the spectrum suck as Kenco, but Nescafe etc will do too.

A strange way to start a review on an instant coffee which prides itself on being real coffee in instant form perhaps, but we do know what we like as far as instant coffee's go so here goes.

Millicano is marketed to those that enjoy their coffee fresh from beans, but perhaps don't always have the time to create their perfect cup from scratch. Offering to give them something approximating the freshly ground taste by combining instant coffee and finely milled beans, if you'd like to know more about this the web site here http://www.kenco.co.uk/range/kenco-millicano/684 will tell you. The website advertising does say that the taste of Millicano is 'reminiscent' of real coffee not that it is exactly the same, so I wouldn't go expecting the taste of pure ground coffee.

This coffee is 'reassuringly expensive' (as Stella Artois uses as its claim to fame) at the moment Tesco's is the cheapest out of the bigger supermarkets where 100g tin costs £3.00 (a temporary reduction from £3.99 until January. 2. 2012), because of this reduction the refill currently costs more than the tin at £3.25 for only 85gms. Personally I don't think there's anything reassuring about the price, expensive is just expensive.

On opening the pack there is a very pleasant rich coffee smell which isn't overpowering and is milder than I expected.

The granules are a lightish brown and quite small, they appear quite evenly sized and have a sort of velvety look to them.

I was a little nervous about using a full teaspoon the first time I used this as I'd read that some think the coffee is a bit strong, and I don't like mine that way. So the first time I used just over half a teaspoon in a fairly big mug and made it up to my usual taste. I was quite disappointed with the flavour at this concentration as it tasted a bit weak and ordinary, and did not display the intensity of coffee flavour I'd expected. I added some more coffee and that tasted better.

The coffee seems to have a decent 'body' too it, with some instants no matter what I add it tastes 'thin' and watery, Millicano seems to make a nice creamy textured coffee. The aroma coming from the mug is appetising, but to me it smells no better than some of the more expensive instants already on the market. Having drunk cafetiere coffee and coffees made by other people using a 'coffee maker' (it's not a machine that's high up on my to buy list...or even on it) in my opinion Millicano isn't any more reminiscent of ground coffee than most other decent quality instants.

What I really did like about Millicano was that there wasn't a strong bitter taste to it which is what I particularly dislike about some coffees and was very pleasant to drink. When made up black for the husband there was a visible crema on top of the coffee. I can't say that I've noticed this with any other instant coffees so would say this in part shows the quality you are getting with this brew.

I did enjoy Millicano very much and despite there not being much in it regarding taste, between this and other higher end instants there is 'something about it', which for me does put it at the top of the instant coffees I've tried. I won't buy it regularly as it's just too expensive for what in our family is a low priority beverage. However I probably will buy it over Christmas to offer visitors and to enjoy ourselves over the festivities.