Winter Wish; A New Take on Thin Mint

      Hi there, everyone! Welcome back to another very special Winter Wish with one of my all time favorite haunts! Today, I visited UniqExpressions once again, for something a little different from my usual fare from them. I tried their Dark Chocolate-Mint latte, as my Girlscout cookie fans may remember, the Thin Mint combo.

    I know I covered a Peppermint Mocha already, from our very own Midtown Coffee. But I really felt like this one stood on it’s own as a separate thing, mainly due to the presence of the biting darkness from the dark chocolate.

Picture borrowed from UniquExpressions!

Like with the ever-popular Thin Mint cookies that Girlscouts faithfully peddle to those of us with a love for mint, the mint chimes in with a pleasant, subtle, cooling sensation. That same refreshing coolness tempers down the bitterness from the dark chocolate. If I may be bold, I almost feel like I prefer the drink version to the original. 

     Hear me out, guys. With the cookies, I know that I, for one, am prone to just devour the entire supply. No worries of that here! This latte is a great bit of portion control, but it did leave me with a “where did it go?” feeling.

    I really feel like Peppermint Mochas are a staple of he holiday season, more so than the controversial Pumpkin Spice of Thanksgiving and Fall. I really love what UniquExpressions did by adding Dark Chocolate instead of the usual sweet mocha. 

     This one may be more for people who are getting used to a little bit of bite in their coffee, because this one does have a little bit of roughness around the edges. There’s an earthy undertone that complements the bitter-sweet balance going in with the rest of the drink.

    I can see this particular drink being enjoyed during the heart of Winter, held in mittened hands. I kind of wish I had asked for whipped cream (and sprinkles!). That would have made this drink more perfect for hanging out around the fireplace!

     If you live nearby to UniquExpressions and haven’t gone, what are you doing? If you’re looking for a charming and homey coffeeshop experience and some of the nicest Baristas I’ve met, come try any one of their Signature Lattes.

     

Check the map above to see their location! They’re located in a small, charming little town. Blink and you’ll miss it! For being a more under-stated town, they have their fair share of gold. From the Gardens to the treats, Pine Mountain is definitely worth the trip! 

If you would like to see some of the photos I’ve captured in my favorite sleepy little town, check out my photography at Live in Colour Photography!

Taste; /5

   I know I throw out a lot of 5 Ratings for taste, especially to this specific shop. Rest assured, it’s only because I love it so much. Seriously, all the times I’ve been and I’ve never tasted anything that was a disappointment. I highly, highly recommend them!

      

Most Wanted May Edition: A UniquExpression of admiration

This post comes a little after the end of May, but I would be remiss if I didn’t make note and share my pick for Most Wanted coffee in May! We went to a few different coffee shops, not as many as April, in all honesty. We did finally make it out to Pine Mountain, Georgia to revisit UniquExpressions. Finally.

I waited for what felt like forever to return there and try their delicious blends again. We brought Jeans (who has since left the blog to pursue her own), who absolutely raved about it. They are the coffee for people who do not like coffee. Their flavors are so fantastically harmonious and smooth that it’s difficult to find something bad to say. My personal favorite is the Prince Harry Iced Latte, because all of the flavors just mesh so well. I’m not sure what they do differently, but it makes the coffee out of this world. 

We’ll be revisiting Pine Mountain and the surrounding towns for content for the first leg of a rather large undertaking that my Fiance’ inspired me to attempt. I’ll be releasing information about that soon, so be on the lookout!

They have the cutest shoes alongside their amazing coffees!

They give you the coffee in a nicely portable cup- but I do want to note, that it’s not very sturdy. I definitely advise you drink the coffee fairly quickly because the cup will come apart. But, really, I don’t see too much risk of that because my coffee certainly didn’t last long enough for it to be a problem, neither did anyone else’s.

One of my favorite things about UniquExpressions is that they have their information right up front- such as where they acquire their beans and the intensity of the roast. You can view all of that in my previous post about UniquExpressions! 

I do want to put it out there for our readers that this little shop has more than just coffee. They have pizza, sandwiches and ice cream as well. When we go back to Pine Mountain I intend to give their other treats a try. If you find yourself in the area, or are lucky enough to do a coffee road trip, you don’t want to miss Pine Mountain’s (in my opinion) greatest treasure.

Congratulations, UniquExpressions for being my May’s Most Wanted! We’ll most definitely be back!

 

Coffee Abroad; Revisiting Good Memories with UniquExpressions

On February 17th of this year, my boyfriend and I visited the charming town of Pine Mountain, Georgia and visited the coffee shop UniquExpressions. My partner isn’t a fan of coffee for the most part, and gets turned off by an espresso flavor so finding coffee for him is a challenge. Honestly, we were very surprised by this little shop and fell in love with it. Afterward, he surprised me with my engagement ring, so needless to say we have some good associations with this place.

 

We have not shut up about it since then and I’ve been itching to take Jeans there with us. Today, I got my wish. We made a day trip to Pine Mountain and treated ourselves to the most AMAZING burger I’ve seen in a small town from Eatz on the Corner. Seriously, it was phenomenal, seasoned so well and cooked perfectly. Look at this beautiful thing. 

 

For dessert, as is our custom, we hoofed it across main street and to the main attraction. UniquExpressions- we couldn’t wait.

We have done nothing but talk it up since February, and finally got the chance to bring her. The inside of the shop is incredibly homey and feels a little Boho to me, with the soft mismatched seating. It feels welcoming and comfortable and I had to fight the urge to retrieve my laptop and geek out.

 

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There was also the cutest decor above the large window that I would love to take home- you can view it above. The idea is so inspired! I loved the coffee cups hanging with the fairy lights. 

Shoes and Coffee- a match made in heaven!

We sat down to enjoy our drinks- Jeans and I got one of their signature drinks, the Prince Harry iced latte. The drink is a made from a dark roast with Chocolate, Caramel, and English Toffee flavors. Their beans are a locally sourced proprietary blend that they have posted by the register for the curious.

UniquExpressions was kind enough to display their blend information at the register

The coffee was as fantastic as I remember- the flavors are incredibly smooth and balanced without a hint of bitterness. The toffee was the predominant flavor and followed nicely by the rich mocha and caramel. There is espresso in it, but the flavor is so subtle and sweet that it even my coffee-ambivalent partner was enamored. I did try a second one from them today, since we were there for a while and the prices are so fair.

The second drink I got was the Nobel Prize Latte which was English Toffee and Vanilla- honestly, it was quite similar to the Prince Harry, while delicious, I didn’t taste the vanilla under the toffee, save but for a whisper.  You really can’t go wrong with any option here- because although I couldn’t taste the secondary flavor, it was delectable. When I go back, I’m going to be more adventurous. There are so many options to choose from!

Honestly, this place has some of the best coffee I’ve had so far- it’s sweet, flavorful, smooth and has just a little bit of a nutty flavor that makes it all pop. So far, this town has a lot going for it. Gorgeous views, wonderful burgers and incredible coffee. If you find yourself anywhere near the area, I highly recommend a visit to Pine Mountain. 

 

Instagrameter; /5

Taste; /5

 

    Pine Mountain gets my first 5/5 on both counts- for the wonderful atmosphere, service and flavors!