I am no stranger to Cuban espresso. The thick sweet rich drink is one of those treats that it is worth traveling for. While never having tried an actual Café Cubano from Cuba, the style of the strong creamy goodness could be made in many places if the coffee with the light foam atop is to die for.
So from this background comes Pilon, a cuban coffee company trying to recreate this in an energy shot. As you can probably imagine, a real cuban coffee drink and this can of preservative filled fake creamy mess are worlds apart.
Taste:3
So knowing that this was produced by one of the best coffee companies making that Cuban flavor, Java Cabana, I had high hopes. While a real Cuban espresso would probably have been too much to ask, a nice rich dark gooey sweet espresso drink would be perfect. I bought 2, one to drink hot and another to drink cold. The label even said that this could be poured in a glass and heated. I smelled the coffee heated and expected a lovely blend of Ecuadorian and Guatemalan coffees, and instead got hot coffee energy drink odors. Certainly not the sweet and strong aroma I was searching for.
Both hot and cold the flavor is about the same. So why the big deal that you could drink it hot? I guess then you would not compare it to other energy coffees which taste better. The cream is fake and not terribly creamy. There is a definite sourness to the coffee flavor, not helped out by the preservatives added. The drink was thick, but this was because of the added seaweed (carageenan) . The taste of baking soda was also very strong – a major no-no for coffee drinks. What was Bustelo thinking of releasing this to their discriminating audience? It’s like slapping a Grand Marnier label on a cheap bottle of orange schnapps and hoping people won’t notice. People who know Cuban esspresso won’t be fooled by it, and anyone who just buys this as opposed to the dozen other coffee esspresso energy drinks certainly won’t go back for another.

Buzz/nutrition:3
I thought this drink would be much more caffeinated than it was. Instead, it had the normal energy quotent of 80mgs. I was hoping for a hopped up espresso, something with more bite and power than I would normally find in an espresso shot. While giving me about as much boost as a cup of coffee (not a whole lot), this drink really has nothing else going for it. They used cane sugar as a sweetner, so it has a sugary boost – but certainly not worth the “extreme” moniker.
As for the nutrition, I am not sure why they needed to add the dreaded baking soda, as lots of coffee based companies seem to have gotten around using so much. Not to mention the anti-coagulents and fake sugars (maltodextrine) don’t make this seem any more like a natural coffee drink.

Packaging:4
I am trying to look for positives… The can does seem to hold up well without leaking. It also does list how much caffeine it has within. It also lets us know the coffee comes from both Ecuador and Guatemala, but made in Florida. not necessary, but I guess that makes it feel a little bit more pedigree.
Sorry. That’s about it.
I am trying to be nice here, but – please! The full name of the drink is “Pilon Extreme espressoshot (one word) with extreme caffeine.” Espressoshot? No double facing, lid on the wrong way, and nothing really standout or unique.