6 Bones Coffee Co. RTD Lattes, Ranked

Bones Coffee Company has been unorthodox since its inception. Starting out with flavors like Maple Bacon and Strawberry Shortcake, Bones has always been about serving up a different kind of coffee. With dramatic Tim Burton-esque illustrated packaging that is certain to catch the eye and a flavor variety that is hard to refuse sampling, Bones offers up ground, single-serving, ready-to-drink (RTD) lattes and cocoa mixes for the adventurous coffee connoisseurs. And I happen to be exactly one of those people.

I've just recently been introduced to Bones Coffee, and with it being the peak heat and humidity of summer, I found the canned lattes to be incredibly enticing. While I'll probably never be one to give up my regular morning cup of joe, I find myself leaning toward something sweet and icy when it comes to afternoon caffeination this time of year. So, it was the perfect time to put these RTDs to the test.

I went looking for a rich flavor that I didn't have to hit a drive-thru to get. I wanted something sweet and delectable that would give me that afternoon jump I sometimes need. And I expected to taste the fascinating flavors that were being promised. When all was said and sipped — here's how they ranked up.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

This latte was the one I was looking forward to tasting the most, with flavors of sea salt, caramel, and mocha being offered. This Bones RTD has 7 grams of protein. I happily shook it gently and served it over ice as recommended. The flavor of caramel and sugar hit immediately with just the smallest of sips. As it settled, I got the faint hint of salt across my tongue, followed by a rich fullness of butter, and then it descended into deep mocha depths, finally giving off coffee vibes. On the aftertaste, the caramel rolled back around and left my mouth feeling slightly sugared.

Almost instantly upon taking the first drink, however, my palate was hit hard with an artificiality from the caramel, and that only increased in the subsequent sips. I'm all for flavoring, but this one leaned too far toward chemical and manufactured. And as one who always orders a salted caramel iced latte if available, I was disappointed in this drink. As much as I wanted to love this one, I do not think I would choose it again.

This medium roast cold brew latte offers up 255 milligrams of caffeine. And while cannoli is where the title promises to go, the flavor profile Bones advertises is simply chocolate and vanilla, which I would say is more on par. I worked in the Italian food industry for many years and have had more than my fair share of cannoli from some of the best pastry chefs in the country. And this does not remind me of a cannoli. But that doesn't necessarily make this cold brew bad, just not as expected.

There was a coffee-forward flavor to this brew with hints of dark chocolate and a sweet vanilla. There was also something very brown sugar about the profile, which took me a few sips to pinpoint. But again, I found that there was an artificial taste, possibly the vanilla. It wasn't as harsh as the Salty Siren, but still present. The overall taste was also very heavy and would be incredibly hard to drink if it were not served over ice. 

This one loses points for the artificial flavor — while slight, it was still there. So, this just doesn't hold up as well as the ones ranked higher. 

Cinnamon, vanilla, and maple were on deck for this latte, and another 255 milligrams of caffeine. After I had already tasted a couple of the other Bones flavors, I had started to wonder how this was going to differentiate itself. But I held hope that it would taste as the title suggested: French Toast.

The first taste I got was sweet, which was quickly followed by a blunt cinnamon. The flavor of the sweetness seemed to round out and blossom into a maple flavor, which was followed by a creamy vanilla. The coffee flavor came in at the very end, and at the very slightest. It gave the drink the nice hard stop that it needed.

I missed the salty aspect of butter, which I feel would have made this flavor profile more complete, but this brew served me well. It was not overly sweet and in no way tasted artificial or chemical. Almost all of the aspects that were promised were present and delivered in a manner that wasn't over the top. But the subdued sweetness doesn't really encompass what I expect in a latte. While I appreciate this option and could have it again, I would have liked a little more syrup with this French toast.

Bones advertises that this selection contains the same amount of caffeine as an average cup and a half of coffee. And from the rest of the description, I expected the taste of America's favorite sandwich cookie in a can from this selection. What I was really surprised by, other than the gluttonous skeleton on the can gorging on cookies and ice cream, was the fact that this drink not only had a hefty amount of caffeine, but it also delivered 7 grams of protein.

And the first drink was all that I had hoped for. The flavor was rich, dark, and dense, giving the cocoa bluntness and vanilla sweetness all in one sip. The aftertaste even left my palate with a sharp sugar and heavy cocoa cookie flavor. The only immediate issue I had with this drink was putting the latte down.

This was incredibly easy to drink, and I had to hold back. And when I did, I started to notice a chalkiness milling around my palate. It was unpleasantly clingy and a little difficult to wash away. This wasn't in the other Bones options I tried, and it brought this drink down in ranking points. However, I can't say it's not worth it. Having a cup of water after enjoying this cold beverage was a small price to pay for the satisfaction that was delivered. But it wasn't something I had to do with the ones ranked higher. 

This option from Bones brings in the most caffeine (275 milligrams) and the least amount of protein (6 grams) of the canned lattes. It also brings in the least amount of tastes in the flavor profile, offering up only that it is sweet and creamy. And while I wasn't looking for any big flavors, I was surprised at what I got.

The taste of this came in hard and punched me in the mouth. While described as a medium roast, this had all the power and flavor of something much darker. While sweet and creamy, this drink is dark and brooding. It was easy to taste the toastiness of the coffee, and the density sat heavy on the tongue and into the aftertaste.

While blunt, I couldn't keep myself from going back for another sip after sip. Yes, this was strong, but not too strong, especially for a name like High Voltage. It was sweet but not too sweet, staying rather well-balanced. When looking for a cold latte without added flavor, this is a solid and satisfying choice. Depending on my mood, I can see this and the No. 1 choice switching back and forth in ranking quite easily. However, when I went into this, I was looking for that flavored aspect. And while good, this brew did not bring that extra bump to the palate that I wanted.

This s'mores flavored latte can was by far my favorite illustration, with a good-humored skeleton telling what I imagine to be ghost stories to a chimp and a wolf around the campfire. Bringing 255 milligrams of caffeine to the outdoor-inspired brew, this latte promised flavors of chocolate and marshmallow, and the scent backed up that promise with a great aroma of toasted marshmallow.

The flavor does not disappoint in this drink, which surprised me as I am not a fan of s'mores. The first and second sips were decadently sweet and rich, and it took me until the third to catch that it was the flavor of toasted marshmallow that brought the mellow to this sweet treat. There was more of a milk chocolate in this option versus a dark one, but the sweetness was balanced and stayed creamy and delightful.

Again, I was happy that this choice did not put forth any artificial flavors, nor a chalky aftertaste. The sweetness never went over the top. And while it was easy to drink, it wasn't heavy and had enough of a coffee taste to demand proper sipping. In terms of sweet and savory, I feel like this represents the best middle ground in the bunch. Plus, it brought the flavor profile I was looking for and delivered the one it promised. This would be a perfect choice to enjoy in the heat of the afternoon, whether that heat was coming from outside temperatures or internal deadlines.

Looking for a flavorful, icy cold latte that I didn't have to stand in line for seemed too much to ask. But that is the bar I set when I went out to rank these Bones lattes. I felt that concessions would have to be made as far as taste was concerned, and that the bar I set was too high for these drinks to reach. But no, Bones Coffee Company has proven me wrong.

The top two drinks taste as good as or better than lattes I've stood in line for. They both delivered on the taste profile promised, and both offered me more than enough of a caffeine jolt. While I cannot recommend the Salty Siren, I was more than happy with the rest of these drinks, even though some tweaking may be needed to reach full satisfaction. Having to add ice, which is already recommended, to the Holy Cannoli and chasing the Cookies N' Dreams with a glass of water is no reason not to partake of these well-crafted drinks. 

In all honesty, it may be too easy to be satisfied with these as far as taste and convenience go, but the calories are something I'll personally be keeping an eye on. I plan on ordering the top two flavors in ground form in order to experiment with lower-calorie homemade lattes. And I'll be keeping a few cans on hand for when I only have time to add ice.