Ancient + Brave Cacao + Reishi 250g Pouch - High Grade Nutritious Raw Cacao, Reishi Mushroom, Baobab and Chicory - Smooth Chocolate Blend - Stress Reducing

Unbelievably bitter.Think of the most bitter thing you’ve ever ingested and multiply it by 10.Really unpleasant.

I was interested to try this because it is organic, vegan and the ingredients are all very natural. It is just like making a cup of hot cocoa. Easy to use, just put 10g of powder, mix with a little hot water until you create a paste, then add milk or dairy free milk and warm in the microwave. There is 18g of protetin in 100g of product which is very good, plus 37g of fibre which is great. The overall taste is very rich and has strong cinnamon notes due to the organic cinnamon included in the ingredients. It has a very festive smell and taste, like a Christmas cake so it is a lovely drink to have in the winter. It does need sweetening though so I would put in some honey for my next cup. I can't taste any mushroom in it at all, it's pretty much a cinnamon - chocolate flavour. I think it's got a lot of great organic ingredients so is what I would consider to be a healthy option as there will be many additional benefits as opposed to just drinking cacao on its own, however I think the current £24 price tag is very high. The packaging is fine, looks high end (ish) and the bag seals up well. The graphic design on the packet is well thought out too but I think the front could be more eye catching. I'm not sure using the word 'ancient' to advertise a health brand is good marketing though as personally, the word 'ancient' makes me think of something old and people use health drinks because they want to feel healthy and younger.

This is basically chocolate powder; the cacao and cocoa overpower everything else. Even when mixed into other things like protein shakes, it completely takes over. I think if you're prepared to pay around £24 for this stuff, you'd be better off just getting a cacao powder and a separate reishi or mushroom blend, as they will each give you more in the pack for same money. As it is, with only 15% reishi powder (or 37.5g in the 250g total) it's a bit of a rip off.It smells like chocolate with a kind of sweet note in the background, but it's not clear which ingredient provides that sweetness. It's very dusty, so you need to be careful about handling it. The expiry date was set around 2025, so should provide ample time for use.The pack I received opened about 30% at the top during transit, completely covering one of my other items; the Amazon box was leaking the powder a little too. I know that technically I'm not allowed to talk about the packaging, but I think it's relevant here. This is a food item, and is the only line of defence between the controlled factory environment where it's manufactured and getting to a customer's home. If it can't withstand that journey, then it's not fit for purpose.Overall, I think there are better products for these ingredients; you should look elsewhere.

I recently ventured into trying the Ancient + Brave Cacao + Reishi blend, attracted by its organic, vegan credentials and a rich ingredient list promising not just a tasty beverage but a health boost.The preparation is straightforward, reminiscent of crafting a cup of hot chocolate, which is a comforting ritual. However, my anticipation was met with disappointment due to the product's overwhelming bitterness.Despite the promise of health benefits such as stress reduction and a substantial protein and fiber content, the taste barrier is significant for me.Even attempts to sweeten it with honey barely masked the bitter profile.It's a letdown, especially considering the premium price point. While the product boasts excellent organic ingredients, the challenge of enjoying it as a beverage diminishes its appeal significantly. For those sensitive to strong, bitter tastes, this might not be the delightful daily ritual one hopes for.

This cacao and reishi mixes very well into milk to create a delicious chocolate milkshake. It doesn't change the consistency too much, so the milk doesn't become too thick, and it's not entirely thin either. I use an electric blender as it is difficult to mix by hand, it stays very powdery and grainy otherwise.The taste is rich and deep, it doesn't have sweetness and tastes very natural and organic, there is no detectable mushroom taste either. 2 teaspoons of powder produces 1 mug of chocolate milk.The powder stays fresh inside the resealable pouch.

Initial impressions was that it was a smart looking product. I liked the design and I saw that the packaging was compostable.Then I became concerned on picking it up that the packet was open and the powder was gathered at the opening and spilling out. There was literally nothing holding it together. I know that the packet is meant to be compostable which might be the issue in lack of adhesion but come on, you can't supply this to people to consume if you're unable to seal it. It could easy be contaminated or tampered with.As I was given this product to review, I felt I had to try it. The powder smells pleasant, like my usual cacao powder. I was certain I would like it and really wanted to like it. I like all the other ingredients in the powder. However, as a drink, prepared in the way they suggest, it was absolutely awful. I wanted to be able to sit back in the evening with a hot cup of tasty goodness so this is so disappointing. I love what they are trying to do but it just doesn't work. You can't even bake with it as it's so bitter. I tried it with lots of honey and it did nothing to disguise the awfulness.At the time of writing, this is priced at £24. As it's not just cacao but other ingredients that are not cheap to produce, I am tempted to say it's a fair price however, I just don't know how many people would be happy drinking it. I had to throw it in the bin sadly.