I like chocolate, spice and tropical fruit just as much as any other Singaporean.

But blended up all together in a drink?

Can’t say it’ll be my beverage of choice.

So, when I was asked to try out The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s newest drink, the Mango Chilli Chocolate Ice Blended, I was sceptical and just slightly fearful of what to expect.

Out of curiosity, I looked up the combination online and found that it was not as odd as I expected it to be.

There are already recipes for cakes, macarons and puddings that utilise these seemingly opposing flavours, though I couldn’t find one for a drink.

Coffee Bean’s take on it is definitely Insta-worthy, with a layer of vibrant pureed mango, swirly dark chocolate and topped off with a orange-tinged chilli-infused whipped cream.

But the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and it was time to test if it tasted as good as it looks.

Chilli drink with chocolate and chilli-infused whipped cream?

While I expected the sweet mango and slightly bitter dark chocolate to be an odd blend, I was pleasantly surprised that they complemented each other perfectly.

It can be a bit heavy to finish a whole chocolate drink on its own, but the refreshing fruit formed a nice contrast that kept me going back for more.

The chilli, which I had the most reservations about, was not as overpowering as I thought it would be.

Rather, it left a just slightly pleasant and tingly aftertaste, which went unexpectedly well with the sweet whipped cream.

Worth a try, I'd say.

The Mango Chilli Chocolate Ice Blended is priced at S$8.80 and is now available in stores.

If you’re interested in trying out the drink, check out The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s full list of stores here.

This sponsored article by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf made the author feel more adventurous.

Top image by Natalie Teo.