Umpqua Old Fashion Egg Nog

Appearance: Bright light yellow, same as the company’s Holiday Nog. Some visible flecks.

Taste: If it weren’t for the texture, it would be very hard to tell this apart from the Holiday Nog. It’s a tribute to the Holiday Nog’s verisimilitude, I suppose. It’s a little sweeter as well, but not sickeningly so. You just notice it. “Hey, that’s sweet.” Other egg nogs you notice the protein first.

Texture: The right texture for egg nog, in my opinion. Thicker than milk, less thick than cream. Slides down the gullet nicely.

Comments: Umpqua Dairy is seriously kicking ass, as I imagine your local dairy will do as well. I went to Fred Meyer’s and they had these same variations on the egg nog theme, but under the Fred Meyer label. I imagine it’s a universal formula, implemented with small-town zeal.