Cookies and Cream

Cookies and cream is notoriously difficult to get right in a protein powder. More often than not, you end up with something that tastes like a mad scientist’s approximation of a cookie, masked by an aggressive amount of artificial sweetener or a weird chemical finish. Sometimes it doesn't really even taste like a classic cookie at all (is a chocolate chip cookie really cookies and cream?)

Orion completely avoids that trap. Right off the bat, you get an appropriately sweet, authentic chocolate cream cookie flavor—exactly what your brain imagines when you think of an Oreo.

The only minor critique is a slight flavor fade. About halfway through the pint, the taste muted a bit. Frozen temperatures have a habit of dulling flavors, so this could either be a casualty of the cold or just a sign that the flavor profile could stand to be a touch stronger. That said, it is still a highly enjoyable base, and it practically begs for actual crushed Oreos to be tossed in as a mix-in.

When it comes to the texture, there is absolutely nothing to complain about. It spun up just perfectly, delivering a clean, exceptionally smooth scoop with zero graininess or iciness. For a first impression of a new brand, this is a highly impressive debut that makes me genuinely excited to see how their other flavors hold up in the machine.