Spanish Latte vs Vietnamese Iced Coffee: What's the Difference?

Spanish Latte and Vietnamese Iced Coffee both use sweetened condensed milk, but they are built differently. One is an espresso-based drink with a smoother, milk-forward profile, while the other is a stronger, more concentrated iced coffee.

	Spanish Latte	Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Preparation	Espresso combined with sweetened condensed milk and regular milk. Served hot or iced depending on the café.	Strong Vietnamese robusta coffee brewed through a traditional phin (pronounced "feen") filter, poured over ice and mixed with sweetened condensed milk.
Flavor Profile	Smooth and creamy with moderate sweetness — balanced between espresso and milk	Bold coffee flavor with strong sweetness from condensed milk
Strength	medium	strong
Texture	creamy	heavy
Best For	Someone who wants a smoother, milk-forward espresso drink	Coffee drinkers who want a strong iced coffee with a heavy, sweet finish
JavaHatch Level	Seeker	Adventurer

The Base Difference

Spanish Latte is built on espresso — the same base used in lattes, cappuccinos, and flat whites. It combines espresso with sweetened condensed milk and regular milk, creating a smooth, milk-forward drink.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee uses robusta coffee, which is known for a stronger flavor. It is brewed through a phin filter, a small device that slowly drips coffee directly into the glass. The result is a concentrated coffee that is poured over ice and mixed with sweetened condensed milk.

The Condensed Milk Connection

Both drinks use sweetened condensed milk as a key ingredient. In a Spanish Latte, it blends fully into the espresso and milk, creating a smooth, uniform texture. In Vietnamese Iced Coffee, it often sits at the bottom of the glass and is stirred before drinking.

📌 Good to Know

Why these drinks don’t taste equally sweet

Both drinks use sweetened condensed milk, but the perceived sweetness differs because of the coffee base.

In a Spanish Latte, milk dilutes both the espresso and the condensed milk, creating a smoother, less intense sweetness. In Vietnamese Iced Coffee, the condensed milk is combined with a much stronger coffee base, making the sweetness feel more concentrated and more noticeable.

Caffeine

A 250 ml (≈8.5 oz) serving of a Spanish Latte typically contains 60–130 mg of caffeine, depending on the number of espresso shots.

Vietnamese Iced Coffee is usually stronger, often ranging from 120–200 mg, due to both the brewing method and the use of robusta beans.

Where to Find Them

Spanish Latte is widely available at specialty cafés and increasingly common at mainstream coffee shops. Vietnamese Iced Coffee is most commonly found at Vietnamese restaurants and specialty cafés and is less common on standard coffee shop menus.