Apparently, Kluang was named the happiest district in Malaysia. So subconsciously throughout this short day trip, I tried "opening up" all my senses in search of answers. I thought I'd stumble upon some secret ingredient to happiness (aside from their coffee?). Instead, I kept noticing the little things that felt... Unhurried. Turns out that was the whole point.

The lack of performative vibes.

Street murals

Street murals here span multiple alleys. I wanted to compare these to what we typically see e.g. in Penang, but then I realised I never took a good look at them back then. They were always surrounded by crowds waiting for their turn to take pictures.

While we were here in Kluang, there was pretty much no one else around. The art felt like they were meant to be appreciated, not as pure photo ops. I ended up snapping less pictures because I acknowledged each one with my own eyes.

Although, according to that cendol stall owner along the alley, there's an influx of tourists taking pictures from time to time. Maybe we were lucky to have this stretch to ourselves, on a Sunday afternoon after a drizzle.

Cats

Stray cats here don’t give off cold, pathetic or guarded vibes like one would expect from those in the city. They seem to carry this zen dignity with innocence.

Against the still backdrop of the town, they stand out as the only living creatures in their surroundings, but also blend in with their quiet presence.

They also seem way more petite.

Unassuming store fronts/ back of house

Entrances left unattended and doors left ajar often pique my curiosity. For some of these, I've no idea what they offer from the first glance. They never screamed for attention.

Maybe that's what I'd been picking up all day - that nothing here seemed interested in proving itself.

I guess happiness isn't always something bursting in joy that I can photograph. Sometimes, it's something that we return to when there's no need to perform.

I think I'll be back someday.

So imagine my excitement when I found 137 Degrees’ nut milks in 180ml packs on Shopee – even then, I had to wait a week or two for the walnut and pistachio milks to be restocked. Fast forward to 3 months later, my little trial purchase has evolved into some serious nut milk grading research. Here’s my (very subjective) verdict on the flavours after moderation:

Key:

S = god tier

A+ = almost perfection

A = impressive

A- = this is really something

B+ = decent, where the standard should be at

B = average

B- = something displeasing here, but it’s bearable

C = meh

D = if a date got me this, there won’t be a second date

E = pretty darn terrible

F = f this, it needs to be banned

- = not tried (yet)

1/ This experiment is not sponsored.

2/ Teas used for pairings: Kurasu hojicha (bought Aug 2025), Horii Shichimeien Uji Mukashi matcha (bought Sep 2025)

3/ Big thanks to E for introducing me to this brand, and L for listening to my weirdly descriptive yapping after every ‘lab’ session!

Macadamia

Hojicha: This was the very first pairing I tried as it was the top recommendation by ChatGPT. I first caught a whiff of vanilla, before witnessing the toasty hojicha flavour marched in on this sedan chair of buttery macadamia smoothness. My heart started cheering: “Mac-a! Mac-a! Mac-a!” – as if welcoming a hero back to his homeland. This sure is royal indulgence. I was so impressed that it doesn’t fight the hojicha like soy milk somewhat does.

On its own: This reminds of vanilla soy ice cream – the kind at IKEA that makes me smile like a child. Lightly sweet, smooth and creamy.

Matcha: I had high hopes for this since the hojicha pairing was a success. But it doesn’t seem to work with matcha. They feel like two people who are good on their own but do not need each other. Specifically, the macadamia milk overpowered the matcha; it reminds of matcha ice cream where you can’t exactly catch the tea flavours.

Almond milk – original sweetened

Hojicha: Wow, this one really brought out the warm fall vibes; I even added slightly more milk but it was alright. It’s less creamy than macadamia for sure, but still well rounded.

On its own: Nutty as expected. Having been appalled by Glico Koka’s almond milk (it’s pretty trashy, like a D tier), I’m relieved to have revised my impression of almond milk here.

Almond milk – unsweetened

Hojicha: By the time I tried this, my Kurasu hojicha has started losing its flavour. There was this bitterness I had to mask by increasing the milk ratio. But once that’s fixed, the latte tasted really clean. Compared to the original version, this pairing was a much better union – the milk no longer felt like a vehicle; together it’s a drink of its own.

On its own: It’s so close to neutral, but not as sweet as oat milk. If I had to pick one for daily consumption, I could envision picking this over Oatside.

Matcha: I love how well preserved the matcha flavour is here – indeed a neutral base.

Walnut

Hojicha: This brings out a different side of hojicha than how almond milk does it. Both are smooth, but if hojicha almond milk spells an early autumn, hojicha walnut milk gives a mid to late autumn charm. I personally can’t decide which one is better – but I noted walnut milk blends in better than almond milk (original). Wonder if the verdict might shift if these milks were paired with a dark roast hojicha.

On its own: Feels more palatable than pistachio milk, but less dessert-like than macadamia. Out of the milks in the range (except unsweetened almond milk), this has the least vanilla scent – which I appreciate.

Matcha: This… Feels like a mystery drink. Am I drinking matcha or walnut milk? They feel like elusive twins I can’t tell apart at all. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing to have my (pricey) matcha lose its distinctive quality.

Pistachio

Hojicha: This one overpowered the hojicha. And I know I’m not alone in this - my sentiments were echoed (since I passed a pack to L to try):

On its own: The coconut flower nectar (which is used in all these milks except the unsweetened version of almond milk) feels a bit more pointed here. Also, I realise pistachio only comprises 60% of the mixture – another 34% is actually contributed by cashew, which seems to shine a bit more to me? They do blend well together. It’s definitely not as indulgent as ChatGPT claims it to be, but I appreciate that it’s not overly sweet.

Matcha: The pistachio seemed to make the matcha extra bitter – it’s like I was drinking an extra creamy straight matcha. No twinning this time – I sense two snakes intertwined with each other, and there’s no knowing which one will hiss at my tastebuds next instant. It keeps me guessing. I kept adjusting the pistachio milk ratio, but the mild bitterness is there – something to get used to. It does feel more pleasantly mellow over time.

Conclusion

Compared to hojicha, I feel matcha definitely needs to stand out, so there’s less room for creative milk pairings. On the other hand I enjoyed experimenting with hojicha – no prize for guessing what’s on the menu if I ever tried doing a home café/ pop up.

I recently grabbed some unsweetened almond milk and walnut milk off the shelves in a Thai supermarket. Despite having raved so much about macadamia milk, I decided it’s more of a dessert than a daily milk to pair with. Can’t wait to usher in 2026 with my favourite tea x milk pairings :)