Since its opening in 1971, Starbucks has been a fan favorite for many years now and is well-known for its fresh roasted coffee beans, tea, and spices gathered from around the world. As fall is rapidly approaching, we thought it would be fitting to give a review on some of the newest seasonal drinks Starbucks has featured for the public to try.   

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew – 7.5/10

Due to the fact that I just love pumpkin flavors, I was definitely most interested in trying this drink. Starbucks describes this drink as a “cold brew sweetened with vanilla, finished with pumpkin cream cold foam and a dusting of pumpkin spice topping.” My first impression of the drink was that the actual aroma of the pumpkin was missing due to the overlying sweetness of the drink. That being said, I could definitely taste lots of vanilla, making it a tasty, yet not so fall-like, drink. I did enjoy the fact that the coffee taste was not very overpowering. While I give a pass on this drink for now, I would probably get it again if I customize the drink with more pumpkin spice. Although my rating could be biased since I usually prefer warmer drinks over iced drinks, I will have to give this seasonal special a 7.5/10 considering these drinks are supposed to be pleasing with both their look and taste. 

Iced Apple Crisp Oat Milk Macchiato – 6/10

On the Starbucks website, this drink is labeled as a “cool combination of baking spices layered with oat milk and Starbucks Blonde Espresso.” My first impression on this drink is that while it was assembled really nicely, I struggled to get all the different layers to perfectly mix with each other. While I’m typically not used to the taste of oat milk, I actually felt it gave the drink a more airy and lighter taste to it. However, I do think they should try and focus on adding less oat milk. I did not taste much of the apple brown sugar because it was overpowered by both the milk and espresso. I would order this drink again if they found a balance of the apple flavor with the rest of the drink itself. In the end, I probably would not get this drink again, but it definitely has potential, which is why I give this drink a solid 6/10. 

Iced White Chocolate Mocha – 8/10

This drink is described as a “signature espresso which meets the white chocolate sauce and steamed milk, and then is finished off with sweetened whipped cream to create this supreme white chocolate delight.” I really like the balance of sweetness this drink offers along with the perfect amount of foam and white chocolate mocha pumps. Although it does taste like an average mocha one could probably make at home, I think it’s still a quick grab-and-go that has a unique taste to it. 

Pumpkin and Pepita Loaf- 9/10

This is one of my favorite fall bakery items. It’s described as a “gently spiced pumpkin bread topped with crunchy pepitas.” I have been ordering this loaf for years and it goes really well with any drink at Starbucks. The bread has light flavors which balance out both sweeter and bitter drinks. I’ve been ordering this item for a couple years now and I give it a 9/10 since it sets the mood for the new spooky fall season. 

Other Good Starbucks Alternatives

Another Starbucks item I tend to enjoy is the Bacon Gouda and Egg Sandwich, which is described as “sizzling applewood-smoked bacon, Parmesan cage-free egg frittata, and melted aged Gouda on an artisan roll.” I enjoy this meal almost every time I get Starbucks for either breakfast or lunch. It is a very filling dish that tastes homemade.

I also love the Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino, which is “roast coffee, mocha sauce, and Frappuccino® chips blended with milk and ice, layered on top of whipped cream and chocolate cookie crumble and topped with vanilla whipped cream, mocha drizzle, and even more chocolate cookie crumble.” The drink tastes exactly like it’s described but sometimes the chocolate chunks will occasionally get stuck in the straw, making this beverage hard to actually drink.