Anyone that knows me knows that I love my Starbucks. To me, the fall season doesn't truly start until Starbucks changes their cups and decorations to match the season. As both an avid Starbucks coffee drinker and a believer in trying all of the new seasonal drinks, I decided to go to my local Starbucks and sample five of the new drinks recommended to me for fall.
To be honest, I am pretty loyal to the Pumpkin Spice Latté (aren't we all). I know, it can't get any more basic than that, but there is something about the thrill of seeing it on the menu that immediately makes me think fall. As someone who is not good about switching up my coffee orders, I was excited to step out of my comfort zone with some other seasonal drinks. Here is my ranking of the five drinks recommended to me, and why the PSL is still number one to me.
1. Pumpkin Spice Latté
What else can I say but that I am a traditionalist? Although I went into this experiment with the hopes of finding something I like more, the honest truth is that I just couldn't. The perfect proportion of pumpkin flavoring in this drink is what keeps me coming back. While some of the other drinks had overpowering flavor this one is just about perfect in my opinion.
2. Cascara
While this beverage may not be what is traditionally thought of as a fall drink, my barista recommended it as something new to try for the season. I have to say, I was surprised by how much I liked it. While it didn't have a taste that was necessarily fall themed, it is perfect for those who are more inclined towards a stronger coffee taste. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be ordering it again.
3. Maple Pecan Latté
Although this drink had a lot of promise, I'm sad to say it was not my favorite. For me personally, the maple pecan taste was a little bit too overwhelming. However, if someone looking for a very strong taste, then this is the drink for them. While I love the concept of a maple pecan flavor combination, it sadly does not measure up to the PSL because of the overpowering flavor.
4. Pumpkin Spice Chai
I must start by saying that I'm not much of a chai person. However, as a huge fan of pumpkin spice, I was expecting to become a convert. I am sad to say that I did not leave Starbucks with a renewed love of chai, but am convinced that if I was a chai fan, this drink would have the potential to become a signature for me. The Pumpkin Spice Chai had a stronger taste of pumpkin than the PSL, but what can I say, I am partial to the original.
5. Iced Maple Pecan Latté
While I had already tried the hot version of the Iced Maple Pecan Latté my barista suggested I try the iced version for those warmer fall days. For me, this drink was a little on the sugary side and tasted more like ice cream than a coffee drink (not that that's necessarily a bad thing). If you are looking for a sweet treat on a warm fall day, I would definitely suggest this drink. However, for this Starbucks lover it simply could not top the Pumpkin Spice Latté.
Although there was something about each drink that made them worthy of addition to the Starbucks menu, I remain an enthusiast of the Pumpkin Spice Latté simply because it is timeless. We all know that fall doesn't really start until the PSL is added to the menu, and that is why it will always remain number one in any ranking of mine.