Have you ever found yourself at looking at the Starbucks holiday menu and feeling overwhelmed? As a black coffee enthusiast, I never want to spend $5 on a holiday latte I'm not even sure I'll like. During the latest Buy One, Get One Free promotion, I went to Starbucks with some fellow Spoon UConn members to finally taste the holiday drinks. We ordered the standard drinks with 2% milk, whipped cream, and the toppings so we could taste the drinks as they were supposed to be.
Caramel Brûlée Latte
This latte tasted more like sugar than caramel. It was definitely the sweetest out of all the drinks we tasted. I liked the brûlée topping, but the sweetness of this drink overpowered everything else for me. Keep in mind that I love my coffee black; I have a friend who waits all year for this latte and absolutely loves it.
Holiday Spice Flat White
This was hands-down our #1 favorite drink. It tastes the most like coffee out of all the drinks on the holiday menu. This is because a flat white has less milk and foam than a latte does. The spices they use in this drink make it taste just like Christmas in a cup.
Spoon Fact: A flat white can actually only come in one size since it's made using a double espresso shot.
Gingerbread Latte
This drink tasted more like a cinnamon latte than gingerbread. You couldn't really taste any molasses, the key ingredient in gingerbread cookies. However the flavors in the latte didn't overpower the espresso like some of the other drinks did. A downside to this drink was the cinnamon that all fell to the bottom of the cup.
Peppermint Mocha
This is the perfect twist on hot chocolate. The peppermint was a strong flavor but it pairs well with the chocolate. I typically don't like mint chocolate so I was pleasantly surprised by this drink. It was creamier than the lattes and you can't taste much of the espresso. If you're still not sure if you'll like the peppermint mocha, try out this easy recipe at home.
Toasted White Chocolate Mocha
True to its name, the most prominent flavor in this drink was the white chocolate. It tasted like a twist on their White Chocolate Mocha. Our photography director, Audrey, ordered this with 2 pumps of peppermint and it was 10x better than the traditional version. If you want to be able to taste the coffee flavor, order an extra shot of espresso for this drink.
If it's warm where you live, you can order all of these drinks iced. Nothing will put you in the holiday spirit like going to Starbucks and ordering your favorite seasonal drink.