Although it is just the beginning of November and Thanksgiving has yet to occur, with the recent snowfall on Halloween I have found it difficult not to get into the holiday spirit. On Nov. 2, Marquette students were not the only ones embracing the change in seasons, Starbucks’ winter specialties made their debut.
Peppermint Mocha
I think mochas are one of the best drinks ever created. It is a drink that is great whether it is hot or iced and is perfect for any time of the year. I know for many people the peppermint mocha is the drink they have waited for all year, but I would much rather have a normal mocha. I have never enjoyed peppermint flavored items, but the peppermint in this drink is overwhelming and takes away from the mocha itself. Personally, I would much rather get a coffee cup full of the whipped cream and dark chocolate curls rather than the drink. Even though I am not the biggest fan of peppermint, I would still recommend this drink to people who really enjoy its taste.
Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte
There is nothing more wintery than a warm cookie with a glass of milk, and this drink easily encapsulates that. The sugar cookie syrup provides a sweet flavor with the blonde expresso still giving the coffee taste. To fully express the ideal holiday sugar cookie, this drink is topped with red and green sprinkles, easily the best part of the drink. I typically drink hot coffee, but this is one of the few drinks I will get iced, even in the colder months. I would recommend this drink to everyone, even if they are not coffee lovers, because this drink is immaculate and the sprinkles on top will put anyone in a good mood.
Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte
Out of all the winter drinks, this is the one that fully puts me in the holiday spirit. The smell of gingerbread reminds of me Christmas Eve at the grandparents’ house where my grandma would pass around her homemade “gingerbread people” that my brothers and I helped her decorate. Although I was a little hesitant at first when trying this due to the oatmilk being infused with olive oil, I do think it adds something different to the drink, but not in a bad way, rather it really makes the citrus and gingerbread flavor more noticeable. I would recommend this drink to anyone who enjoys the taste of gingerbread because there is no mistaking that this is a gingerbread drink.
Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai
Although I do love gingerbread, I cannot say the same about this drink. I do think that it serves its purpose of creating a creamy gingerbread flavored drink, but personally I am not a fan of chai. I really would love to enjoy it, but I find it too creamy with a poor aftertaste that I cannot get rid of. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys chai, but it is not the drink for me.
Caramel Brulée Latte
The one drink that switched me from a coffee hater to a coffee lover was a simple caramel latte, and I think that this drink turns the classic latte into a caramel overload. As much as I do enjoy this drink, I truly find it a caramel latte on steroids. I would highly recommend this drink to a person who really enjoys caramel, but in my opinion, I think it is a normal caramel latte with a few more toppings.
Chestnut Praline Latte
This drink was made for the people who absolutely love the taste of coffee, but also want a little variety. I think this drink just tastes like a normal Starbucks coffee, but with a few toppings to add a hint of flavor to it. Although I do think the flavors from the caramelized chestnuts and praline crumbs are clearer when the drink is a Frappuccino. For some reason, the flavors seem to be more mixed together, creating a taste that is a little less bland than the normal coffee drink. I would recommend this drink to people who enjoy Frappuccinos because I do not think the coffee version of this drink does the flavors justice.
This story was written by Lauren Puthoff. She can be reached at [email protected].
