Food · Reviews

Starbucks Holiday Drink Review 2014

Starbucks Holiday Drinks (1)

The Holiday season is in full swing at Starbucks now.  Starbucks is bringing back their winter classics such as the Gingerbread latte, Caramel Brulee latte, and Peppermint Mocha. However this year they’ve also introduced a new drink – the Chestnut Praline latte.

First of all, the Gingerbread latte. It has been one of my favorite drinks through the years. Last year, Starbucks changed the recipe for this drink to include spiced whipped cream and a molasses syrup drizzle. I found the spiced whipped cream to be really delicious and I recommend asking for it on your other beverages such as the pumpkin spice latte for as long as it’s available. The molasses drizzle on the other hand I’m not too fond of.  But  you can always ask to skip the molasses. The Gingerbread latte is full of cinnamon spice and can be a little overwhelming for some people. But I recommend it as a great way to start the day.

Next, the Caramel Brulee Latte. This drink is perfect for any lover of all things sugary sweet. If you find the sweetness too overwhelming I would recommend asking for a pump less of the caramel brulee syrup. But otherwise, layer it on!  The caramel brulee topping is one of my favorites. I feel like this drink is the perfect midday pick me up when you really need a sugar rush. Most Starbucks will also advertise the Caramel Brulee as a Frappuccino which is also pretty good.

I don’t technically count the Peppermint Mocha as a holiday drink but most people do. Actually because Starbucks carries mocha sauce and peppermint syrup all year long, the peppermint mocha is available year-round, which is great news for fans of this drink! But I must agree that this drink is undeniably suitable for the holidays.There’s just something really festive about that minty chocolaty taste that screams walking around in the snow looking at Christmas lights with your friends.

And finally, the Chestnut Praline Latte. As the newest drink on the Starbucks menu it doesn’t disappoint. When I first heard about this drink I wasn’t too excited . It sounded fairly boring – chestnut, praline, ok what’s new? But now that I’ve tried it I think it’s one of my new favorite drinks. The Chestnut Praline has a much more subtle flavor than any of the other holiday drink offerings. It’s sweet but not too sweet. Spicy but not too spicy. For people who aren’t fans of heavily flavored coffees I would say Chestnut Praline is a winner. It’s a all-day kind of drink for me because it isn’t overwhelming and is just the right level of delicious.

Additionally there are other holiday drinks which are not as well advertised during this season but which are available at Starbucks. The Eggnog latte is a seasonal favorite that has a dedicated following. If you like eggnog it’s worth a try. Another drink which I don’t personally consider to be a holiday drink because of its year-round availability is the Toffee Nut Latte. Just ask your barista for two pumps of the toffee nut syrup in your tall latte and you’ve got a toffee nut latte. I mention this drink because Coffee Bean Tea Leaf has released a seasonal drink this year also called the Toffee Nut Latte. If you’re interested in reading more about my CBTL holiday drink review you can find it here.

In summary, Starbucks offers a holiday drink for everyone. If you like something a little spicy then go for the Gingerbread latte. If you’re a lover of sweets then the Caramel Brulee Latte is for you. If a minty pick-me-up is what you need, then I would advise the Peppermint Mocha. And if you want a great anytime drink I suggest you try the Chestnut Praline.

And if you find yourself drinking a lot of these holiday drinks like I do, then don’t forget to ask your barista for a Holiday stamp card. For every 5 holiday drinks you buy , you get the 6th free. Happy holidays readers!

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