With fall having officially begun, the changing colors outside hint at a change of flavors on the Starbucks menu. To help those looking to get into the season, we headed out to Starbucks to see if the new “Fall Beauties” truly capture the feeling of autumn – A. Gustafsson, M. Buck and A. Guerra
Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte
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[/media-credit]Annika: Overall, this isn’t the worst drink on the list. I usually prefer my coffee on the sweeter side, and this latte has a bit of a bitterness to it that lingers afterwards. However, the flavor really captures the spirit of fall, which helps balance out the sharp espresso taste. Anyone who adores the taste of pumpkin will definitely enjoy this drink, but for those who are more “traditional” coffee fans, this may not be the drink for you. 3/5
Melissa: Personally, I think that pumpkin only belongs in pie. However, if you’re a lover of the pumpkin spice trend, then I believe you would also enjoy this treat. The pumpkin spice flavor overwhelmed the cup, leaving me wishing for a taste of coffee. For me, the aftertaste of cold pumpkin was gross and the flavor was bitter. 1/5
Alexis: In my opinion, this drink was Starbucks’ attempt to replicate Dunkin’ pumpkin spice latte. The Starbucks menu promotes this drink iced, but I think it would taste much better warm. The flavor seemed to get lost with the ice so I didn’t taste the pumpkin until after finishing my sip. I do think the drink is worth a try though. 3/5
Iced Caramel Mocha Frappuccino
Annika: Salted caramel is always a win in my book, and this drink is no different. Putting the caramel flavor in a frappuccino made the drink taste like ice cream. Also, the flavor isn’t overwhelming, allowing me to savor each sip without feeling drowned in sweetness. Anyone looking for a unique, smooth drink this fall season should lean toward this frappuccino. 5/5
Melissa: If you’re looking to cool off in this not so fall, fall weather, this would be my recommendation. This frappuccino had the perfect balance of caramel and mocha; it was sweet without being overbearing. I can envision myself purchasing this drink to fuel my studying throughout this fall season. For me, this was more of a dessert than a refreshing fall drink, but is that really a bad thing? 5/5
Alexis: This drink was by far the best out of all of them. It was the perfect blend of the caramel and mocha frappuccinos that Starbucks typically offers. The sweetness didn’t overpower the more bitter taste of the mocha which is a big plus. If you’re looking for a drink that’s packed with flavor, this should be your go-to. I would be careful though, you can easily overload on sugar drinking this frappuccino. 5/5
Iced Maple Pecan Latte
Annika: This drink was too mild for me. The flavor was okay, but with a name including “latte,” I was expecting a lot more of an espresso “kick” when I took a sip. I do appreciate the concept, as maple and pecan are two flavors present a lot during this time of year. Mild coffee drinkers, enjoy, but I’ll stick to something with a bit more coffee to it. 2/5
Melissa: If a true latte is what you’re looking for, don’t purchase this drink. When I took the first sip, I was overwhelmed by the amount of artificial flavoring which tasted more like caramel than maple pecan to me. I was expecting to enjoy a nice coffee flavor, however it seemed like I was drinking flavored milk. This drink reminded me of a caramel swirl iced coffee from Dunkin Donuts except at Dunkin’ you can actually taste the coffee. If caramel is what you’re into, this is your drink. 2/5
Alexis: I thought this drink could’ve been stronger. It didn’t have any hint of coffee and instead I only tasted the sweetener. If you didn’t tell me it was “maple pecan” flavored, I would’ve thought it was caramel or vanilla instead. Maybe this drink would be good for people who are fans of a lighter brew.1/5
