Starbucks, the infamous coffee franchise, with over 16,000 locations in the United States alone, gains much attention each year with the release of their Fall drink collection.
Since the Pumpkin Spice Latte, coined “PSL”, first released in 2003, the company has consistently launched their Fall menu on the last Tuesday of August. In celebration of the PSL’s 20th anniversary, Starbucks released their seasonal drinks menu roughly a week early.
The menu has grown over the last two decades to today include: Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato and this year’s new items Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte along with the Iced Apple Crisp Oatmeal Shaken Espresso.
As I walked into my local Starbucks on Aug. 24, the Fall drink menu was featured front and center above the register, along with cute seasonal decor strewn throughout the displays. When it was my turn to order, I decided to get the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew after a Starbucks employee gave me her recommendation on her favorite pumpkin-spiced beverage.
Considering myself a cold brew connoisseur, I was hopeful to see if this seasonal version of my go-to coffee order would live up to my high expectations. My first sip impression was that the notes of pumpkin paired with a splash of cinnamon made for an excellent addition to an already top-notch drink.
It was to my delight that the hype surrounding Starbucks Fall collection was well-deserved. Ultimately, I would rate an ordinary Starbucks Cold Brew 8/10, and their Pumpkin Spice an 8.5/10 with a .5 point increase from the addition of their seasonal spices. The drink was a great mix of rich bitterness and sweet; however, to raise its score to a 10/10, it would’ve needed a wow factor with its presentation.
All in all, I deem my first taste of Starbucks Fall collection a success, and will definitely be coming back to sample more Fall drinks.
