Every autumn, Starbucks releases a line of cozy fall drinks. Each year without fail there is a pumpkin craze that takes over nearly every teenager’s life. Even if you are someone who claims that Starbucks is overrated, you can’t deny the influence the company has, especially during the fall season. This year Starbucks has released a new line of drinks along with their classics. As Echo staffers we decided to try all the fall themed drinks, to find the best and relay this groundbreaking news. Now without further adieu, here are the fall Starbucks drinks ranked from worst to best.
#6 — Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino: ★☆☆☆☆
To be very blunt, this drink was by far the worst. It was pumped full of artificial tasting pumpkin and was overwhelmingly sweet. If we were to describe the taste, it would be a concentrated version of the pumpkin cold foam but in a blended form. Don’t get us wrong, the pumpkin foam is god tier, but drinking so much of it was nauseating. If you are someone that likes super sweet drinks this one may be your style, but for people without such a sweet tooth it was too overwhelming and left a bad taste in our mouths.
#5 — Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte: ★★★☆☆
Although this is a very popular drink, it did not live up to the hype. Since the chai itself is already sweetened to a tee, the added pumpkin cold foam was a combination that was too sweet for either of us to handle. When the fall drinks were first released, the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte was the drink we were both definitely most excited to try. We both love Starbucks chai and were curious about the cold foam that was added. The first couple of sips were nice, but after more than two we found ourselves not being able to fully finish it. The mix of chai and cold foam created a very artificial flavor in our mouths that we both didn’t enjoy. It tasted like those pumpkin candles that are put out in stores when the fall season arrives. We both think that a normal chai satisfies our Starbucks craving more, but if you enjoy sweetness during the fall, this is the drink for you.
#4 — Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew: ★★★☆☆
If you’re a coffee lover and in need of a strong drink to really wake you up, this might be the perfect drink for just that. We both found the drink to be way stronger than all of the other drinks in the lineup, which was a nice change of pace, but it ended up completely drowning out the pumpkin flavor. The first couple sips, while the pumpkin cold foam was still prominent, were delicious. It had a nice balanced taste while still having a bold coffee flavor, but after those first three or so sips the cold foam dies out and you’re left with an overly bitter coffee. To us it’s a waste of money and if you’re interested in buying it just get a normal coffee, there’s truly no difference.
#3 — Pumpkin Spice Latte: ★★★★☆
The iconic fall staple drink known as the “PSL” strikes again. Pumpkin Spice Lattes are essential for most to get when fall drinks come out and we both personally can’t live without at least one per fall season. Even though Pumpkin Spice Lattes have become overrated throughout the years, it feels wrong not ordering one and submitting to the trends of the world. We both agree that those first couple sips of a Pumpkin Spice Latte feel like comfort and autumn all rolled into one big fuzzy blanket. We found comfort in the familiarity of the drink, and a well made Pumpkin Spice Latte is something that we can truly depend on when fall rolls around.
#2 — Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato: ★★★★★
When you think of Starbucks’ fall menu, most people’s minds travel straight to the Pumpkin Spice Latte or, this year, the new pumpkin cold foam. Everyone overlooks the apple flavored drinks because in past years they haven’t been the main source of attraction for either of us, but trying this drink shifted our entire perspective on the apple flavor. The Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato was the first drink we decided to try in our tasting and we were completely blown away. We both were completely blindsided with the tastiness of the apple syrup. When we took our first sips we made eye contact and agreed that this was most definitely going to be the second best, if not the best, drink off the fall menu. It reminded us of an apple orchard and the drink was so creamy and smooth. It also had the perfect balance of not being too sweet but also not too bitter, and the oatmilk really shined through and brought an earthy undertone that we both really enjoyed. If you haven’t tried it yet, definitely go get yourself an Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato and let the flavors wash over you as it did to us.
#1 — Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso: ★★★★★
After trying the macchiato we believed nothing would ever top it, and we were proven wrong with the last drink that we tried. Even though the Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso was very similar to the macchiato, it was a bit more creamy, which is what we were both craving for more in the macchiato. The flavor pallet was very similar to the macchiato, with the apple syrup stealing our hearts away once again. However, there were some aspects that were slightly tweaked to make it perfect. The apple flavor was a bit more prominent than the oatmilk which is what we were yearning for in the macchiato. This drink made us physically light up with excitement, and it may be a controversial thing to say, but apple is most definitely the new pumpkin.
