Red cup season arrived at Starbucks on November 4, and let me tell you, I RAN to Starbucks. I’ve been getting the iced white mocha with vanilla sweet cream cold foam all the time (best drink to ever exist), and I wanted to try the holiday drinks for a change. I tried all the drinks, so you don’t have to, and these are my verdicts. Disclaimer: my taste lies more towards glorified milkshakes than actual coffee, so do what you will with this information.
From worst to best:
- Sugar cookie Oat Latte
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How did I try it? Hot.
Okay, I had high hopes for the first-ever non-dairy holiday drink and wanted to love it so bad, but unfortunately, I just didn’t. It was definitely cute with festive sprinkles on top, but the taste was just not it. I don’t know if my drink was just made weird, but it somehow tasted watered down and artificial at the same time. I did get some light sweet notes from the sugar cookie syrup, which was nice at first, but it left a chemical aftertaste in my mouth that I absolutely hated. I had very high expectations for this drink, but it just didn’t live up to the hype.
- Irish Cream cold brew
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How did I try it? Iced.
This drink wasn’t bad by any means, but it just wasn’t as good as the top three. I’m also a sucker for the super festive sweet drinks, which this drink definitely wasn’t. This drink is still fairly sweet because of the vanilla sweet cream cold foam, and the subtle hints of cocoa and vanilla from the Irish cream were a plus. But it’s much more bitter than any of the other drinks on this list. That being said, this drink is perfect for those who have less of a sweet tooth and want a drink with a richer coffee flavour.
- Peppermint mocha
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How did I try it? Hot.
Honestly, narrowing down my top three was hard, but it had to be done. If you love peppermint, this drink will undoubtedly be your favourite. It is the perfect balance of peppermint and chocolate, with a coffee flavour that’s not too overpowering. If you want a caffeine kick without actually tasting strong notes of coffee, this drink is perfect. It’s basically a candy cane in a cup!
- Caramel brulée Latte
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How did I try it? Hot.
This drink is more of a dessert than anything else. So much caramel goodness in one cup, and the delicious caramel brulée bits sprinkled on top really solidified this drink’s rank on the list. Like the peppermint mocha, there is a distinct coffee flavour because of the espresso, but again, it’s not too noticeable. If you’re craving a creamy caramel dessert, this drink is perfect.
- Chestnut praline latte
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How did I try it? Hot.
Now, this is the epitome of a holiday drink. I wouldn’t say it’s exactly better than the Caramel Brulee Latte, but the Christmas vibes from this drink were just immaculate, so it had to be #1. Imagine eating cookies by the fireplace with the smell of cinnamon wafting through the air; that’s the experience you get from this drink. There are also subtle caramel, spice and coffee flavours in this drink, and all the flavours balance perfectly together. This drink is LITERALLY Christmas in a cup.
Hopefully, this ranking helps you decide which drink you should try this holiday season!