Nothing prepares you for Christmas like the red cups from Starbucks.
With November as the official release of those famous cups, comes the seasonal holiday drinks at the coffee chain. Starbucks is famous for many of these caffeine-infused treats, including the peppermint mocha.
While visiting my nearest Starbucks on 4th and Slide, I tasted the four best-selling holiday drinks at the location. The barista said Peppermint Mocha, Gingerbread Latte, Eggnog Latte, and the fall classic Pumpkin Spice Latte or (informally known as the PSL) were in high demand. I ordered a tall Peppermint Mocha, Gingerbread Latte and Eggnog Latte. I had friends there with me, so drinks did not go to waste.
Starting with the Peppermint Mocha: Overall, it was OK. But if you are not a fan of peppermint, this is not your drink.
The moment you take a sip of the chocolatey drink, you get the minty taste of peppermint. Somewhere in the middle you get the mocha, but the peppermint is consistent. After a while of drinking the staple beverage, the mocha part of the drink starts to have an unpleasant aftertaste. A couple of people have told me this is their favorite holiday drink, but in my opinion, it was nothing special.
Next was the Gingerbread Latte. While I was ordering, I mentioned that I like ginger snaps and figured it would have the same flavor profile. However, I was somewhat wrong. The drink, according to the Starbucks website, is a new recipe. The moment you pick up the drink you instantly smell the molasses drizzle. The scent was similar to the smell of honey nectar — very fragrant.
After a while, the spiced whipped crème and the drizzle begin to melt in the latte. Which brings all the flavors together. If you like spiced drinks like chai tea, this is the holiday drink for you.
The last treat tasted was the Eggnog Latte. Full disclosure: I’ve never had actual eggnog, but I might after this drink.
For the first sip, you could taste the creaminess one would imagine eggnog to have. While I continued to drink, I could picture myself drinking this during Carol of the Lights in a couple of weeks. A great thing about this latte is you can’t really taste the coffee. So if you’re a person who isn’t a fan of coffee, this is for you.
Starbucks is delivering a good selection of a variety of holiday drinks. The coffee chain is offering its customers everything from classics like the Peppermint Mocha to the new Gingerbread Latte.
It’s officially red cup season, and it looks like more Starbucks visits will be in my future.
About Chantal Espinoza
