It is fall, and that means it is time for Starbucks to start releasing their specialty seasonal drinks. These include the Salted Caramel Mocha, the Pumpkin Spiced Latte, and the Cinnamon Chai Tea Latte. There are some different ways one could order these drinks, but me and a few peers savored them all the same way, over ice.

We are not expert food or drink critics, but that is what makes this review special, because we are speaking on behalf of the people who don’t have the time to invest their taste buds into a nice, quality drink of coffee, and instead, are looking for a quick pick-me-up fix to help them get through their more than busy days.

Here is our opinionated review of the seasonal drinks of Starbucks:

Salted Caramel Mocha

When I took my first few sips of this drink, I wasn’t quite sure what to think. The mocha taste came first, then came the salt, and in between the two, some caramel had sneaked in there. The combination of mocha and salt hadn’t really been working for me, because the salt would usually overtake the taste of the mocha, and leave me with the taste of movie theater popcorn in my mouth, which is not preferred when going to get a tasty coffee drink. Every now and then though, when the caramel would fuse into the drink, the drink became enjoyable. so, I would consider ordering the drink with extra caramel, in order to keep the taste of salt subtle, unless you really enjoy it’s salty taste.

My friend, Juan Bermejo, appreciates the Salted Caramel Mocha, dubbing it a “new twist on an old favorite”. he states “the salted caramel gives a less sweet taste to the already known flavor of the caramel mocha which makes it taste really good”.

My fellow colleague, Jocelyn Borrego, doesn’t take much of a liking to the caramel, stating that it, “doesn’t really mix well in it, so it ends up tasting not as good as it good be if the caramel wasn’t in clumps.”

Overall, the Salted Caramel Mocha seems to be the kind of drink that could be customized to fit the liking of anyone, whether it be the caramel lover (add extra caramel), the salt lover (take some caramel out), or the mocha lover, since the taste of the mocha overtakes all

Cinnamon Chai Tea Latte 

The cinnamon chai tea latte has a very sweet, cinnamon/pumpkin taste to it, that overtakes any other flavors the drink might contain. The pungent taste of the cinnamon and pumpkin is so strong, it almost forces you into a good mood. But since we are not talking about mood enhancers, I have to take the taste into account. The latte is not something i could genuinely drink every single day. i would only be able to drink it if i had a bad sweet tooth that i needed to satisfy, because the cinnamon and sweetness is very strong and consistent. It also leaves a very enjoyable aftertaste. in my opinion, the mixture of the sweet flavoring and the ice make it an enjoyable drink.

Juan Bermejo gives his opinion about the drink: “Very tasty drink and the flavor truly does transport me to the season the drink was made for, very strong but tasty cinnamon flavor and a very delicious taste of pumpkin”. As for the taste, he states, “it brings  a nice bold flavor that is truly delicious, maybe a bit too sweet for most, but personally I find it very appealing, it honestly feels like I’m drinking autumn.”

Jocelyn Borrego leaves an emphasis on the cinnamon, stating that it “tastes really strong, but if there was less of it, it would be better. It has a very nice aftertaste. It kind of tastes like arroz con leche.”

Overall, it was agreed that the cinnamon chai tea latte is quite the delicious drink, but not for everyday consumption.

Pumpkin Spiced Latte

The pumpkin spiced latte was my least favorite of the three drinks, although not completely terrible, the name of the drink is not fitting for what it actually tastes like. I tasted more of a coffee flavor instead of the “pumpkin spice” that was promised. In fact, I did not even detect a hint of the “spice”, only the subtle taste of the pumpkin. The coffee/subtle pumpkin flavor did not work well for me, although not entirely bad tasting, because i am used to the bitter taste of coffee, it is something i wouldn’t prefer drinking it

over ice, and instead, served hot.

Juan Bermejo gives his opinion on the drink, making it clear that it was not his favorite either, “Very bland for the hype that everyone gives it, it’s a nice coffee taste but still very flavorless, if it’s spiced I’m expecting a nice combination of flavors”.

Jocelyn Borrego did not think the drink was horrible, but that it had a “very strong/bad aftertaste.”

Overall, the Latte did not appeal to our taste-buds, but might taste better served hot rather than over ice, and would probable taste better to a person who loves the taste of black coffee.

These are our overall opinions covering the seasonal drinks that Starbucks has to offer during the fall. In our unanimous opinion, the drink we enjoyed the most was the cinnamon chai tea latte, simply due to the fact that it reminds us of why these drinks are being served exclusively during the fall. it captures the taste of pumpkin and cinnamon and mixes them, creating a sweet taste that will leave us craving it next fall.