Holiday specials are an exciting addition to my morning routine as an avid Starbucks consumer. Peppermint Mochas are a specialty I wait for all year, and to which I dedicate an embarrassing amount of my paycheck to. Although the Peppermint Mocha will always be my favorite, I decided to switch it up a bit this year. My first choice was the Gingerbread Latte, which comes in a very close second to my beloved Peppermint Mocha. The spices are similar to those used in the Pumpkin Spice Latte, one of my fall favorites. I also tried more basic options such as the Holiday Flat White and the Tazo Joy brewed tea. Personally, I felt the Flat White tasted like a spicy cappuccino. It was good, but nothing special. I was surprisingly impressed with the Joy tea. I usually chose coffees over teas, but this particular tea was very good and tasted just like Christmas. I added a little honey to mine, and it was the perfect drink for sitting by the fire on a cold night. Finally I tried the Chestnut Praline Latte, which I thought was good, but much closer to average than the others. The spices were not as pungent and it lacked excitement, but it was still a good drink for anyone not looking for that extra kick of spice. Overall, the holiday drinks were high Starbucks quality, as usual. After these exciting taste tests, I can easily say I’ve found an assortment of new drinks to satisfy my Starbucks cravings.
