The Impulsive Buy

Tag: Starbucks

  • QUICK REVIEW: Starbucks Limited Edition Smoked Butterscotch Latte

    Starbucks Limited Edition Smoked Butterscotch Latte

    What is the Starbucks Limited Edition Smoked Butterscotch Latte?

    As a grab-and-go option for people too busy to stop by a brick-and-motor Starbucks, this coffee-house inspired drink features, “smoky sweet notes of kettle-cooked butterscotch mingled with Starbucks espresso and creamy milk.”

    How is it?

    Even though a lot of these bottled latte beverages are initially underwhelming due to their lack of milk froth, this limited edition offering took it a bit further by continuing to be disappointing all the way to the bottom of the bottle.

    Starbucks Limited Edition Smoked Butterscotch Latte 2

    Despite being a “smoked” latte, I thought this was surprisingly less smoky than Starbucks’ regular espresso-based drinks. Actually, rather than having pleasant notes of smokiness, I thought it tasted rather burnt, which also overwhelmed any butterscotch flavor it may have had. It’s almost got an element of artificial char, which is off-putting. I imagine the espresso usually would have helped to even out the acrid aspect of the smoke, but this drink didn’t have nearly enough of it.

    Also, Starbucks has no right to boast that the smoked butterscotch is mingling with “creamy” milk. The reduced fat dairy utilized here makes the entire beverage way too watery to be called creamy, and it left me longing for the whole milk lattes served by my local baristas.

    Is there anything else I need to know?

    If you think this might taste better warmed up and sipped like regular coffee, I’m going to save you the trouble by telling you I’ve already gone that route, and, no, it doesn’t make this poor man’s latte any better. It makes it worse because it makes the espresso seem even weaker in contrast to the smoke flavoring.

    Conclusion:

    Even though the Starbucks Limited Edition Smoked Butterscotch Latte seems like an easy way to enjoy a seasonal favorite and skip the coffee shop, it’s not. Simply put, you’re going to wish that you had taken the time to stop by a real Starbucks and order a freshly made Smoked Butterscotch Latte.

    Purchased Price: $2.79
    Size: 14 fl. oz.
    Purchased at: Kroger
    Rating: 3 out of 10
    Nutrition Facts: (1 bottle) 220 calories, 40 calories from fat, 4.5 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 110 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 34 grams of sugars, and 8 grams of protein.

  • QUICK REVIEW: Starbucks Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Cookie Straws

    Starbucks Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Cookie Straws

    What are Starbucks Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Cookie Straws?

    The Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Cookie Straws are essentially Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL)-flavored rolled wafers. Pirouline, the Belgian inventors of this wafer form, manufactures this eco-friendly straw alternative that’s part of Starbucks’ “Coffee At Home” efforts. This means it’s available at grocery stores along with PSL K-Cup pods, VIA Instant flavors, etc.

    How are they?

    Starbucks Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Cookie Straws 3

    The Pumpkin Spice Cookie Straws tin has an overpowering holiday candle smell, but the wafers taste like a delicious PSL! The flavor comes from the inner white chocolatey coating.

    They’re individually packaged, which I thought was a waste of packaging at first. But when I realized I could only eat one at a time, I appreciated it kept the others at optimum freshness.

    Is there anything else I need to know?

    Starbucks Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Cookie Straws 4

    I thought sipping an iced PSL through this cookie straw would be too much (also see: too basic), but it was surprisingly good. It accented the pumpkin spice sauce and made the drink taste even more festive with a touch more of the cinnamon and nutmeg goodness.

    Starbucks Limited Edition Pumpkin Spice Cookie Straws 5

    However, the wafer does NOT work well with hot drinks. I thought the inner coating would melt and add some its flavor to my Pike Place brewed coffee, but it just made the exterior mushy.

    Conclusion:

    It’s worth the splurge especially if you love all things pumpkin spice. It’s good enough to eat it on its own as a snack or as a sweet treat to complement your coffee. With this launch, Starbucks is cementing its PSL foothold in snacks too. I can’t wait to see what other PSL snack innovations come next year!

    Purchased Price: $6.98
    Size: 9.1 oz. container
    Purchased at: Walmart
    Rating: 9 out of 10
    Nutrition Facts: (1 cookie) 60 calories, 2 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 20 milligrams of sodium, 10 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of sugars, and 1 gram of protein.

  • QUICK REVIEW: Starbucks Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro

    Starbucks Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro

    What is the Starbucks Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro?

    I’m convinced the reason Starbucks keeps coming up with new cold foam beverages is to drive home the idea of the strawless lids. I don’t hate it! The latest is the Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro, which adds cocoa cold foam on top of the tried-and-true Nitro Cold Brew. In the in-app description of the drink, Starbucks says the cold foam is “bringing out the coffee’s natural chocolate notes.”

    How is it?

    Two words: Slam Dunk.

    I usually prefer my cold brews to have a little cream in them, a la the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew. That’s why I love cold brew on nitro – it adds a creaminess to the drink. This Dark Cocoa Nitro does not disappoint in terms of creaminess and flavor.

    Starbucks Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro 2

    There’s a slight cocoa taste when you get your first sip of cold foam and the cold brew, and it is just enough to sweeten it without being overpowering. The subtleness of the cocoa is a delight. I also got a whiff of cinnamon – it smells like fall in a cup. (Don’t tell the Pumpkin Spice Latte I said that!) And the caffeine is strong enough to power you through your afternoon or snoozefest of meetings at work.

    Is there anything else I need to know?

    If you go searching for this puppy, make sure your friendly Starbucks has the nitro tap. Not all of them do, so I suggest checking your Starbucks mobile app to see which nearby locations carry the drink.

    Conclusion:

    The Cold Foam Dark Cocoa Nitro is officially my favorite cold foam beverage from Starbucks. I can only hope it sticks around long enough for me to get my fill!

    Purchased Price: $4.45
    Size: Tall
    Rating: 9 out of 10
    Nutrition Facts: Tall 12 fl oz – 60 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 15 milligrams of sodium, 13 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of sugars, 1 gram of protein, and 215 milligrams of caffeine.

  • QUICK REVIEW: Starbucks Protein Blended Cold Brew

    Starbucks Almond Protein Blended Cold Brew

    What is it?

    Are you ready to get your caffeine and protein all in one?

    The new Almond Protein Blended Cold Brew and Cacao Protein Blended Cold Brew from Starbucks kill two birds with one stone. The Almond version has almondmilk, cold brew coffee, a plant-based protein, almond butter and a banana date fruit blend. The Cacao is very similar – although with coconutmilk instead of almondmilk and cacao instead of almond butter.

    How is it?

    Let’s get to the point: I really enjoyed these. Going into it, I thought I would like the Almond more than the Cacao, but the Cacao beat it by one point in my ratings! Both drinks have a smoothie-like consistency – I’m surprised that “smoothie” isn’t in the official name.

    Starbucks Almond Protein Blended Cold Brew 2

    Here’s the low-down: Almond was not overly sweet, and the cold brew coffee flavor came in the aftertaste. I could definitely taste the banana date blend, which I enjoyed. It took me a while to finish this one, as it was more of a sipping beverage.

    Starbucks Cacao Protein Blended Cold Brew 2

    Cacao was more chocolate and less coffee, and a little bit smoother of a consistency. Almost tasted like a healthy dessert! (#notcomplaining) The cacao powder masked the banana date blend.

    Is there anything else I need to know?

    I tried each of these on separate mornings and replaced my typical oatmeal and coffee with this all-in-one drink. I thought it would be weird to essentially drink my breakfast, but I loved how I was getting both my breakfast and coffee together – so productive. And, even with running a couple of miles one of the days, the drinks still held me over until lunchtime. Yay protein! They also kept me properly caffeinated, thanks to the cold brew.

    Conclusion:

    Great move, Starbucks. In the future, I see this for me as either a breakfast on the go or an afternoon pick-up/snack to get me through the rest of the day. I wonder if Starbucks can come up with any more flavor options?

    Purchased Price: $5.95 each
    Size: Grande
    Rating: 7 out of 10 (Almond)
    Rating: 8 out of 10 (Cacao)
    Nutrition Facts: (16 oz) Almond – 270 calories, 12 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 30 grams of carbohydrates, 22 grams of sugars, and 12 grams of protein. Cacao – 250 calories, 9 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 170 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 26 grams of sugars, and 10 grams of protein.

  • QUICK REVIEW: Starbucks Caramel Brulee Iced Coffee Straw and Pineapple Iced Tea Straw

    Starbucks Pineapple Iced Tea and Caramel Brulee Coffee Straws

    What is it?

    Starbucks recently debuted these straws – but unlike the Frappucino Cookie Straw of 2015, these are not entirely edible. The Caramel Brulee (made for iced coffee) and Pineapple (made for iced tea) are paper straws with the bottoms dipped in a hard candy-like shell.

    How is it?

    Well, folks, this is a lesson in asking questions and not making assumptions. I assumed that the flavored end of the straw would go inside the drink to add a little something special. Well, after checking with my friendly barista, I learned it actually goes OUTSIDE the drink – as in, you drink through the candy end. That way, you get the flavor right at your lips as you sip the drink.

    Starbucks Caramel Brulee Iced Coffee Straw

    I favored the Pineapple over the Caramel Brulee. While the Caramel Brulee was good, it didn’t add to my coffee experience and was slightly artificial in taste. The candy itself tasted like a Werther’s Original hard candy that your grandpa used to slip in your pocket.

    Starbucks Pineapple Iced Tea Straw 3

    Pineapple had just the right amount of sweetness to flavor my iced green tea and had a more natural taste. The Pineapple also gets bonus points for the adorable pineapple design on the straw itself.

    Is there anything else I need to know?

    Starbucks Caramel Brulee Iced Coffee Straw 2

    Be aware that you might have to bite or suck some of the candy to get your beverage through the straw. The hard candy may cover the opening when you first open the package. And if you want to enjoy the whole straw, you’ll have to work your way down it as you drink.

    Conclusion:

    These are a fun concept, but now that I’ve used them once, I probably won’t again. There’s something about walking into my office with my coffee and a candy straw that doesn’t seem right in corporate America! But if you’re up for fun, I say go for it.

    Purchased Price: $1.75 each (Although when I purchased, they were running a Buy One Get One Free deal, so I got both for $1.75)
    Size: N/A
    Rating: 6 out of 10 (Caramel Brulee)
    Rating: 7 out of 10 (Pineapple)
    Nutrition Facts: Caramel Brulee – 20 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of sugars, and 0 grams of protein. Pineapple – 20 calories, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 0 milligrams of sodium, 5 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of sugars, and 0 grams of protein..