Caramel Brûlée Latte
Starbucks Disappoints Again This Holiday Season
While it isn’t even Thanksgiving, stores, restaurants, and some homes are already prepping for Christmas. The big retailers are already premiering a holiday section, travel is being booked, and Starbucks is playing the Grinch by ignoring their classic Eggnog Latte. The seasonal drink, which contained espresso, steamed eggnog, and ground nutmeg, pretty much tasted like Christmas in coffee cup. Starbucks first introduced the holiday drink in 1984 along with the Christmas Blend coffee. It was their first foray into marketing festive beverages and was a success. In 2023, in North America alone, fans drank over 1 BILLION eggnogs (none from Starbucks). It seems the largest retail coffee company has a “War on Eggnog” and is working to ruin the festive spirit.
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Starbucks temporarily removed the Eggnog Latte from its menu in 2014 to streamline the menu, but brought it back after being flooded with customer complaints. Then during the late part of the pandemic in November of 2021, Starbucks added to the misery by dropping the menu favorite.
What is interesting, the new “holiday” menu has 4 hot drinks and 4 cold drinks, highlighting a trend toward chilled refresh drinking. Returning drinks include:
Caramel Brûlée Latte A blend of espresso, steamed milk, and caramel brulée sauce, topped with whipped cream and caramel brulée topping.
Chestnut Praline Latte Espresso and steamed milk combined with chestnut praline flavors, finished with whipped cream and spiced praline crumbs.
Peppermint Mocha A classic combination of espresso, steamed milk, mocha sauce, and peppermint syrup, topped with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte Blonde espresso mixed with sugar cookie flavors and almond milk, garnished with festive sprinkles.
Iced Gingerbread Oatmilk Chai A refreshing iced chai latte infused with gingerbread flavors.
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Cran-Merry Orange Refresher A non-coffee drink combining sweet orange, tart cranberry, and warm spices.
Salted Pecan Crunch Cold Brew – A new cold brew option likely inspired by the fall’s Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte.
Elphaba’s Cold Brew Sweetened with peppermint syrup and topped with nondairy matcha cold foam.
It is a sad day when a major company turns away from a popular selling beverage to wage their “War on Eggnog”.