The Orange and Black’s 4th period decided to do a taste test of Starbucks Holiday Seasonal drinks. Each drink is ranked in terms of presentation, flavor, and overall out of the 5 drinks we reviewed; Peppermint Mocha, Eggnog Latte, Chestnut Praline, Toasted White Chocolate Mocha, and Toasted White Hot Cocoa.

Toasted White Chocolate Mocha

According to the advertisement for the drink, there’s supposed to be whipped cream and sprinkles however, the sprinkles become soggy and the whipped cream melts and becomes obsolete. However, the cup is cute and when ordered warm it definitely is reminiscent of the holidays. The coffee is really sweet and there is no identifying where the sweetness comes from. There is no hint of white chocolate anywhere to be found and the soggy sprinkles leave little to be desired. Compared to other Starbucks holiday drinks there isn’t a bad aftertaste and there is coffee present, no matter how subtle. The Toasted White Chocolate Mocha could not be immediately identified as a holiday drink without some form of prompting as the only hint of holiday cheer comes from the cute cup. Overall, if you like sweet coffee drinks this is the drink for you.

-Sophie Middlemas

Peppermint Mocha 

The presentation was a 5 out of 5. The cup was very cutely decorated, almost resembling a holiday sweater. Taste 3 out of 5, the chocolate was overwhelming, and the only thing I could taste. The consistency was unnervingly thick. While most of the others were pretty bad, I would rank mine exactly in the middle of the ranks. Below the eggnog and hot chocolate but above the chestnut and white chocolate.

-Izzy Cornelison

Toasted White Hot Cocoa

The cup is cute, there is not much to it. Some fun Christmas colors. Out of 5, I would rate the cup a 4. It’s just not that exciting.I honestly expected more from Starbucks because of their high reputation but it looks like they just threw festive colors on the cup and started selling them. The taste is really good. It’s really sweet and dainty. It tastes like Werther’s original caramel candy. When i taste this drink I immediately think of lying in bed on Christmas eve trying to stay awake. It gives me a nostalgic feeling. If I was offered this drink, I wouldn’t have a problem drinking it and I would probably enjoy it as well. On the other hand, I would not go to Starbucks and specifically order this drink. Overall, I think I liked my drink more than all the other drinks. I kind of like a simple taste, just a nice flavour and some of them were too much for me.

-Abby Price

Eggnog Latte

The Eggnog Latte from Starbucks, a seasonal holiday ‘favorite’, is made with eggnog, milk, two shots of brewed espresso, and a dashing of nutmeg for presentation. While eggnog is traditionally thick, creamy, and chilled, this drink had the consistency and taste of regular coffee. The drink appears to get its name from the wonderful eggnog aroma, which makes up for the lack of flavor. It appears that a cup of eggnog was placed next to the espresso machine before being served. Overall, I would rate this unfortunate excuse for a holiday drink a 2 out of 5. I think the best drink, above all, was the Chestnut Praline.

-McKenna Bryant

Chestnut Praline

The presentation would get a 3 out of 5. The cup was decorated with stripes in different holiday colors of dark forest green, mint green, and red, however it was slightly boring in comparison to some of the other cups which had cute reindeer designs on them which is why I give it a three out of five. The first scent of the drink was lovely- coffee mixed with roasted chestnuts- however after it went down, the drink left a bitter taste in my mouth like burnt nuts. It did not satisfy my craving of coffee and I couldn’t even bring myself to finish it. Compared to the other holiday drinks on their menu, the Chestnut Praline Latte was bitter and overall disappointing. I would give it a two out of five and would not recommend it.

-Ashley Guddat