Across the nation, people mark their calendars for the first day these drinks are available. We are not entirely familiar with the infamous Winter Starbucks menu that has white women everywhere in a chokehold, but we are ready to explore the unkown. Broadening our tests beyond our normal field, we will determine if these drinks truly live up to craze. Our taste-buds are primed and are ready to deliver reviews.

VISIT 1:
Starbucks is a confusing place for people like us, baffling nomenclature and an abundance of questions after placing orders kept us on our toes. On our first visit, we ordered a “Sugar Cookie Almond Latte” and an “Iced Peppermint Mocha” based on the recommendations of the barista.

Sugar Cookie Almond Latte: 4/10
Isaac: I give this a 4/10. This was clearly better than the other drink. It tastes like a sugar cookie for sure but disappointingly subtle. It needs to be sweeter as it was kind of bland. We both agree it was kind of watery. If it was sweeter, it could scale itself up to a 7 or 8 out of 10. Overall, I would not recommend the drink unless Starbucks reads this review and decides to make the necessary adjustments to improve the beverage. Would not recommend.

Wyatt: I give this a 4/10. I mean it tastes like a sugar cookie but that’s by default kind of bland. It wasn’t really doing much, flavor and excitement were lacking. The drink was watery and overall just really mid. The sprinkles on top were a nice touch. Would not recommend.

Iced Peppermint Mocha: 5/10

Isaac: I give this a 2/10. I only drank one sip and decided I didn’t need any more to know this was not great. In my opinion, mint flavored things should only be in gum or actual mints. The sweetness of the chocolate was bombarded by the mint. Would surely not recommend.

Wyatt: I give this an 8/10. First, before the first sip I appreciate the presentation: nice whip cream swirl and chocolate shavings. Contrary to Isaac, I think that the mint could have been more present and was dominated by the chocolate. This was probably a rookie mistake but we both agree we should have ordered this hot. Would surely recommend.

We would also like to note the extortionate prices of the two minute drink we ordered. The price came out to 13 US dollars. Ludicrous. I cannot comprehend how some are able to morally pay that price everyday for run-of-the-mill coffee. I, Isaac Chery, II will not be visiting a Starkbucks of my own free will ever again. The only redeeming aspect is their Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts, that of which are also overpriced.

VISIT 2:
After being slightly disappointed in our first visit, we were ready to go back as wiser veterans. We were going to make our own menu choices this time, not trusting the baristas’ recommendations.

Hot Caramel Brulee Latte: 6/10
Isaac: I give this a 5/10. Despite my hesitation towards coffee in general, I felt that the beverage was better than the other coffees we have tried. While 5/10 is relatively low, I would say it was an unexpectedly pleasant experience. Once again, for the price, the quality of the product was slightly disappointing. Being the chocolate loving person I am, I was rather disappointed by the coffee’s bland flavor. A stronger proportion of caramel to milk, with increased sugar would easily increase this rating to an 8 or 9 out of 10. Overall, I was impressed. If you are a fan of coffee, Would Recommend.
Wyatt: I give this a 7/10. Honestly, this was just kind of mid but the score is saved by the fact that I normally just get a caramel coffee. It just tastes like a regular coffee with caramel syrup but it’s marketed as something more. This was good but it’s an over-glorified and over-priced basic coffee that I could probably make at home. It had a good balance in flavor between coffee and caramel and a good level of sweetness. I will also note that I still drank the entire thing so I can’t really complain. Would recommend.

Hot Gingerbread Oat Milk Chai Latte: 9.25/10

Isaac: I give this a 9.5/10. I might be in love. This drink gives me a reason to visit Starbucks independently, without guilt or embarrassment. This drink paired with old fashioned glazed donuts will be a weekly tradition after school on Friday, until the end of this winter drink season. This Chai Tea Latte had just the right ratio of milk to tea and was not overly sweet. The most memorable treat during Christmas time were the gingerbread cookies I would make with my family, and they honored this holiday tradition splendidly. Thank you Starbucks. Would highly, highly recommend.

Wyatt: I give this a 9/10. This was genuinely delicious. I didn’t really know what to expect when I ordered this. If you somehow liquified a gingerbread cookie this is what that would be. It is a little less spicy than a gingerbread cookie but it was a little bit sweeter which was nice. I couldn’t really ask for anything more out of this drink and it really exceeded my expectations. The only thing that restrains this rating is the fact that I don’t love Gingerbread cookies. If I find myself back at Starbucks this winter season, I will be ordering this drink. Would highly recommend.

Overall, we were slightly disappointed in the products we ordered. The first day was worse but they redeemed themselves the second time around. We will give the company the benefit of the doubt; maybe this was an off-day and not a representation of normal standards. These complaints can also be attributed to our inexperience and lack of expertise. Most notably, the two small coffees tallied up to 13 dollars which is pretty unbelievable. We also liked the overall holiday atmosphere produced by Starbucks, it felt truly like Ole Saint Nick’s day with the decorations, signs, and cups. All things considered, we will likely stick to Dunkin for our future coffee needs.