It’s that time of year again: Starbucks is bringing back their beloved seasonal pumpkin flavored drinks. 

   Every year Starbucks ups its game by releasing new drinks to try. This year, there were four options to choose from. 

    As I ordered, I didn’t know what to expect as I had never tried any of Starbucks’ seasonal pumpkin drinks.

    First I tried the new iced apple crisp macchiato, priced at $5.25 for a grande.

    The price is fair enough but the lack of apple taste is disappointing. At first glance this drink looks and sounds delicious. Once mixed, the milk blends in a ombre against the coffee.   

   Unfortunately looks don’t always meet expectations; this one was a miss. The coffee promised was there but the traces of apple were so faint they were barely noticeable and frequently overpowered by the surge of caramel.

    Next I tried  the pumpkin cream cold brew, priced at $4.75 for a grande.

  Out of all three options I tried, this one gives Starbucks enthusiasts the most best bang for your buck-not only does it give you the coveted coffee but it also looks and tastes delectable. 

   The cold foam, pumpkin spice topping and trails of milk dripping down into the coffee make a tantalizing combination. While there was a distinct cinnamon flavor, the spiciness was balanced by the sweetness of the hints of nutmeg and vanilla. 

   Out of the three, the pumpkin cream cold brew  offers the strongest coffee taste. The coffee is energizing, the spicy sweetness relaxing and all together the drink is heartwarming, offering the best all in one combination of some sweetness and morning coffee.

     Lastly I tried the blended pumpkin spice frappuccino, priced at $5.45 for a grande.

   Although this one was the most expensive, it is worth it because of the drink’s scrumptious pumpkin taste.

   When ordering, I immediately appreciated the variety with both warm and cold options. However, since I don’t enjoy hot coffee, I decided to go with the cold option. 

 Both options are solid but I recommend the hot option for the sheer pumpkin spiciness. But if you don’t like hot coffees like me,  I would definitely go with blended.

   This one out of the three definitely was the most pumpkin-infused with the slightest dash of cinnamon. 

   However, the sweetness of the drink does overpower the coffee taste, so if you don’t enjoy coffee but still want the caffeine, this is a viable option.

Like the other drinks you would need to substitute the milk and would have to ask for no whip cream if you are lactose intolerant.

   With this drink having whipped cream on it, it added a little more sweetness to it but didn’t affect it all that much

   Out of the three drinks I tried, my favorite was the blended pumpkin spice frappuccino. There’s all the promised pumpkin, sweet and spiciness, coffee and more. 

    One thing to note for those lactose intolerant is that all these drinks contain milk.  If you are lactose intolerant I recommend substituting the milk for oat milk. 

In spite of the hits and misses, the visual presentation, tangy accents and of course that seasonal pumpkin flair make it clear why these beverages are so beloved.