Starbucks Just Launched Its First-Ever Lavender Drinks—And I Tried Them
Starbucks has never shied away from introducing unique—and sometimes divisive—flavors to its menu. Look no further than the controversial olive oil coffees that recently launched nationwide, or the sweet and sour Unicorn Frappuccino that took the internet by storm during its brief run back in 2017. Now, customers will see yet another uncommon flavor join the Starbucks lineup as part of its 2024 spring menu: lavender.
That's right! The coffee chain is bringing lavender to its stores for the first time ever with the introduction of two new limited-edition drinks. The first is an Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha that's topped with a lavender cream cold foam. The second is an Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte made with Starbucks Blonde Espresso, oat milk, ice, and sweet notes of lavender. Guests will also be able to customize other drinks on the Starbucks menu by adding the new floral flavor.
The lavender drinks launched at stores nationwide today, March 7, a little over a week ahead of the start of spring on March 19.
"Lavender is the perfect flavor to transition us from the winter season into spring," Patrick Penny, Starbucks' beverage developer, said in a statement. "Its soft sweetness, light floral notes, and beautiful color ignite feelings of rejuvenation and awakening associated with the change of seasons."
As part of the spring launch, Starbucks stores are also selling two seasonal whole bean coffees—the Starbucks Odyssey Blend and Starbucks Anniversary Blend. Additionally, the chain is launching a colorful new line of spring drinkware, a separate drinkware line featuring designs from artist Shae Anthony in honor of Women's History Month, and several exciting new limited-time items only available at Starbucks Reserve locations in Chicago, New York, and Seattle. (Think Caramel Mocha Drizzle Affogatos, Whiskey Barrel-Aged Malts, and several new avocado toast varieties.)
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The true stars of the Starbucks spring menu and the only new menu items available nationwide, however, are the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha and Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte. I recently got the opportunity to sample both during a preview tasting event at a Starbucks store in New York City, so read on for my thoughts on the exciting new floral beverages!
Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha
Calories: 360
Fat: 19 g (Saturated Fat: 9 g)
Sodium: 150 mg
Carbs: 46 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 33 g)
Protein: 4 g
The look: This drink absolutely screams "spring." The light purple cold foam draped over green matcha made me think of lavender fields interspersed with blades of grass. The subtlety of both colors gave it a very fresh, natural look that I associate with the annual springtime bloom.
The taste: Incorporating the right amount of lavender flavor into foods or drinks is no easy task. Add too little, and you won't be able to taste those subtle floral flavors. Add too much, and you risk making your creation taste like perfume or soap. Luckily, Starbucks' found the right balance for its first foray into lavender. I had no trouble tasting the starring flavor in that sweet, creamy cold foam, yet it wasn't overpowering at all.
The floral notes blended really nicely with that earthy, not-too-sweet matcha. Though oat milk usually isn't my go-to, the plant-based dairy alternative added a pleasant nutty note that played well with the other flavors. I usually stick to espresso drinks whenever I stop at Starbucks, but this is a unique and really enjoyable new drink that I might even choose over my typical orders from time to time.
Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte
Calories: 210
Fat: 7 g (Saturated Fat: 1 g)
Sodium: 210 mg
Carbs: 36 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 19 g)
Protein: 2 g
The look: Like your typical iced Starbucks latte, though admittedly not quite as picturesque as the colorful Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha. This drink was light in color and creamy thanks to the Blonde Espresso and oat milk.
The taste: Not too sweet and subtle in a pleasant way. Like the other new drink, this latte was infused with the right amount of lavender and the nutty oat milk was still a great complement for the floral flavor. And though dark roast will always have my heart, I understand the choice to use the less intense Blonde Espresso so the delicate notes of lavender aren't overwhelmed. The end result was tasty and well-balanced.
Overall
I love lavender-flavored anything to begin with so it was never going to be a hard sell getting me to like these new beverages. But putting my personal biases aside, I do believe that Starbucks has done a commendable job with a flavor that's notoriously tricky to get right. The Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha stood out a little more out of the the two because the lavender was such a good match for that grassy matcha, but I still got plenty of enjoyment out of the Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte as well. I can only imagine what kinds of inventive drink creations and customizations Starbucks fans will come up with now that lavender is officially on the menu.
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