Working in media isn’t all glamorous. Some days, it’s staying up far too late to finish a story on deadline, wading through several hundred emails in your inbox, and nearly giving yourself carpal tunnel by typing for too long. On other days, I get to stroll over to my local Starbucks, order every single new item on the menu, and taste-test them all in the name of journalism. It is both my duty and my privilege—and it sure makes getting through the workday a lot more fun. So, when Starbucks came out with new drinks for spring, I jumped at the chance to give them a try.
This spring, Starbucks is leaning into bright, fresh flavors with a lineup of drinks that revolve around coconut, ube, and lavender. You may recognize a few of the drinks from past years (lavender tends to resurface every spring), but for the brand-new items, I knew I needed to give them a try myself. Here’s what’s new at Starbucks for spring, plus my unfiltered thoughts on which drinks are actually worth trying.
Toasted Coconut Cream Cold Brew
Score: 4/10
I really wanted to love this drink! Starbucks’ cold foam-topped cold brews are generally my favorite drinks on the menu, and this spring version sounded simple and yummy. Unfortunately, the coconut flavor completely got lost. It just tasted like a slightly sweetened cold brew with plain cold foam on top. This drink didn’t taste bad by any means, but for a signature drink (with a premium price), it really fell flat. My advice? Save yourself a dollar or two and order a plain cold brew, or pick a flavored option with more punch, like the Salted Caramel Cream Cold Brew (my tried-and-true fave).
Iced Lavender Cream Chai
Score: 5/10
Lavender can be a polarizing flavor, so striking the right balance is key. As someone who generally likes the taste and smell of lavender, I didn’t hate this one, but “balanced” is definitely not the word I’d use to describe this drink. Since the lavender flavor is concentrated in the cold foam on top, the first few sips are HEAVY on the lavender. It really does sucker-punch you in the taste buds, so if you’re not sold on lavender, this is probably not the drink for you. (Might I suggest a lavender lemonade to ease you into it instead?)
As you continue sipping, the chai flavor does start to come through more, but I’m not convinced it actually goes well with lavender. Both chai and lavender are quite strong flavors, so they just butt heads instead of melding together. I much prefer chai paired with a mellower flavor like vanilla to complement the spicy flavor, rather than compete with it. Did I hate this drink? No. But would I order it again? Likely not.
Iced Ube Coconut Macchiato
Score: 9/10
A Caramel Macchiato is my go-to “treat myself” Starbucks drink, so I was super excited to try this new version for spring. Prior to this taste test, I had a vague idea of what ube was (some sort of purple potato?) but no clue what it would taste like. The first sip was a total surprise—in the best way. As with Starbucks’ other macchiato drinks, the espresso flavor comes through really nicely (which I love), and the ube-coconut combo adds a sweet, nutty flavor that works so well. It reminded me of an Almond Joy candy bar, minus the chocolate coating. Plus, the bright purple color is so fun for spring!
My only hangup with this drink is the toasted coconut topping. While the coconut does add great flavor, it also adds a chewy texture. I don’t normally like having to chew my coffee drinks, so I personally could do without the bits of coconut on top. But if you’re a big coconut fan, you may love it! Overall, I think this drink is absolutely worth a re-order (maybe just skip the topping).
Jessica Friedhoff, Senior Lifestyle Editor
Jessica Friedhoff is the Senior Lifestyle Editor at The Everygirl, where she oversees the Home & Living category of the site. She writes and edits stories across a broad range of topics including decorating, food, entertaining, travel, and more. With a pulse on the latest trends, she uses her eye for detail and design to create timely, inspiring content for our readers.
