Starbucks is celebrating spring with two new drinks that have a flavor the coffee chain has never used before: lavender!
The new Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha and Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte are now on the menu nationwide for a limited time.
“Partners have been asking us to introduce lavender, and it’s a concept we’ve been working on for some time now,” Patrick Penny, Starbucks beverage developer, said in a press release. “We’re hoping to have captured the feeling of springtime with this flavor.”
We’re not surprised to hear that fans are asking for lavender, because last year, a Swiftie’s Lavender Haze secret menu drink order went viral on TikTok. But that drink is lavender hued, not lavender flavored. You couldn’t add lavender to your drink order at that time.
Now, the chain has the flowery flavor. Featuring Starbucks matcha and oat milk served over ice, the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha is topped with lavender cream cold foam.
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The new Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte combines the “soft, beautifully balanced flavors of Starbucks Blonde Espresso” with creamy oat milk, ice and floral notes of lavender, Starbucks says.
I was able to try both drinks ahead of their launch and can confidently say they evoke feelings of spring.
While you can taste the lavender in both drinks, it’s stronger in the Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte, likely because the lavender flavor on the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha is only incorporated within the cold foam.
The latte tastes pretty much like an iced coffee with lavender, while the matcha is much sweeter and almost reminiscent of marshmallows. The foam on the matcha had cascaded through the drink by the time I was able to take a photo, but it did have a purple shade on top when I first received it. Because the lavender ended up getting mixed in, I tasted subtle hints of lavender throughout.
If you prefer stronger coffee flavors, you’ll want to go with the latte. For a softer, sweeter drink with less lavender flavor, you’ll want to opt for the matcha.
MORE: 5 Ways You Probably Never Knew You Could Use Lavender
Starbucks has also added some new merchandise for spring, including a 24-ounce Tie-Dye Cold Cup, a 14-ounce Pastel Pink Curved Mug and a 20-ounce Iridescent Glass Water Bottle.
Prices range from $16.95 for the mug to $29.95 for the cold cups.
Starbucks launches two new spring beverages with lavender for the first time originally appeared on Simplemost.com
