Here’s how the new Starbucks spring shaken drink tastes
A new season means another new drink at Starbucks.
Now that red cup season is firmly behind us, the coffee giant has introduced a new spring sipper. Launched on March 1, the Iced Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is now available at stores across the country.
Last year’s spring drink, the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso, proved popular and is still on the menu, so fans of frothy shaken coffees will have to choose between the two. Here’s how they compare.
What does the Iced Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso taste like?
On a visit to Starbucks on the spring launch day, the new Iced Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso arrived on the end of the bar with three distinct layers visible through the Starbucks branded cup.
The top layer was foamy and frothy thanks to the shaken preparation method. The second layer is the body of the coffee drink and the final, thick layer of syrup settles at the bottom of the cup.
Give the drink a swirl to dissolve the syrup for a very sweet drink. If possible, order it with half the sweetener.
The vanilla flavor blends well with the oat milk, making this a good alternative to a vanilla latte for those who don’t want dairy.
What does the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso taste like?
Last year’s Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is still on the menu and offers a slightly different flavor.
It tastes more of cinnamon and the oat milk gives it a toasty flavor like a golden sugar cookie.
The brown sugar version is a good option for fans of the Apple Crisp Macchiato that launched in August 2021.
Now, that the shaken espresso choices have expanded,
it’s tricky to pin down the better option.
Shaken Expresso drinks are a lower calorie option at Starbucks
One benefit of the new shaken espresso drinks is they are lower calorie than their dairy counterparts.
A grande iced vanilla latte has 190 calories. Compare that with the Iced Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at 140 calories and the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso at 120 calories.
However, these drinks remain sugar and caffeine bombs as they are made with four pumps of flavor syrup and three shots of espresso each. Each pump of syrup clocks in at 20 calories and five grams of sugar.
Reach the reporter at tirion.morris@ arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter at @tirionmorris, on Facebook at Tirion Rose and on Instagram at tirionrose.
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