Despite the slack given to its fans, the pumpkin spice latte is indisputably a fall staple. As soon as Starbucks rolls out their pumpkin spice latte for the season, all are aware it is fall, regardless of temperature.
However, I’d argue that a 2017 addition to the fall Starbucks menu should be the true fall staple: the pumpkin spice chai tea latte. Therefore, I am providing my personal rankings of the Starbucks 2018 fall latte menu.
1. Pumpkin spice chai tea latte
The pumpkin spice chai tea latte is lighter than a pumpkin spice latte, with notes of sweet chai and pumpkin spice, so it gives drinkers the ultimate fall experience. It’s warm, comforting and cozy.
Some argue that with the chai tea latte, they would miss the taste of the espresso in the beverage. However, a dirty chai — which is a chai tea latte with one or multiple shots of espresso — is just as tasty and would provide the espresso one loves.
The spice of the chai provides more of a fall feel than that of the pumpkin spice latte. The pumpkin spice chai tea latte is my favorite drink on the fall menu because it makes you feel like you’re drinking the beverage equivalent of an autumn sweater.
2. Salted caramel mocha latte
The salted caramel mocha latte has been a personal favorite for years, prior to my introduction to the pumpkin spice chai tea latte. The salted caramel mocha latte begins with the combination of sea salt and buttery caramel, before transforming into a latte that is more of a toffee mocha taste.
While the salted caramel mocha latte is similar to the caramel latte, the mocha twist gives it more sweetness and provides a unique flavor. The salted caramel mocha latte is a classic fall drink that gives the impression of the season without straying too far from the norm for latte drinkers.
3. Pumpkin spice latte
The pumpkin spice latte is a timeless fall beverage. It has been on Starbucks’ fall menu for fifteen years now and continues to dominate the discussion of their fall beverages. While it is a good latte, it is a bit heavy and not as sweet. While I do enjoy a pumpkin spice latte every once in a while, it is not the type of beverage that I would want to drink on a regular basis. It’s a special occasion type of drink.
4. Maple pecan latte
Coming in last is the maple pecan latte. While it is not a necessarily bad drink, it is not particularly sweet and gives off more of a winter vibe than a fall vibe. I had one, but would not necessarily go for a second. One was enough.
However, one bonus for this latte is the autumnal toppings: a sugar topping in several shades of orange.
