With the holiday season approaching, many coffee shops are debuting their seasonal drink menus. At the start of November, Starbucks, Dutch Bros and Black Rock released their variations of the popular holiday menus. While some of the drinks have similar qualities, each establishment brings one drink that’s different from the rest to the table.
The Peppermint Mocha continues to be Starbucks’s classic holiday staple and with good reason. It is a rich, creamy chocolate drink with a strong peppermint flavor that adds a refreshing kick. While I ordered mine iced, it is popularly served hot as a cozy drink in the colder months. The iced version tastes like a cold hot chocolate in the best possible way.
The whipped cream placed on top helps to balance out the heaviness of the chocolate and it includes chocolate shavings as a small, yet noticeable addition. The drink itself is definitely on the sweeter side, so people who normally prefer more subtle flavors might find the drink overwhelming. The bold, dessert-like flavoring makes the Peppermint Mocha the most festive and popular item on the Starbucks holiday menu.
The holiday Cookie Freeze from Dutch Bros has a vanilla-coffee flavor with crunchy, colorful sprinkles mixed in. The overall flavor was mild, the cookie flavor it is meant to have was underwhelming and it tastes like any regular vanilla coffee with some added sweetness. That being said, the drink itself is still good and the sprinkles add a nice texture addition that helps to balance out the blandness. The soft top with sprinkles is a cute, festive touch and the sweetness makes it quite enjoyable. While the drink does not particularly stand out, the flavor is more like lighter, and more simple holiday drinks.
Black Rock’s Iced White Chocolate Milano Breve is a very simple and straightforward drink. It tastes like a classic iced coffee with a strong vanilla flavor and a roasted, slightly bitter aftertaste. I wish the white chocolate flavor was more prominent and richer as it is on the holiday menu. Adding some more holiday flavor profiles would help make the drink more exciting and festive. This could mean adding peppermint crumbles or even a little whipped cream. Overall it feels like a regular menu drink rather than a seasonal special, a solid choice for people who want coffee first and the holiday flavor second.
The holiday menus each bring something different this holiday season. My overall ranking of holiday drinks would have to be Starbucks, then Dutch Bros and then Black Rock. Starbucks leans into the rich, cozy sweetness, Dutch Bros keeps things mild and a little festive, and Black Rock stays simple and coffee forward. Whether the flavor profile is bold chocolate, light vanilla, or something in between there’s a holiday drink out there for everyone.
