With spring finally here, the Dubai chocolate promotion, the only exclusive in the winter time from Starbucks, is being replaced by their most “vibrant” drink yet!
The pastel, layered drink, also known as the Iced Ube Coconut Macchiato, has garnered mixed ratings because of its price to its bland tasting.
According to Katerina Faith of Kat’s Kitchen, she stated how she fell in love with the drink and its indulgent flavors of the sweet, nutty, ube cold foam.
However, though she loved the drink, Faith “didn’t exactly love the coffee shop price.”
So instead, she recreated the drink herself using ingredients that can be found in the house! Faith noted that the outcome of her replica of the drink “is a beautiful iced macchiato with coconut flavor, fluffy ube cold foam, and just the right amount of sweetness.”
All this talk about ube spreads around the new drink, but what exactly is ube?
Ube is a purple yam, often found in Filipino desserts such as halo-halo (iced shavings dessert), ube halaya (ube jam on toasted bread), and regular roasted ube, pairs up perfectly with the new drink!
Susan Choung, a writer for Good Housekeeping, said that she has been a beloved fan of ube for a long time and enjoys the ube notes in the coffee drink.
Choung wrote that “the ube brings a lush, dessert-like quality without tipping into cloying territory, adding a whole new dimension that feels indulgent but still balanced.”
The toppings add a sensory experience with its rich coffee, creamy foam, and toasted finish, Choung noted.
Starbucks also released new toppings such as their toasted coconut syrup, cold foam, and crisps.
“Toasted coconut flakes, toasted coconut syrup, and toasted coconut cream cold foam are also coming to the company’s menu and can be added to other drinks, both hot and iced,” says Hunter Bassler, a journalist for WVEC.
Realistically, my experience wasn’t like Faith and Choung with loving the drink as much as they did.
When I ordered the new drink, I was surprised by its radiant layers. My first sip didn’t have the notes of vanilla, nor coconut, and it was more watered down.
I tried the ube cold foam and toasted coconut flakes itself combined, and I was shocked by its aftertaste. Since ube pairs well with several desserts, I was surprised by its mixture of creaminess and flavors of the bold espresso.
However, I wasn’t a big fan of the toasted coconut crisps. It was more of just a slight crunch and it became soggy towards the last few sips.
Similarly, I didn’t enjoy the price of the drink as well, as I would say it’s overpriced for a grande.
Though there are plenty of drinks on the menu and it’s your first time ever trying ube, I recommend pairing it with a Filipino dessert rather than in a coffee shop drink.
For more details on the Iced Ube Coconut Macchiato, view Starbucks for more information about how to order the drink, calories, what to add on your personalized drink, sizes, and more!
