In the spirit of a challenge, this morning on my daily stop at Starbucks, I decided to a famous drink I’ve consistently avoided since it first hit stores. A staple of the fall and festive season, this drink brings about herds of die hard Starbucks fans and jeered insults from many haters. Despite its fame (or infamy), I toughed it out and on the first day it released—as it turned out—I decided to try it.
Apparently, the Pumpkin Spice Latte, also known as the PSL, made its seasonal debut yesterday, August 28th. Traditionally, the fan favorite rolls out around Labor Day, but it has been released as early as Aug. 26, which happened back in 2014. The Aug. 28 release date was first reported by Business Insider, which obtained an internal document. The news sparked a frenzy of orange-hued madness.
Unaware of this and sitting in the drive thru at 6:45 in the morning, I made what was probably that barista’s nth PSL order. Taking a sip from it, it was certainly not what I expected. I would like to preface that I am not typically a fan of pumpkin things, the taste of the fruit and things that are flavored like it are completely different to me—it’s not at all like how orange always tastes orange, y’know?
But with all the hype surrounding it, I expected, I don’t know, something more? It wasn’t sweet or anything of the sort. It was warm but not a good warmth in your chest kind of drink. Drinking more of it didn’t make it any better and for the most part, I let it sit in Econ and simple chugged the rest in Calc so as not to waste it.
Starbucks first launched the original Pumpkin Spice Latte in 2003 and it was initially only available in 100 stories in Washington, D.C. and Vancouver. Today, the PSL is the coffee chain’s top-selling seasonal beverage sold in almost 50 countries around the world, with two new products—Pumpkin Spice Cookie Straws and Pumpkin Spice Flavored Ground Coffee K-Cup Pods—available for are now available in grocery stores nationwide.
I obviously understand the hype around it so maybe I need another test of it, another try to judge once over. Maybe that barista was tired of making the drink? Whatever the matter, I’m willing to try the PSL again—order one at your nearest Starbucks, today!