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The rumors surrounding the Starbucks spring menu were true – lavender drinks have officially landed! Food enthusiast @markie_devo got the buzz going with a menu leak back in January, and now, the 3 new floral drinks are finally here.
Considering lavender in coffee is one of my go-to orders at local cafes, I was excited to see how Starbucks spring menu panned out. I was lucky enough to get an early taste of Starbucks' lavender beverages, so I can share my honest thoughts on the new lineup with you! Stay tuned for everything that just hit the Starbucks spring menu, plus a revealing taste test from yours truly.
When does the Starbucks spring menu come out?
The Starbucks spring menu, including new drinks and merchandise, came out on March 7, 2024.
Is lavender good in coffee?
Photo by Rahime Gül / PEXELS
In my opinion, lavender is good in coffee. In fact, it’s wonderful in coffee! Sweet, floral lavender often complements the stronger, more astringent tastes in coffee very well.
I highly recommend enjoying lavender in an oat milk latte, which is just lavender syrup, espresso, and oat milk. You can easily make it at home – even the syrup, which is just a simple syrup recipe (cook equal parts sugar and water over heat until thickened) infused with dried lavender.
Does Starbucks currently have anything lavender?
Image via Starbucks
Starbucks US does not currently have anything flavored with lavender. The closest US stores ever got to carrying lavender drinks was in spring 2023 via the Starbucks secret menu, in which Taylor Swift fans crafted their own drink to commemorate the “Lavender Haze” music video.
The drink was named accordingly: the Lavender Haze – though it didn’t actually have any lavender in it. The secret menu order combined passion fruit tea, soy milk, and vanilla syrup to make the drink a lavender hue.
Starbucks Canada, however, does have a Honeycomb Lavender Latte. It’s described as “espresso layered with notes of sweet honeycomb and a hint of calming lavender flavor, topped with real Canadian honey drizzle.”
Meet The 2024 Starbucks Spring Menu
Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte
As I mentioned, lavender in an oat milk latte is unparalleled. The Starbucks spring menu introduced the Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte, which is “smooth Starbucks blonde espresso, creamy oatmilk, ice and the sweet subtly floral notes lavender come together for a latte with a springtime twist.”
I imagine you can customize your order pretty easily and make this pick a hot drink, as well as substitute the kind of milk in your latte.
Iced Lavender Oatmilk Matcha
I’m a matcha latte fanatic and I love that this bev is on the Starbucks spring menu. I think matcha tastes good with most flavors (peppermint, white mocha, caramel), but lavender takes it to a whole new level!
According to Starbucks, this iced drink is “smooth and creamy matcha served with oatmilk over ice, topped with sweet and subtle floral notes of lavender cream cold foam.”
I love the layered look of this drink – it’s very aesthetically pleasing and is especially fitting for springtime!
Photo by Meredith Holser
Lavender Creme Frappuccino
This next blended drink combines lavender with vanilla syrup, milk, and ice, and by its name, appears to be caffeine-free. Starbucks “creme” Frappuccinos tend to omit the coffee, and this Starbucks spring menu def feels more like dessert.
In fact, people online are comparing the Lavender Creme Frappuccino to the McDonald’s Grimace Shake due to its light purple color... and I don't disagree. I basically coined it as the Grimace Shake 2.0.
“Ain’t no way Starbucks got the grimace shake 💀,” a commenter wrote on Instagram after the Starbucks spring menu leaked.
My Honest Review Of The Starbucks Spring Menu
First up for review, the Lavender Oatmilk Latte. Now that I've tried it (I ordered it hot), I can truly understand the hype of a lavender + espresso combo. The flavor was so tasty alongside the strong espresso, and I think it'd be just as good in the iced version.
The lavender flavor all-around was very subtle, but still very sweet!
The lavender-ness is less detectable in this drink than the Frappuccino, but you can always go stronger by kindly asking your barista for more lavender, which is a powder this go-around (not a syrup like most other Starbucks lattes).
I also tasted the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha, which is almost cake-like in flavor! Though on the sweeter side, I’d say this bev isn’t as sickly sweet as other Starbucks offerings.
I didn’t taste the lavender in this one as much as I did in the Frappuccino or hot latte, TBH… but as I mentioned, I’m a matcha lover ‘til I die. I could only really taste the lavender when I sipped the cold foam on its own. Yummy nonetheless!
Okay, y'all – the Lavender Creme Frappuccino is my favorite. Upon first taste, I definitely got a mouthful of lavender, but it was honestly more vanilla-y than I expected – a good thing, considering I like sweet drinks!
I appreciate the fact that the lavender in the new Starbucks spring menu drinks isn’t overwhelming like other lavender drinks I’ve tried. It’s more subtle, but still evident with every sip.
What People Are Saying About Starbucks Lavender
Image via Starbucks
Starbucks baristas have been wondering about Starbucks lavender for a while now. On a Reddit thread “begging for lavender syrup” that was posted a year ago, some workers shared their thoughts about the (then-potential) new flavor.
A few were worried about the quality of Starbucks lavender, if it were to come to cafes.
“Frankly I’m not sure I’d trust Starbucks to create a good lavender syrup that wasn’t like drinking perfume,” one user said. “When I worked in 2008 or so we had this honey syrup that was awful. It barely resembled honey in any way.”
Another user was not optimistic about the taste.
“I'm sure even if Sbux did lavender, it would taste awful because they skimped on the R&D, and probably smell like a waxy candle.”
More people online are not only not enthused with the new flavor, but not enthused with Starbucks at all. Many consumers are boycotting the company in lieu of their stance on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, as well as Starbucks’ distasteful reception of Starbucks Workers United union.
“A ton of local coffee shops make lavender syrup with actual lavender that tastes fantastic,” one Instagram commenter wrote. “I’d go support one of them over getting this”
More Starbucks Goods To Try This Spring
Starbucks also sells ready-to-drink items in stores, and there's a brand-new lineup of sips! Here's what's available:
- NEW! Oatmilk Frappuccino Chilled Coffee Drinks in flavors like Caramel Waffle Cookie and Dark Chocolate Brownie
- NEW! Cold Brew 11 oz cans in flavor like Chocolate Cream, Salted Caramel Cream and Vanilla Sweet Cream
- NEW! Multi-Serve Cold Brew 40 oz bottles in Caramel Cream and Oatmilk Brown Sugar
What do you think about lavender being on the Starbucks spring menu? Let us know in the comments below.
Lead image via Starbucks.
This post has been updated.
