Starbucks is now offering (as of February 16, 2016) two new, very limited beverages. The first is a “Smoked Butterscotch” Latte and the other is a “Citrus Green Tea Latte”. You’ll find the two new drinks in Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada through March 21st (according to Delish.com, that’s the ending date.)
Smoked Butterscotch Latte – The smoked butterscotch latte is a standard Starbucks latte mixed with smoked butterscotch sauce and topped with and finished with a sprinkling of a smoky butterscotch sugar. This drink finds its inspiration here:
The Roastery version of the Smoked Butterscotch Latte is described as “Espresso, whole milk infused with house-made smoked butterscotch and black pepper.” The Starbucks version is definitely going to be sweeter than the Roastery version and will use a little different syrup recipe. At the Roastery, the syrups are prepared in-house by Tom Douglas restaurants.
Citrus Green Tea Latte: The Teavana Citrus Green Tea Latte is made with shade-grown, micro-ground full leaf green tea and steamed milk, sweetened with citrus mint syrup, and finished with lemon essence topping. Matcha is extremely high in catechins, which are the good antioxidant properties found naturally in tea.
The Teavana Matcha that you buy inside Teavana tea stores is extremely high quality, grown in the shade for about 4 weeks in the Aichi prefecture of Japan. It’s usually harvested in May, and then ground in stone mills which have grooves that are hand etched. Here’s a good look at the beautiful green, soft, velvety, dense Teavana Matcha:
(Edit on 2-17-2016 – I was at the Starbucks headquarters on the 15th, and got some clarity that the matcha used for the Citrus Green Tea Latte is not the same matcha sold in Teavana stores. It is still a very high quality matcha, though is pre-sweetened, unlike the Teavana matcha available at Teavana stores. Thank you also to the readers in the comments who pointed this out.)
Let me know how you’re like the two new drinks at Starbucks!
By the way, I also operate TeavanaMelody.com. I’m interested in having a few guest blogger articles on TeavanaMelody.com. Maybe you have a favorite blend of Teavana teas or a favorite recipe using Teavana teas? Or anything else Teavana-related you want to talk about? Contact me via the contact form. If I use your article, I’ll send you a nicely loaded Starbucks card.
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You say butterscotch but I see butterbeer! 😉 Can’t wait to try it!
I think these are great drinks to kick off 2016. It seems like every season we must have caramel everything, it’s nice to see a move away from the caramel flavors. I really love the citrus mint syrup. It tastes so fresh and clean, the basil and mint notes just bring Spring to mind. If these are any indication of the drinks to come, I’m excited for the future.
@trent – That’s a great point. So nice to not have a new caramel drink. These are genuinely new and creative.
I had the butterscotch latte this morning. To tell you how it was…I had another about 5 hours later! 😉 I’m a huge fan of butterscotch, so I’d been looking forward to this, but I was very worried that it’d be so, so cloyingly sweet. However, at least to my tastebuds, that hint of smokiness really mellowed it. I’m also quite glad they do it without whip by default, because I can’t help but think that might be a bit much.
That being said, I think I may have to try a Frappucino version in the near future with whipped cream on top! 🙂
Beautiful beverages… I plan to try them both tomorrow. Can’t wait actually. I found myself actually being able to “taste” the flavors as I was reading your description.
The citrus green tea latte is made with the same matcha that’s been on Starbucks menu for years. It is *not* the same matcha served in Teavana locations.
The Matcha they use is sweetened. It comes premixed with sugar.
I tried the new green tea latte this morning and didn’t like it at all. The lemon was over powering and left an aftertaste. I asked them to make me a new drink.
Just tried a Citrus Green Tea latte. I’m. In. LOVE!! So so good.
Would you recommend getting the citrus green tea latte then from a Teavana outlet versus SBUX?
Do you know if they sell the citrus mint syrup? I have looked online but can’t find it. Thanks!