Starbucks already made it look like Christmas with the introduction of their annual holiday cups, but now the coffee chain is making it taste like Christmas, too.
On Tuesday, the famed coffee chain announced that it was adding the Juniper Latte to its seasonal menu for a limited time. The unique beverage stands out due to its infusion with sweet juniper syrup – junipers are evergreen trees often used to make wreaths during the Christmas season.
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“Our signature espresso and steamed milk mingle beautifully with juniper syrup. This beverage has a light, pine-like flavor with delightful citrus undertones. We cap this latte with velvety foam and accentuate the remarkable flavor with a dusting of pine-citrus sugar,” an official description for the new latte reads.
The drink, which ticks in at 260 calories for a grande, was inspired by a similar Juniper holiday beverage that debuted last year exclusively at the Starbucks Reserve™ Roastery in Seattle. Customers will be able to get their hands on it beginning Nov. 27.
The wintry espresso beverage joins its fellow holiday beverages of Peppermint Mocha, Caramel Brulée Latte, Chestnut Praline Latte, Gingerbread Latte, and Eggnog Latte, which were brought back earlier this month along with the annual holiday cups.
Coming in a variety of four – Stirpes, Flora, Espresso Houndstooth, and Stargyle – the new holiday cups were all inspired by the “nostalgic and joyful taste of the season.”
“We started this season by looking to the past. Looking back at our heritage, we found something lovely in our own story, with beautiful coffee and flavors that come together to make the season magical,” Kristy Cameron from the Starbucks Creative Studio said at the time. “When you come into Starbucks, there’s a festive vibe. Our customers have told us that the return of Starbucks holiday cups and beverages are a signal the season is upon us. We hope they feel the holiday magic that only Starbucks can create during this special time of year.”
The four cups feature “retro” designs that call back to elements of past Starbucks advertising, products, and designs, such as the twinkling star on the Stargyle design, which harkens back to the illustration from Christmas Blend 1999 that showed a couple reaching up to place a star atop a holiday tree.
Keeping in the Christmas spirit, Starbucks has also announced the return of its popular Starbucks for Life contest, in which members of the Starbucks Rewards loyalty program have the chance to win a number of prizes, including free drinks daily for 30 years.
