By Clark 
When it comes to flavor, Starbucks has never been afraid to experiment, even when doing so has caused some controversy. Just take a look at the contentious olive oil coffees that just went national or the short-lived sweet-and-sour Unicorn Frappuccino that swept the web in 2017. As part of their spring 2024 menu, Starbucks will introduce yet another unusual flavor: lavender.
Yes, I agree! With the launch of two new limited-edition drinks, the coffee chain is finally introducing lavender to its locations. A lavender cream cold foam on an iced oatmilk matcha is the first. The second one is an iced oatmilk latte with lavender sugar, oats, ice, and Starbucks Blonde Espresso. The new floral taste will also be available to those who want to personalize other drinks on the Starbucks menu.
Just over a week before spring officially begins on March 19, the lavender drinks were released to retailers across the country today, March 7.
The beverage developer at Starbucks, Patrick Penny, made the declaration that lavender is the ideal flavor to help us move from winter to spring. Its lovely hue, gentle floral undertones, and gentle sweetness evoke the awakening and revitalization felt with each season’s transition.
Both the Starbucks Anniversary Blend and the Starbucks Odyssey Blend are whole bean coffees that are sold seasonally in Starbucks locations as part of the spring launch.
Also, in celebration of Women’s History Month, the chain is releasing a distinct line of drinkware featuring artwork by artist Shae Anthony, as well as a plethora of new limited-edition items exclusive to Starbucks Reserve in Chicago, New York, and Seattle.
The spring drinkware line is bright and cheery, and the artist’s designs are sure to turn heads. (Consider whiskey barrel-aged malts, caramel mocha drizzle affogatos, and a slew of novel avocado toast variants.)
Of all the new options available nationwide, the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha and Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte stand out as the actual stars of the spring menu at Starbucks. Here are my impressions of the two new floral beverages, which I had the chance to try at a sneak peek tasting session at a New York City Starbucks.
Frosted Oatmilk Matcha Lavender Cream with Ice
- Calorie Content (For a Grande):
- About 360 calories
- Nineteen grams of fat (9 grams of saturated fat)
- One hundred fifty milligramsof sodium
- Sugar: 33 grams, fiber: 3 grams; carbs: 46 grams
- Contains 4 grams of protein
Visually, this beverage shouts “spring.” The sight of the delicate purple cold foam on the verdant matcha transported me to a scene of lavender fields scattered with blades of grass. The delicate blend of the two hues gave it the air of naturalism and freshness that I associate with the yearly spring blossom.
The flavor: It’s not easy to get the perfect quantity of lavender flavor into food or drink. If you don’t add enough, the delicate floral flavors will remain unbearable. You don’t want your finished product to taste like soap or perfume if you use too much.
Fortunately, Starbucks’ initial venture into lavender was well-balanced. That sweet, creamy cool foam had a prominent flavor that wasn’t overwhelming, but I could still taste it.
The floral undertones harmonized beautifully with the earthy, slightly bitter matcha. Oat milk isn’t normally my first choice, but this vegan dairy substitute had a nice nutty flavor that went nicely with the rest of the ingredients.
Whenever I visit Starbucks, I normally get an espresso drink. However, this new drink is so interesting and tasty that I might even get it instead of my usual.
Oatmilk Lavender Iced Coffee
- Calorie Content (For a Grande):
- About 210 calories
- Weight: 7 grams (with 1 gram of saturated fat)
- Amount of sodium: 210 milligrams
- Contains 36 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, and 19 grams of sugar.
- Contains 2 grams of protein.
A plain old iced Starbucks coffee, nothing fancy compared to the multi-hued Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha. The combination of Blonde Espresso and oat milk gave this drink a pale hue and a velvety texture.
Flavor: Subtle and delicious without being overly sugary. This latte, like the other new drink, had just the proper amount of lavender infusion, and the nutty oat milk went wonderfully with the floral taste.
Dark roast will forever hold a special place in my heart, but I can see why using the milder Blonde Espresso would be a good choice to highlight the subtle flowers. Delicious and harmonious, that was the final product.
In the end
It was always going to be easy for me to enjoy these new drinks because I adore anything with a lavender flavor. Putting aside my prejudices, I must say that Starbucks has accomplished an admiral feat with a flavor that is infamously difficult to nail.
Of the two, I preferred the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha due to the harmonious combination of lavender and grassy matcha, although I must say that both the latte and the matcha were delicious. The addition of lavender to the Starbucks menu has me wondering what creative concoctions and personalizations customers will concoct.