As Mariah Carey has defrosted for the 2024 holiday season, so have writers for The Buzz.This year, Buzz staff members Ellie Comprix and Surin Bong made a visit to Dunkin’ to assess their array of seasonal drinks.
Brown Sugar Cookie Oat Iced Chai Latte-$5.29
Starting off with our known enemy (Chai!) the results were surprising. Though we knew that the recognizable taste would once again bring us the scent of a Joann’s craft store, its brown sugar elements paired nicely with the chai to create a warm-tasting drink. This drink includes chai syrup, brown sugar syrup, and oatmilk. Interestingly, the brown sugar syrup was more prominent than the chai flavor, making it a great option for those who don’t want an overpowering chai flavor. It is also important to note that the oatmilk gave the drink a uniquely thick and creamy texture and flavor, which may be off-putting for some. Overall, it earned a 4.5/10 (good for a chai) and we recommend it to all chai fans out there.
Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte-$4.49
With a great presentation, this drink comes topped with whipped cream, a caramel drizzle, and an unidentifiable powder (potentially cinnamon). This warm drink really stands up to the “toasty” part of its name, tasting a bit like a regular latte with a holiday twist. It was also relatively sweet and not at all bitter. We would recommend trying this drink if you’re not looking for anything too adventurous, just a familiar and trusty latte to get you in the holiday spirit. Overall this drink was a 7.5/10.
Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate-$3.09
So we have something to admit: we may have accidentally ordered hot chocolate in our lineup of holiday coffees. However, it ended up being a very welcome treat. The Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate was comforting and delicious, with a dark chocolate flavor infused with sweet peppermint. However, the drink itself wasn’t very creamy or rich, and was likely made with a water base. This variation of hot chocolate would be great if you are not a coffee drinker, but still love holiday flavors. It earned a 9/10 from Surin, and even a 6.5/10 from Ellie, a chronic mint-hater (“If you say it doesn’t taste like toothpaste, you’re lying”).
Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte-$4.69
With by far the most appealing presentation, this drink was topped with lots of whipped cream, hot chocolate powder, and a chocolate drizzle. We definitely appreciated the creativity that went into this drink without it being too out there, and unlike other drinks, this one was very clearly in the holiday spirit. Essentially, this drink was the adult version of the hot chocolate described above, mostly tasting like someone just added equal parts latte and hot chocolate, making the coffee taste rather subtle. The mocha and coffee flavor also added more dimension to the drink, and along with use of real milk, made it taste more expensive. We definitely recommend trying this latte–although it may be a little decadent for everyday. It is a great drink for coffee lovers who also love the richness of hot chocolate. This was a well deserved 8.5/10.
Spiced Cookie Iced Coffee-$3.59
The tasting of this coffee started out with eager anticipation, but was met with disappointment. The color was very appealing, a warm brown that gave all the cozy winter vibes. However, drinking it suggested none of the flavors (brown sugar syrup, a vanilla shot, and oatmilk) were included. It was very watery, perhaps due to the ice melting, and had barely any coffee taste. In fact, it was like a chai latte without the chai. We determined that this “spiced cookie” was in reality more of a sugar cookie if anything. It does win points for having a slight holiday vibe, but in total receives a 2/10. It may be your thing, but was definitely not ours.
Holiday Cookie Iced Signature Latte-$4.69
This latte gave a great first impression with its outstanding presentation. It was topped with cinnamon sugar, cookie crumble, caramel drizzle, and of course whipped cream. The cookie crumble added a crunchy texture and delectable sweetness to the drink. The opposite of the Spiced Cookie Iced Coffee, this drink had plenty of flavor, comparable to a Pillsbury cookie or French Vanilla. We place this coffee in a category right between plain black and a frappuccino. It had the perfect amount of sugar for a sweet treat, though maybe not a daily drink. Overall it was a perfect way to end off our review, receiving an 8/10 for its presentation, flavor, and holiday spirit.
To wrap up our experience, Dunkin’ has a great and wide selection of holiday drinks that people of many different tastes can try. There were even a couple more holiday drinks that we didn’t get to.
Here is our final ranking of the drinks we tried:
- Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte
- Holiday Cookie Iced Signature Latte
- Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte
- Spiced Cookie Iced Coffee
- Brown Sugar Cookie Oat Iced Chai Latte
We also got the favorite drinks of fellow FM students and Dunkin’ employees Michelle and Ozzie, who like the Cookie Butter cold brew and Holiday Cookie Iced Signature Latte respectively. Honestly though, we think that the real first place should go to the peppermint hot chocolate, telling a lot about our [very refined] palates. In summary, maybe we’re not qualified for this.
