‘I think of an air freshener.’ Starbucks needled for its juniper latte holiday drink
You might think that Starbucks barked up the wrong tree with its latest “wintery beverage,” the juniper latte, because the snark on social media is flowing like tree sap.
“Has anyone tried the Juniper latte at Starbucks,” asks one Twitter user and self-described “mocha enthusiast.”
“I can’t help but imagine that it tastes like a pine tree and now that I that I think of it, I think of an air freshener.”
Starbucks debuted a drink with juniper DNA at its reserve roastery in Seattle last year, and the juniper latte became widely available across the country this week for a limited time, according a company press release.
Here’s the company’s description of what’s in it: espresso and steamed milk infused with juniper syrup, “capped with velvety foam and a dusting of pine-citrus sugar.”
“It’s nice to see Starbucks stick to traditional holiday flavors like eggnog, gingerbread, and TREE.,” snarked one of the many people on Twitter serving up Tannenbaum hot takes.
Juniper is used to flavor gin, which explains why Aviation American Gin, based in Portland, Oregon, jokingly warned Starbucks to stay in its lane.
“Juniper berry, known for its sharp, pine-forward and slightly citrusy tang, is the main flavoring agent in gin, which is not generally an alcohol that pairs well with coffee,” according to the “Today” show website. “Whiskey or rum, maybe ... but gin? Not so much.”
Social media can’t decide whether to give the drink a thumbs-up or thumbs-down, so it’s giving it both.
“I tried it because I do enjoy a G&T but it tasted like straight up Christmas tree,” wrote one Twitter reviewer. “Couldn’t handle it! Juniper is just too heavy a flavor for a latte ... for me anyway.”
These folks, though, would disagree with that review.
Writing for Vogue, Elise Taylor described how juniper, “unlike, say, caramel or gingerbread, it’s more of an acquired flavor.”
She said she passed around her juniper latte at the office, and most of her colleagues “tossed out a couple of descriptors — fragrant, medicinal, woody — before pursing their lips and going, “and er, like gin.”
“So will you like the new Juniper Latte? If you like fragrant drinks, or adding CBD to your oat-milk cappuccino, maybe. If you like a gin and tonic? Definitely. So excuse me while I ask the barista to pour it over ice.”