Starbucks' New Pecan Drink Packs Cozy Vibes, Not A Lot Of Crunch

The official start of the fall season isn't until September 22, but Starbucks isn't waiting for the leaves to change color. Starbucks rolled out the first items on its fall menu on August 22 and has just added another drink to the lineup.

The new Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte started as an idea for the holiday menu at Starbucks, but based on consumer testing feedback the brand found its flavor to be a perfect choice for autumn, per a press release. "It's fitting to these cooler days and feels like the perfect transition from classic fall beverages into holiday beverages," says lead beverage developer for Starbucks Patrick Penny. "We've got pumpkin, we've got apple, and now we've got pecan. 'It's the 'pie-fecta.'"

The new beverage will be available starting September 19 at all Starbucks locations. But before those fall vibes are available nationwide, The Takeout is here to let you know if it's worth the coffee run or not.

The new Starbucks Pecan Oatmilk Latte contains the brand's blonde espresso, oatmilk, and a pecan crunch topping. In its iced version, the drink also has a nondairy Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Foam as well as the pecan crunch topping.

In addition to the brand-new drink, Starbucks is also offering customers the opportunity to customize other beverages with a Salted Pecan Cream Cold Foam. The salted pecan foam is made with pecan syrup and salt and is available in dairy or non-dairy options.

As part of its partnership with Delta Airlines, the coffee chain is also letting some customers get an early taste of the new latte on September 18. Starbucks will be hosting a pop-up tasting at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and LaGuardia Airport for Starbucks rewards members and Delta SkyMiles members.

When Starbucks set out to evoke cozy feelings with its new latte it stuck the landing like an Olympian. Whether hot or iced, the latte brings on warm thoughts of a fresh pecan pie. The iced version has a bit more of a creamy taste than the hot option, but both provide the same feel. Keep in mind that it was 70 degrees in Chicago at the time of this taste test, so the iced option was well-appreciated.

The only place where this drink falters is in the pecan crunch topping. Taking a closer look at the topping, it appears to be a sugar crystal with an artificial pecan flavor. Truthfully, you don't actually get any "crunch" out of it as you sip on the drink. The topping is pure decoration and doesn't contribute to the flavor of the latte.

Despite this, the creamy, sweet pecan beverage tastes like it deserves to be paired with a baked good. Whether that's a piece of the best coffee cake of your life or a slice of home-baked pie is purely up to your taste buds, but there's no way you won't want to snuggle onto a comfy chair while drinking the Pecan Crunch Oatmilk Latte.