Starbucks' New Juniper Latte Tastes Just Like Christmas

In 2017, Starbucks debuted a Juniper Latte for a limited time only at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle. The drink was clearly a smash with fans, because this year it's available at all locations across the nation. One Daily Meal staffer filled her holiday cup with the festive new latte, and it's safe to say she's in love.

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Starbucks' seasonal Juniper Latte is made with espresso, steamed milk and juniper syrup with hints of sage and a dusting of pine-citrus sugar atop its foam. Our taste tester didn't think she'd enjoy this coffee at all, because she hates gin, which tastes heavily of juniper — aka a mouthful of pine needles. Why would someone do coffee dirty like that?

Well run us over with a reindeer, because this holiday beverage is actually really good, but it kind of tastes more like a cinnamon cookie. The juniper flavor is definitely present, but it doesn't punch you in the face as expected. There's a nice lingering in the back of the throat after you've swallowed the drink, which makes you feel like you're sitting in front of the best-smelling fir tree dressed in twinkling lights with shiny bow-tied presents underneath. This drink tastes like Christmas.

What's also cool about the Juniper Latte is that it doesn't really have that many calories for a seasonal beverage. A grande contains just 260 calories in comparison to the Gingerbread Latte, which has 330, or the Peppermint Mocha, which has 440. The Juniper Latte is on our "nice" list this year, considering holiday drinks are some of the unhealthiest drinks at Starbucks.