Love is in the air as Valentine’s Day approaches, and Starbucks has whipped up a brand new menu featuring four new beverages and six bakery items. Released on Feb. 3 and expected to leave stores on the 18th, customers only have a short window just under three weeks to taste test this limited-time lineup. For those trying to sweeten up their orders, here’s a look into this February’s flavors: 

Iced Double Berry Matcha

This blend of strawberry purée and classic matcha topped with raspberry cream cold foam brought an interesting twist to Starbucks’ signature matcha. As a non-matcha drinker, this concoction surprisingly didn’t have me scrunching my face in disgust (sorry die-hard matcha lovers). For many, this can be a great way to ease into the world of matcha; however, for seasoned matcha fans, this would probably not be your cup of ground-up tea. The idea of pairing berry and matcha is an agreeable concept, but the strawberry purée and raspberry cream cold foam overpower almost any trace matcha in the drink, making it taste almost like a berry milk with only hints of green tea. The Iced Double Berry Matcha was weirdly enjoyable, but it certainly does not hit all the marks that it aims for. Perhaps a single berry matcha would have evened the score.

 Iced Banana Bread Matcha

Combining banana and matcha is a creative choice that Starbucks fully leans into, presenting a beverage with banana cream cold foam, brown sugar syrup, and caramel crunch topping in hopes of emulating the taste of banana bread fresh out the oven. While the first sip catches this vision, the flavor profile ends up falling flat, ultimately tasting like oatmeal with an overpowering banana sweetness. The caramel topping adds an unusual crunch that isn’t necessary, and the banana flavor tasted like artificial laffy taffy, an odd choice alongside the brown sugar syrup. Again, this would be a good drink for those who are unfamiliar with matcha, but its odd execution tires out taste buds by the third sip. 

Strawberry Shortcake Frappuccino 

This twist on Starbucks’ classic Créme Frappuccino is an easy drink to fall for. The cinnamon dolce syrup interestingly complements the strawberry purée and creates a sweet, approachable beverage for any to enjoy. However, the caramel sugar sprinkle adds a heavy graham cracker crust taste, pushing the flavor towards more of a strawberry cheesecake rather than shortcake. While the purée itself is welcomed, it turns the thick texture of a frappuccino into more of a slushie due to its watery consistency. Overall, it was my favorite of the first three drinks I taste tested, and its potential was evident, though I was left much more underwhelmed than expected. 

White Chocolate Strawberry Cream Cold Brew

As described in its title, Starbucks also offers their version of a chocolate-covered-strawberry turned cold brew. It adds vanilla syrup, white chocolate strawberry cream cold foam, and chocolate sprinkle curls to their signature cold brew. While it wasn’t available at the location I visited, its ingredients sound intriguing and are worth returning for a try. 

Strawberry Matcha Loaf

Working hand in hand with both the Double Berry Matcha and the Strawberry Shortcake Frappuccino, this loaf brings the texture of a moist cake to the table, featuring “swirls of real matcha and real strawberries,” topped with a strawberry icing glaze. Immediately following the first bite, however, it was apparent that there is barely any noticeable matcha flavor once again, mostly tasting like just a mere strawberry cake. The icing was delicious, but very artificially sweet, making the treat all the more heavy and difficult to finish. While definitely flavorful and visually appealing, this loaf has a sweetness that is ultimately overwhelming and unbalanced with the matcha that I was promised. Like all things in life, it is best enjoyed in moderation.

Chocolate Pistachio Loaf 

Continuing the loaf theme, this soft slice follows closely behind the strawberry matcha loaf in terms of texture, though it is teeny bit more dry. It hits all marks in terms of pistachio, as the pistachios on top added a nice crunch texture and the pistachio flavor is prominent and consistent throughout. The chocolate, however, was barely present at all and could only really be tasted in the crust of the slice. While not mentioned in its ingredients, the loaf had a distinct almond extract flavor. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it was definitely a factor when considering the faintness of the chocolate flavor. Despite this loaf being just as overly-filling as the strawberry matcha loaf, this product is still enjoyable and a fairly solid choice.

Yuzu Citrus Blossom

After a lot of overwhelmingly sweet treats, the muffin-shaped citrus blossom was truly heaven-sent. From its tangy yuzu cream center to the light croissant that makes up most of the pastry, this dessert impressed me beyond measure. Yuzu, an East Asian citrus fruit, is not a flavor I am familiar with, but this product made for the perfect first impression. The tart taste of the custard, reminiscent of a mix of lemon and orange, perfectly complements the croissant, which is an exceptional balance of fluffy and flaky, while not being too sweet. Its presentation is not one to be forgotten either, as the dough is creatively shaped to make it look like the cream is quite literally blossoming from within the pastry. Without a doubt, this was the number one item on the menu that stole my heart. 

Dubai Chocolate Bite

To say that my satisfaction from the citrus blossom was shot down immediately would be an understatement. Following the Dubai chocolate trend, this tart consists of a shortbread crust filled with crunchy pistachio cream, all topped with a drizzle of chocolate and pistachio pieces. The chocolatey exterior was extremely dry and paired horribly with the crunchy, peanut-butter-like texture of the pistachio cream center. The kataifi within the cream tasted like stale cereal while the chocolate shortbread base resembled a store-brand mini muffin. The pistachio filling was quite salty, which might’ve complemented the outer chocolate layer had the shortbread actually tasted good. This product was highly anticipated, and I am disappointed to say that I will not be ordering it again. 

Cookie Croissant

The idea of meshing a cookie with a croissant immediately caught my eye when I was first introduced to the new lineup, making this one of the items I was especially excited about. Unfortunately, the final product was a lot different from what I had imagined. It takes Starbuck’s classic buttery croissant and adds in a cocoa swirl, topping it with chocolate streusel and cookie pieces. While that may sound interesting, the pastry itself doesn’t stray far from the original. There were barely any noticeable cocoa swirls within the croissant, and the Oreo pieces on top only added a faint sweetness that was easy to miss. The croissant wasn’t bad at all; it had a nice level of sweetness and of course its signature flaky texture. However, re-releasing it in this fashion felt highly misleading, as it didn’t really match the way it was advertised. After trying it, I would say that one would be better off just ordering their regular chocolate croissant instead. 

Berry Blondie 

Starbucks takes on the white chocolate version of a brownie and pairs it with swirls of blueberry and raspberry jams on top. The thick blondie tasted delicious served warm, with melted pieces of white chocolate mixed in that made the texture even more soft and fudgy. The fruity jams tasted all natural, adding a tart and tangy contrast that balanced out the richness of the blondie. This was a flavorful twist on a classic dessert that is sure to satisfy any intrigued customer. 

This menu had its fair share of sweet surprises and slight disappointments, but all in all, my heart was certainly stolen by the standouts more than it was broken by the letdowns. If you’re looking for a date on the fourteenth, a good Yuzu Citrus Blossom and Strawberry Shortcake Frappuccino wouldn’t be a bad choice.