Now that fall is right around the corner, seasonal drinks are all the rage. The “Bulldog Tribune” tried and rated the five most popular pumpkin spice lattes in the Leesburg and Ashburn area. The staff did a blind taste test to give you our unbiased opinion on which pumpkin spice latte is the best.
- Dunkin’
Leaving a bitter taste in the staff’s mouths, Dunkins’ pumpkin spice latte was rated the worst out of the five, receiving an average rating of 1.8 out of 10. While the latte aroma was sweet and enticing, the burnt flavor made it hard to take more than just a sip.
“I didn’t like the Dunkin’ latte,” staff writer Stephanie Long said. “It left a bad taste in my mouth and wasn’t worth the money.”
- Weird Brothers
Off to a less-than-stellar start, Weird Brothers pumpkin spice latte had an off-putting smell, making it less tempting to be tasted. While the pumpkin spice latte had a strong coffee taste, the pumpkin spice flavor was nowhere to be found. This overall average latte was rated a 5.4 out of 10, likely because of the charred aftertaste it left in your mouth along with the unsettling aroma.
- SR Coffee
SR Coffee’s pumpkin spice latte started off with a strong coffee smell, and hints of some fall seasonings. After tasting the coffee, it was pretty apparent that the drink was of higher quality, but it didn’t taste like traditional pumpkin spice. There were some hints of the fall drink flavor, but it is not what to get if you are looking for a classic pumpkin spice latte. SR Coffee’s pumpkin spice latte was rated 6.3 out of 10, losing some points for the lack of the pumpkin spice that we were all hoping for.
- Peet’s Coffee
Once again, there was an issue with just enough coffee and not enough spice. Peet’s pumpkin spice latte, being one of the best coffee flavors of the five, did not deliver on the pumpkin spice aspect of the latte. The drink had a nice strong coffee smell accompanied by a rich flavor. However, the pumpkin spice aspect was little to none. Despite this, Peet’s received the second highest rating out of the five coffees, scoring a 6.9 out of 10. This is a great option of coffee if you are looking for a strong latte but maybe don’t want the pumpkin spice flavor to overwhelm your drink.
“I really thought Peet’s was the best,” English teacher Tanner McClelland said. “I think it was the most expensive of the coffees, but I think Peet’s overall as a coffee shop is underrated. And I like that it tasted like fall without tasting fake.”
- Starbucks
Starbucks pumpkin spice latte was the fan favorite, dominating the opponents with a rating of 8.5 out of 10. This pumpkin spice latte was the only beverage that gave the perfect mixed aroma of coffee and pumpkin spice. The coffee flavor didn’t overpower the delectable pumpkin spice seasonings like it did in many of the other pumpkin spice lattes the staff tasted. Instead, it complimented the drink’s flavor wonderfully while being fully present.
