One cold morning, I woke up needing an energy boost. I sat in the Dunkin Donuts line wondering if any new drinks had come out. I searched the menu to see their new holiday menu had recently been released. I immediately became curious if other coffee shops had also come out with new holiday coffee flavors. The winter and holiday season has always been my favorite because of all of the notorious Christmas flavors and festivities, so when I heard seasonal coffees were coming out, I had to try the new flavors from Dunkin Donuts, Summer Moon and Starbucks.

Dunkin Donuts: Iced Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew 

I decided on a small Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew because of its name. Just seeing the word “pumpkin” made me want to try it. After taking my first sip,  I was a little surprised because the level of sweetness was not balanced throughout the whole drink. However, I absolutely adored the pumpkin cream, and I definitely could taste the pumpkin flavor, which I was a huge fan of. This drink is an amazing energy booster for the morning. I actually drank this coffee in 30 seconds, which was a little concerning, but I enjoyed it a lot. I rate this drink a 7/10.

Dunkin Donuts: White Chocolate Mocha Latte

This second drink I chose was on Dunkin’s exclusive holiday menu, which included other items such as the Peppermint Mocha Signature Latte, White Mocha Hot Chocolate and Holiday Blend Coffee, in addition to my White Chocolate Mocha Latte. When I saw the option, my first thought was that the name alone did not remind me of the holidays. However, as I took the first sip, I prepared myself for a regular hot coffee, but was instead delighted with its warm and gentle taste. This drink specifically reminded me of being cozy in bed on a chilly day. I loved the sugary taste of the white chocolate and 100% percent would buy it again. I rate this drink an 8/10.

Summer Moon: Iced Autumn Moon (Iced) 

After tasting the flavorful coffees from Dunkin, I was a little disappointed by this flavor. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the coffee, especially the wood-fired coffee from Summer Moon, but I could not taste any specific flavors in the drink. I could taste some spice and the signature smokey coffee flavor, but it didn’t remind me of autumn or the holidays. This drink would be a great pick-me-up for the day but not the best coffee to remind you of the holidays. This is one of my go-to drinks when I go to Summer Moon and I absolutely recommend this drink to anyone who is looking for a great coffee. I rate this a 6/10.

Summer Moon: Hot Peppermint Mocha Moon

Next, I chose the Peppermint Mocha Moon. After tasting this coffee, I was immediately reminded of Christmas. I took one sip and was pleasantly surprised by the strong flavor of peppermint and chocolate. This drink is perfect for a cold winter or fall morning. It had the perfect amount of sweetness and wasn’t too bitter. I did think the peppermint flavor was a tad overwhelming, but this is on track for a holiday coffee. This was by far my favorite out of all of the coffees I purchased, and I undoubtedly recommend this holiday coffee. I rate this a 9/10.

Starbucks: Iced Applecrisp Macchiato

I also visited Starbucks, a very popular coffee shop, which had a wide variety of holiday coffees on their menu. Compared to the other shops I visited, there were many more coffee flavors I had never heard of. I was pleasantly surprised to see the name Apple Crisp Macchiato on their holiday menu. I had heard of this drink before from a teacher and was immediately intrigued by its name. When I had finished ordering and the drink was handed to me, I was completely surprised by its appearance. All of the flavoring was sitting stuck at the bottom of the cup, so I mixed it for about a minute. I felt relieved that it looked like a regular iced coffee after I mixed it. After tasting it, my first thought was that it was incredibly sweet. When thinking of holiday flavors, I imagine cinnamon, pumpkin, peppermint and chocolate, and I found myself struggling to find any of these flavors, but I could taste the apple flavoring in the drink. It did not give me any holiday, autumn, or winter vibes, but it is still an interesting coffee to try. I rate this a 4/10.

Overall, I really enjoyed all of the coffees I purchased. I know that coffee is a big part of my morning routine and others, and these holiday drinks would be perfect for a festive morning.