With fall officially in full swing, the coffee spots around campus have instituted their fall menus, offering specialty drinks. These drinks range from the classic pumpkin spice latte to a classic chai and even a cereal inspired latte. Each has a variety of options to satisfy your cravings for crisp fall vibes and cozy knit sweaters.
The BCC Dunkin’ offers a Cereal ‘N Milk Latte and Pumpkin Spiced Latte (PSL). The Pumpkin Spiced Latte is not very sweet. It tastes a bit like pumpkin purée without the sweetness of other pumpkin spiced lattes. It lacks the notes of cinnamon and nutmeg to round out the spice and sweetness of a latte opposed to just the straight pumpkin taste.
If you like that classic strong pumpkin taste, Dunkin’ has the autumnal latte for you. The cereal latte, on the other hand, tastes a lot like Lucky Charms cereal. This is definitely the sweetest drink offered. I was quite surprised by how nostalgic and accurate the cereal aftertaste was in this latte.
It tastes like if you were to use leftover milk that you had with Lucky Charms cereal as the milk in your latte. The initial flavor is that of a traditional latte, and not until the aftertaste do you get notes of marshmallow. This latte is an interesting choice for fall but is incredibly accurate. I feel both were strong flavors that are each acquired tastes.
Peet’s, located in the library, has a limited inventory of their pumpkin flavored drinks, as some have been sold out. The pumpkin spiced latte is the least sweet of the bunch. It has a very strong espresso flavor profile. The aftertaste has a hint of pumpkin spiced flavor leaning more towards the cinnamon side.
This latte has the most classic latte taste and composition with the ratio between milk and espresso. If you are a true classic latte fan this latte has that hint of fall vibes while remaining a classic coffee flavor.
Dolan’s Starbucks, most well known for the Pumpkin Spiced Latte, also offers a Pumpkin Spiced Chai with pumpkin cold foam and a Pecan Crunch Oat Milk Latte. The pumpkin chai is the perfect balance of traditional spiced chai with the sweetness of fall spices and that earthy pumpkin hint. The pumpkin cold foam provides a sweet first taste of that classic pumpkin spice flavor. The pecan crunch latte is nutty and bold while also being sweet. It still holds that classic latte profile with a strong espresso and coffee flavor complimented by the sweet nutty flavor of the pecan. Both of these bring that fall feeling and are worth trying.
Each spot has something different for each person’s preference. There is a wide range of sweet to strong flavors that capture all those crisp and cozy vibes of fall into perfect seasonal drinks. Whether you like Starbucks, Peet’s, or Dunkin’, go give these fall drinks a try!