Addiction

My latest drink of choice at Starbucks has been the new Hazelnut Macchiato with mocha added. The mocha adds some sweetness to this somewhat staid drink. I call this drink the “Dark Hazel.”

Also launching today is the special edition Starbucks card made out of harvested wood. Yes, the card is wooden with a laminate on the front and back so the faces feel like a regular card. The edges, though, look cardboard-ish, kinda like a sliver of particle board. The card feels light, but not noticeably different from the normal Starbucks Rewards card. I’m guessing the birch wood provides the natural coloring of this card.

Anyways, the Starbucks store I visited had a stack of these wooden cards, but I didn’t ask if that was their entire supply. If you go pick up one of these, give the new Hazelnut Macchiato a try. You might get a coupon for a free Hazelnut or Caramel Macchiato during the month of March. 🙂

Have you tried Starbucks’ newest creation, the Hazelnut Macchiato? It’s an espresso and milk base that’s “marked” with vanilla and hazelnut. At first sip, my initial thought was “mature.” Unlike it’s cousin, the Caramel Macchiato, the hazelnut variant is not overtly sweet, better suited for the wizened addicts. Because it’s not sickly sweet, the drink is a good break from all that sugary taste. Yet, according to the Starbucks app, both Macchiatos share the same 240 Calories with 32 grams of sugar so no nutritional savings to be had.

I made the macchiato mistake of getting the drink stirred, not layered so my drink looked like any other espresso signature drink. The hazelnut syrup marking was on the bottom of my cup, not the tasty-looking checkboard on top. Next time. And I have to try it iced.

I personally don’t want to taste a 48-shot espresso drink from Starbucks, but if you’re trying to set a record for the most expensive Starbucks drink then you’ll have to. Not only that, but you have to add fruit, powders, drizzles, and toppings. If you want a small price break, be sure to bring in your own mug to save $0.10.

I doubt a human could safely drink this in one sitting.

Starbucks’ new seasonal items are set to launch on Tuesday, March 5, 2013, and with it, an updated iOS app is now available. This updated app marks the virtual debut of the Hazelnut Macchiato.

According to the description, however, this drink is not seasonal and is sticking with us for the entire year. And if you were wondering what “macchiato” means, it literally means “marked” in Italian.

So Starbucks’ experience with its recent limited edition steel card may have opened the opportunities for more rarities. The limited availability of this card surely drove a frenzy amongst collectors and Starbucks fans.

Soon enough, we’ll go from cold hard steel to something more warm and organic. Yes, Starbucks is releasing a card made out of wood. It’ll feel like a typical card but its origin is from harvested birch trees. I’m wondering if this card will be lighter that the heavy steel card?