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Starbucks Smoked Butterscotch Latte First Taste

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starbucks-smoked-butterscotch-latteBrach’s and bacon is what came to mind after sipping the new Starbucks Smoked Butterscotch Latte. The scent is unmistakably butterscotch, instantly reminding me of small kid time sucking on those bulk Brach’s Butterscotch disks from the market. Then the depth of the smokiness follows and for some reason, I thought of bacon. There’s a sort of savory/salty/bacon-y tinge that follows the sip which elevates this drink. And it’s not overly sweet either, just a nice balance of flavors. Seriously, I think I found my new favorite drink while it’s still on the menu.

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From Molten to Smoked

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Valentine’s Day is done and so are Starbucks molten chocolate themed drinks. But in its place is a smoked drink in the form of a Smoked Butterscotch Latte. Smoked butterscotch? I have no idea, but I’ll have to find out.

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Along with the Smoked Butterscotch Latte is a very green Citrus Green Tea Latte. Tea and a latte? I’ll probably pass, but that green color is appealing in an unusual sort of way.

I’m hoping the smoked butterscotch is more original than the molten chocolate. Even when cold, the Molten Chocolate Latte ultimately tasted like a very deep mocha.

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Time to Get Versed in the Harry Potter Universe?

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Although the official opening for Universal Studios Hollywood’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter doesn’t open until April 7, 2016, “technical rehearsals” are underway. These soft openings are unannounced and somewhat random, likely to open and close whenever. But the point being, you can actually experience Hogwarts in California now (if you’re lucky).

Never interested in the Harry Potter series previously, I may just have to dig into a book (or two) to get versed with Harry and his pals.

Dear Employee

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did-you-knowWhen I ask that the stamps of two separate loyalty cards be combined, I don’t mean add one set of stamps to the other card and give me back BOTH cards. I mean I’m grateful that 14 stamps were transferred to complete one card, and I still have those 14 stamps on a second card, but that’s not how it works. I guess we’ll call it even since you didn’t add stamps for my $4 drink transaction.

Molten Chocolate Mocha Second Taste

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My first taste of the limited Starbucks Molten Chocolate Mocha was okay, but of course, I need to retaste for accuracy. But the mistake I made this time was ordering the drink without the mocha-espresso whipped cream. Because I didn’t like the hot and cold combination of the drink with the whipped cream, I figured I’d forgo the cream and also save on calories. I also customized the drink with non-fat milk.

Mistake.

I mentioned that the MCL could be sweeter and without the whipped cream, there’s no sweetness at all. The drink is now dry, leaving a flat sensation on your tongue. Too much mocha, not enough fat for balance, and not enough sweetness for contrast. The drink is now a super dry mocha.

My next (and final) taste test will be a cold MCL with the whipped cream and probably 2% milk (the standard for this drink). Fortunately, the molten chocolate drinks won’t be available after Valentine’s Day, so I can stop this extra high calorie intake. 🙂

Possible Guest Blogger

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Well lookee here, there may be a guest blogger making her debut here on Pulpconnection. Her qualifications are excellent with shopping at Ala Moana, watching TV, and reading books. I mean doesn’t that just scream Pulpconnection?

Um, yeah, I dunno. But Kimi (let’s call her that) wants to share her experience eating a $14 peach or something like that. Intrigued? Actually yes, I am. Don’t let the pulpy readers down, Kimi!

Starbucks Molten Chocolate Latte First Taste

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starbucks-mclMolten chocolate? In a Starbucks drink? Probably more hyperbole than reality, but I needed to try the limited run of Starbucks creations for Valentine’s Day. Along with the Molten Chocolate Frappuccino and Molten Hot Chocolate, the Molten Chocolate Latte is only available through February 14, 2016.

So how was it? It’s definitely not like Roy’s Molten Chocolate Cake that takes 20 minutes to heat, but make no mistake, there is chocolate in this drink. Melted chocolate chips, mocha-infused steamed milk, mocha-espresso whipped cream, and mocha-espresso drizzle, yeah, that’s a lot of chocolate. The chocolate isn’t sweet though but does impart a richness to the drink. Of course, a drink made in mere minutes can’t compare to the richness and depth of true molten chocolate, but the name of the drink sure sounds delectable. To me, the hot drink is okay. Maybe I’d like a touch of sweetness to it. One issue I have is with the whipped cream topping. It’s really cold, and the drink is hot. In the first few sips of my MCL, the hot and cold combo became a lukewarm sensation that detracted from the drink.

Overall, if you like the regular Starbucks Mocha, then think of the Molten Chocolate Latte as a deeper mocha. I am curious to try this drink cold since the idea of a cold molten drink tickles my mind. The whipped cream will definitely match the cold profile of the iced MCL, but the chocolate chips will probably be chunks floating around.

How did you like your Molten Chocolate at Starbucks?

Macy’s Kailua Now Up to 50% Off

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The closing of Macy’s Kailua continues with items discounted as much as 50% off. But… I don’t know where these items are. Instead, I find mostly regularly priced items with marginal markdowns. A $65 pair of Hurley and Nike shorts at 20% off is still expensive.

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Nonetheless, the store is gradually emptying out. G Shock watches are all gone with only high end watches left. The aloha shirts are wiped out unless you’re looking for off sizes.

But this look is still available if you’re so inclined.

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Note to Self: Evergreen Post Tweeter and WordPress Timer

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Just a reminder to myself that the Evergreen Post Tweeter plugin conflicted with the WordPress timer service, at least for my blog. As a symptom of this, scheduled posts wouldn’t post on the publish date and time, and there would be a backlog of actions queued up.

I was only aware of this since the UpdraftPlus backup plugin wouldn’t run its automated backups. UpdraftPlus itself would complain about incomplete actions. On a hunch, I disabled Evergreen Post Tweeter since it times the posting of old posts on Twitter. Sure enough, after disabling Evergreen Post Tweeter, WordPress started behaving normally. Scheduled posts published on cue, and I have yet to see incomplete actions reported by UpdraftPlus.

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