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Torture Is…

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…standing in back of a group of young teens at Starbucks. Yes, they all ordered individually but thankfully did not place orders for friends who weren’t physically there. Yes, they ordered time-consuming drinks like Frappuccinos and various pink drinks.

Luckily, my iced non-fat, no whip Smoked Butterscotch Latte was prepared somewhere in between the kids’ orders, so I didn’t have to wait too long. But that no whip part was lost in the translation since there was a mound of it with my name on it. No, I wasn’t about to wait any longer to fix this fatty oversight.

No, I have no pictures of this tortue. Yes, the SBL with whip was good.

Starbucks Cascara Latte Is Nuanced

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A little late, but I tried the new Starbucks Cascara Latte which contains the fruit of the coffee cherry.

Umm, yeah, it’s okay but only slightly, in a subtle, nuanced way. The cascara doesn’t alter the flavor profile of the espresso base, more like heightens (or deepens) the natural flavor. I’ll pass on this drink but rather indulge in my old favorite, the Smoked Butterscotch Latte.

Starbucks Cheer Parties and Free Drinks

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Starbucks is hosting Cheer Parties at designated locations across America. Starting on December 23 and ending on January 2, 2017, visitors can get free (tall) drinks and discounts on items by visiting a cafe hosting a Cheer Party. Which cafes are hosting? You need to check daily on the Starbuckscheer.com site then go there between 1 and 2pm.

For Hawaii, the December 27 Cheer Party was at Financial Plaza – Bishop & Merchant.

The Starbucks Tuxedo Mocha Is a Delicious Hot Mess

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Tuxedo Mocha

As I thought, Starbucks’ new Tuxedo drink lineup sounds better than they appear. In promotions, these drinks look absolutely fabulous juxtaposing the two-tone white/dark chocolate combination. But in practice, when barristas are cranking out drinks, the luxurious look of the Tuxedo drinks is a nice-to-have afterthought.

The drink does taste great however. The depth and bitterness of dark chocolate is brightened by the sweetness of white chocolate. So while the appearance of your Tuxedo drink may not be perfect, the flavor is still an experience that you need to sample.

Tuxedos at Starbucks

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Fancy, fancy Starbucks. Check out the very limited run of the Starbucks Tuxedo Collection. Available as a mocha, hot chocolate, or Frappuccino form, these dark and white chocolate drinks surely look distinguished.

Really though, I doubt these drinks would look great during normal serving conditions. Guess I’ll have to find out before the end of 2016 when the tuxedos are retired.

The Funky Fruitcake Frappuccino

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Well, if a traditional fruitcake is funky then why should a Starbucks Frappuccino based on a fruitcake be any different?

Yes, the Fruitcake Frappuccino is an odd drink. Not very sweet like the Pokémon Go frap, but cake-like with all the fruity chunks. Kinda tastes like vanilla cake with raisins.

Normally not my kind of drink, but to complete a 100-star dash, I had to get a Frappuccino so why not?

But not again.

My Preferred Starbucks at Ala Moana

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Is now the newest Starbucks Reserve which is like in the old location of the former Sears. In the Mauka wing of the mall, this Starbucks has been considerably emptier than the locations in Macy’s or at Center Court. Okay, so there’s not that many stores nearby but that simply contributes to it lower volume. And during the busy shopping season, this emptiness is very much welcomed.


Starbucks Coffee Tumbler for 2017

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Starbucks released their special edition coffee tumbler that allows for free coffee during January of 2017. Yep, for the 31 days of January, you can bring in this $40 tumbler and get free brewed coffee (or tea). Usually additions like vanilla and caramel are free of charge when using this tumbler.

While you’re there, pick up a Starbucks Gingerbread Cafe, now reduced by 20%.

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Frappula 2016 Is Confused

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Starbucks has brought back its Halloween-themed Frappula for 2016, but this year’s version is confused. The 2015 version featured a mocha base, various layers, and a “bloody” raspberry syrup. On first glance, the 2016 version has the same recipe according to the official Starbucks app.

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But in-store, the Frappula has strawberry instead of raspberry.

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While it works, I’m liking the mocha-raspberry combo over the mocha and strawberries of 2016. Or maybe it’s because the mocha is accidentally missing from my Frappula? I had thought my drink looked a little too whitewashed.

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I asked about the strawberry substitution, and the answer given made perfect sense. Currently, the raspberry syrup used by Starbucks is clear, so it wouldn’t impart that bloody look like red strawberries.

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Because I Wanted an Itchy Butt

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…I tried Starbuck’s newest addition, the Chile Mocha. Think a mocha with some heat from ancho and cayenne spices. And yes, there is some heat, even if the drink is iced.

Chile Mocha with light whip

Overall, the drink is okay with nothing overly distinctive. There’s the heat, but it dissipates in an iced version as the ice melts to water down the drink. The Chile Mocha is a nice change up to Starbucks’ seasonal menu, but I won’t order it again this season. Maybe one hot version just to try.

Really though, the unsung hero of the fall lineup is the Salted Caramel Mocha. This is the guilty pleasure of sweet and savory in between the Pumpkin Spice Latte and the Chile Mocha. Hot, cold – no matter. It’s all good.

But oh yeah, be ready for an itchy butt if you do try the Chile Mocha.

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