There's A New Fall Drink At Starbucks For People To Build Their Identity Around

The new Starbucks Apple Crisp Macchiato drops today, along with the return of the PSL.

Shimmy out of your bikinis and don yourLenny Kravitz-sized scarves, people: it's August 24, and Pumpkin Spice is officially on the menu at Starbucks. Per a press release sent to The Takeout, Starbucks has sold more than 500 million Pumpkin Spice Lattes in the U.S. since 2003. But, per that same press release, there's a new sheriff in town this year: the brand new Starbucks Apple Crisp Macchiato.

The brand writes that the new drink builds on "the popularity of fall flavor at Starbucks." Available hot or iced, the macchiato features "layered flavors of apple and brown sugar melding like the filling of a gooey apple pie in harmony with espresso, steamed milk, and a caramelized-spiced apple drizzle for a nostalgic autumn pick-me-up." The drink leans into the tartness of "sweet red apples grounded in delicate brown sugar" and finishes with a drizzle made of "apple juice, apple puree, cinnamon, and nutmeg nestled on steamed milk foam."

If you're screaming, "hell, yeah," Starbucks is screaming, "we know!" That's because the brand's research and development team perfected the drink by testing a variety of apple-flavored items, including apple maple syrup, apple donuts, and "lots and lots of apple pies and crisps." The brand writes: "As the team explored fall flavors, what really stood out was the combination of the ultimate warm, gooey taste of an apple crisp paired with a cup of coffee—and here, the Apple Crisp Macchiato was born."

The brand also worked with civilian taste testers to drive home the apple goodness. "The number-one thing we heard when developing the ingredients was customers wanted more apple," says Raegan Powell, senior manager on the Starbucks research and development team. Throw a sauté pan on my head, cram my bod into a pair of suspenders, and call me Johnny Appleseed, because I'm sold. You can grab the new drink anywhere PSLs are sold.

Recommended