Review: Starbucks Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso Is Splendidly Spiced For A Summer Treat

Have you ever taken a sip of horchata and thought, "Man, I bet this would be delicious as a coffee"? If so, you and Starbucks were of one mind. As we head into the warmer months, the ubiquitous chain is busy crafting new concoctions to satiate your iced coffee cravings. The newest sweet iced addition to the line-up? The name is a mouthful: Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. Try saying that three times fast.

Horchata and iced coffee seems like an obvious beverage combination once you've heard of it, so I'm surprised I haven't heard of it being used much in the coffee world (though, to be fair, there's a definite and unfortunate lack of Latin American cultural influence in Portland). I was curious yet dubious about the new release — I haven't had horchata very much, but when I have, it's been far too cloying for my palate. I worried that this drink would prove similar. I won't give it away just yet, but I will say, I found a surprise new favorite in this iced coffee. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

To fully understand the scope of the new drink, you should start with a working knowledge of horchata, starting with what's in it. The indulgent Latin American beverage is a rice milk drink with sugar, cinnamon, and some vanilla. It often has a thick texture that makes it a great milkshake base, and best of all, it's easy enough to make your own horchata at home for some concoction-crafting. 

The drink utilizes Starbucks' Blonde Espresso, a relatively gentle roast that doesn't at all fight with the horchata flavors for attention. It gets a dose of the chain's new horchata syrup — made from cinnamon and vanilla, with some nutty, rice grain notes thrown in — some Starbucks oatmilk, and is shaken with ice. I will say, the drink is pretty thick. You can see its heavy layering in the above photo, and this isn't a beverage you can swirl to combine — I had to whip out a spoon and stir everything together. 

Starbucks is releasing the drink as part of a limited-time summer lineup, and you can head into stores for a taste as soon as May 20. It's unclear exactly how long the drink will stick around, and the company says it'll be available while supplies last. This isn't the only summer product release from the company — others include a couple Summer-Berry Refreshers and a Strawberries & Cream cake pop.

As far as how much it costs, prices will vary by Starbucks location. It cost about $5 at my location, so don't expect anything too hefty — I doubt you'd see much of a cost difference between this and your average Starbucks order. 

I'll admit to not being the biggest fan of customizing my morning coffee. I usually go for a plain black coffee (light roast if possible), and I don't like drowning it in milk or syrup. That said, I crave the occasional treat every now and then. I wouldn't have ordered the Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso on my own, so I'm ultimately grateful to have been prompted to do this tasting — otherwise, I might not have been introduced to my new favorite coffee treat. 

This drink is simply scrumptious, and my fears about it being too sweet were wholly unfounded. And, to my surprise, it was by no means too milky — the espresso was strong enough to cut through the syrup and oat milk, creating a very well-balanced drink. Cinnamon was the dominant tasting note, so if you don't love the spice, this probably isn't the drink for you. It was warmed by hints of vanilla and the wheaty flavor of oat milk amped up the syrup's nutty notes, accentuating that horchata character. If you prefer your drinks on the sweeter side, ask for another pump or two of syrup; if you're like me, you'll probably find the proportions perfect as-is. 

Do yourself a favor and try Starbucks' new offering at least once. It's well worth it — the slightly sweet beverage satisfied my craving for a little treat and went above and beyond my expectations. I also appreciate that the chain isn't price gouging the drink (not that I would expect it to). 

I wholly love that oat milk is becoming the new default for some drinks — dairy-free alternatives are coming more into the mainstream and milk alternatives are getting better and better as a result. I even think the drink wouldn't be as good with cow's milk. You'd lose that nuttiness and likely get an unpleasantly thick mouthfeel. This is a great concoction from the coffee mega-chain, and it's well worth sipping on all summer long.