What Did Starbucks' Oleato Golden Foam Taste Like?

Since the launch of Starbucks' Oleato line, the world has been buzzing with curiosity. Of the coffee chain's many olive oil offerings, Golden Foam sparked a fair bit of interest thanks to its whimsically decadent name. Yet, while some found Golden Foam to be just as delightful as anticipated, others had anything but rave reviews. For example, our tasters found Starbucks' coffee and olive oil pairing to be more gimmick than genius. Fortunately, we're here to demystify Starbucks' Oleato Golden Foam so you know exactly what the unconventionally-flavored drink topping tasted like.

Fluffy and frothy, Oleato Golden Foam was made by aerating chilled sweet cream that was infused with Partanna's extra virgin olive oil. Much like Starbucks' other cold foam varieties, the green-tinged topping elevated aesthetics and brought a velvety richness to drinks. Due to the higher fat content of olive oil, however, the decadence was amplified. But the addition of olive oil didn't just give Golden Foam a silkier mouthfeel — the earthy ingredient also gave the topping a uniquely flavorful (and savory!) edge.

In a word, Golden Foam tasted complex. Beyond its subtly sweet and creamy dairy base, it had a freshly vegetal and buttery aroma that was equally prominent on the palate. After all, the milky cold foam was laced with an intensely robust olive oil. But that wasn't all. Golden Foam also boasted delicate notes of toast and nuts, which complemented the richness of the dairy and the olive oil, increasing depth. That said, it was the herbaceous and buttery notes that lingered that best described the profile of Starbucks' Oleato Golden Foam.  

Taste is subjective, which is why we can't definitively state that Starbucks' Oleato Golden Foam was good (or bad). Based on our assessment, however, it's fair to conclude that the olive oil-infused foam had a flavor profile that was unlike many of the other more one-dimensional Starbucks' Cold Foam flavors. In turn, this meant that a dollop of Golden Foam needed to be paired with the right beverages so that its flavors could be showcased in the best way possible. The first thing that had to be considered when pairing Golden Foam was temperature. To keep the topping from melting, the cloud-like foam was best paired with cold drinks. 

Additionally, it was important to consider how flavors (as well as their intensities) would interact. For example, some people found that the grassy Golden Foam clashed against the sweetly tropical Dragon Drink, much like it battled against a deeply nuanced Iced Chai Latte. Instead, combining it with simple coffee-based beverages was ideal. Anything from a Cold Brew to a Shaken Espresso or Iced Latte paired perfectly, as the Golden Foam's nuttiness highlighted the coffee's roasted quality, while its richness helped balance any bitterness. 

In fact, even drinks including buttery caramel syrup or dark chocolate successfully complemented and contrasted with the sweetly earthy cold foam. Regardless of how Starbucks' Oleato Golden Foam was enjoyed, its vastly varied profile was sure to leave a lasting impression on the palate — how could it not, given its fresh-yet-decadent flavor? Unfortunately, Starbucks announced in October 2024 that it would be pulling the Oleato line from its menus, so you may have already missed your chance to taste Golden Foam.