Starbucks’ new holiday drink, the Juniper Latte, sounds like a fruitcake in a cup

With Thanksgiving just days away, we’re officially headed into peak holiday season and Starbucks is ready to celebrate with a brand new holiday drink, the Juniper Latte and it may just be the true meaning of Christmas in latte form.

Fans of the coffee chain’s premium brand, Starbucks Reserve, are in for a treat as the new Juniper Latte will be joining the menu during the holiday season. The new latte is Grandma’s holiday fruitcake meets coffee as the base of the drink is made from Reserve’s Christmas blend, as coffee infused with orange and mulled spices. But it gets even dreamier as the Reserve Christmas brewed as espresso is paired with a steamed milk “infused with a syrup made with dried juniper berries, sage and mandarin.” 

Top it off with a sprig of fresh sage and a sprinkle of juniper sugar and you’ll be believing in the magic of Christmas again.

“Coffee is our muse. We started with our Christmas Reserve. That earthy aged Sumatra inspired the woodiness, while the citrus flavor in the Hacienda Alsacia ties in that note of sweet orange, said Lillian Ontiveros from Starbucks R&D in a press release. “With the first sip, you’ll inhale that woodsy aroma and the savory woodiness of the juniper. On your second sip, you'll get the mandarin. The sage follows on the backend. It's a well-rounded experience.

This literally sounds like a Christmas carol come to life.

For Starbucks lovers unable to shake their beloved iced coffee throughout the winter, Starbucks Reserve also has the perfect cold version of the holiday drink, the Juniper Affogato. The drink is a scoop of Mora juniper iced cream combined with a shot of the Reserve Christmas espresso blend.

You can find your closest Starbucks Reserve in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, D.C, San Francisco, and Dallas, as the Juniper Latte will fly into participating stores via sleigh on December 5th!