Starbucks has new, limited-edition Cherry Mocha drinks in honor of Valentine's Day, so we decided to do a little taste test.
I, along with several of my co-workers, were curious what the new Cherry Mocha drinks Starbucks released for Valentine's Day tasted like. So, like any curious minds (or mouths?), we did a taste test. The Cherry Mocha is only available for a week, with the final day being Valentine's Day. It's made with hot espresso, cherry syrup, mocha sauce, then topped off with whipped cream and cocoa Valentine's Day sprinkles. You can order it hot, iced, or blended. There's also a hot chocolate version. We sampled all of them, except for the hot chocolate, along with the new bakery additions, which included confetti-heart-covered cake pops and a sugar cookie.
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courtesy of Starbucks[/caption]
I was definitely alone in my opinion on the cherry-filled concoctions. My co-workers all raved about the smooth taste and how the drinks were comforting and sweet with their blend of cherries, chocolate, and coffee. Meanwhile, I was trying to find something -- literally anything at that point -- to get the awful taste out of my mouth. Unfortunately, nothing seemed to help.
Now don't get me wrong, I love cherries. I love chocolate. And I love coffee. But I was not a fan of the three of them blended together. It was just too much for me. Give me a White Chocolate Mocha any day. For me, the simpler the coffee, the better.
It also didn't help that all three of the drinks we sampled were filled to the brim with sugar. Plus, they left a bad cherry after-taste that stays with you, no matter how much you try to cleanse your palate. (I can still taste the cherry syrup as I type this.)
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courtesy of Starbucks[/caption]
I did, however, enjoy the cake pops, as did my co-workers -- though some said they were too rich for their tastes. The sugar cookie on the other hand was dry and tasted more like shortbread than a sugar cookie. I definitely tried both solely for the purpose of getting the ever-lasting cherry taste out of my mouth. (It didn't work.)
Basically, these Valentine's Day drinks and treats are definitely meant to be limited-time, because there's no way any of us could stomach that much sweetness on a day-to-day basis. To each their own, I guess.
Have you tried Starbucks' Cherry Mocha? If so, what did you think? We'd love to hear how your thoughts compare to ours. Leave a comment below, and let's get the conversation started.
