The arrival of fall means one thing for Starbucks coffee lovers — the famous fall menu is finally here. 

Returning for its 20th year, the Pumpkin Spice Latte remains among the fall favorite drinks for many customers. However, this year the menu features two new seasonal beverages: the Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso and the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte. 

“We have our pumpkin spice items, which are super popular,” said Sanai Johnson, a fourth-year studying psychology and Starbucks barista. “We came out with something new this year, the Iced Pumpkin Chai, and that has been totally a killer.”

Here’s a review of its fall drinks, rated on a scale of one to five. I took into consideration categories such as flavor accuracy, the likelihood I would buy this again and the question, “Does this drink feel like fall?”

Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte: 4/5

Does it live up to its hype? Yes. Although the orangey-color is kind of disturbing when opening the cup, its taste makes up for it. 

Jessie Alegre, a Starbucks barista, said even though this year’s fall menu introduces new options, the Pumpkin Spice remains a customer favorite. 

“I feel like Pumpkin Spice Latte is just so up there, especially within Starbucks,” Alegre said. “But the chai with pumpkin foam is slowly rising up there. I think we’ve definitely gotten more orders of that than the regular Pumpkin Spice Latte.”

Overall, the 20-year-old beverage receives a four out of five. Its renowned presence within the fall menu is justified, as its prominent pumpkin flavor brings the fall spirit to anyone who drinks it. 

Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte: 5/5

That first sip feeling. Personally, I’ve never been a chai person, but this drink might have turned me into one. 

The pumpkin flavor was there. After a few minutes, I could still taste the pumpkin spice in my system. 

On a scale from one to five, this cozy, seasonal treat receives a five, as this beverage is the closest representation of how the fall season feels in a cup of coffee. 

Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso: 4/5

Although the ice waters down the flavor of the apple crisp, this cold, seasonal drink had the right amount of sweetness and pumps of coffee for it to be a great tasting experience. As an avid fanatic of the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso myself, this new apple version might be my new go-to during the fall season. 

Overall, this coffee was a solid four out of five. It had the perfect amount of sweetness, making it neither too sweet nor too bitter. 

Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew: 2/5

I could barely taste the pumpkin in the drink, leading to a lack of the fall vibe that distinguishes the Starbucks fall beverages. This was just regular coffee that someone would order on a day-to-day basis rather than ordering it on a day where the leaves are starting to fall and the soundtrack of “Gilmore Girls” is playing in my headphones. 

Joanna Paul, a fourth-year studying human biology, said the drink was heavily coffee-flavored, which overpowered the flavor of pumpkin. 

“Coffee does not really taste like pumpkin,” Paul said. “I wish it was a little bit sweeter, personally. But if you prefer a stronger coffee or something that’s not super sweet, this would be good for you. … I probably would not get this again.” 

Sorry Starbucks, but this drink is a two out of five. The lack of pumpkin flavor brings the beverage to a low score on the flavor accuracy and experience category as it doesn’t give a fall vibe to its customers. 

Hot Apple Crisp Oatmilk Macchiato: 4.5/5

On a crisp fall afternoon, this drink feels like a warm embrace in your mouth. 

“[Starbucks] had the apple brown sugar syrup back, that one is pretty popular as well,” Alegre said. “Personally, I think that one smells better than it tastes. It’s kind of like an acquired taste, so you have to mix and match to see where it goes.” 

You can taste the apple crisp in this drink from the first sip, which elevates the score to a 4.5 out of five. 

Overall, the Starbucks fall menu has a variety of flavors that will appeal to any coffee lovers this fall season. Although the Pumpkin Spice Latte keeps its top position — as of right now — among frequent customers, the Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte appears to be its major competitor this season.