We Tried the Latest Starbucks Drink

Welcome back, PSL, and say hello to your new best friend.

It’s possible we hit peak pumpkin last year (hard pass on the pumpkin spice Extra gum), but come fall, the return of the pumpkin spice latte is still a tradition I actually welcome. The warming combo of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove is just the cozy blanket I need as I cry myself to sleep over the end of tank tops and flip flops in exchange for another long, rainy winter.The classic PSL returns to Starbucks as of September 1, and just after the long weekend on September 5, a new pumpkin friend joins the ranks: the Teavana Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte. We got an early preview at the office, and it’s fair to say the lines were firmly drawn between classic tea drinkers (myself and executive editor Stacey McLachlan), and afternoon coffee drinkers (associate art director Natalie Gagnon and senior editor Jessica Barrett).The latte pair preferred the original, the bitter edge of the espresso balancing the sweetness of the pumpkin spice syrup. Stacey and I actually dug the new tea version—it’s less sweet, but still has a good chest-warming kick from the mix of spices. And of course, a slightly milder caffeine buzz for later in the day which, now that I’m all forty-something, is just the kind I need.