Summer appears to be over and the cosy 'ber' months are underway
Whereas the equinox is the official start to Autumn, for many people, the blanket season begins as soon as big coffee chains start dishing up their cosy menus. Whether you are a PSL fanatic or you prefer something less 'orange', it's the best time of year to settle down with a warming treat from your favourite coffee shop. I put some of the most popular ones from three of the big chains to the test.
Starbucks
Seattle-based Starbucks effectively started the coffee shop revolution on this side of the pond. Found on everyone's Instagram story at this time of year, it's hard to hide from the Pumpkin Spiced season.
To be honest, I tried one a few years ago and was far from impressed. I have not touched one since. But for the sake of this experiment, I had to bite the bullet. At a hefty £5.60 for a medium PS latte, I told myself the seasonal taste had better be worth it.
Rather surprisingly, after my previous experience, the brew was decent, but nothing revolutionary. While the taste of pumpkin is present, mixed with a cinnamony aftertaste, it's not overwhelming, and it leaves a sweet feel. With a few bright orange sprinkles over the foam, I can nearly see why people see that a coffee is aesthetically pleasing enough to post on social media.
While I may have misjudged the classic PSL a few years ago, I can't really see why it gets the huge hype that it does. 4/10.
Costa
A personal favourite between the two big chains, Costa's autumn range opts for a maple theme for its fall menu.
A medium Maple Hazel Latte set me back £4.50.
Once I got through the whipped cream with what I think was caramel sprinkles, the latte was smooth and sweet. I can't say that I've had either maple or hazel as a syrup before (vanilla is always the king) but it was definitely better than the pumpkin spice.
Definitely more of an autumn feel about this one, with a better taste and lower price, worthy of a 7/10.
Caffe Nero
UK chain Caffe Nero got in on the act too. They've just released their Amaretto flavours, which are arguably a less obvious nod to the season. At £3.64 after 25 % off thanks to Compare the Market, it was a decent price.
The syrup was probably the least noticeable of the three. It tasted more of a regular latte with just a twinge of probably the sweetest shot of the other big brands.
The more I drank, the stronger it got, but even then it was nothing to write home about. 5/10
