If you couldn’t tell from the increased population of Pinterest girls and coffee cups, Fall is quickly approaching. This means fall menus have been released and opinions are being formed as people test out new and improved flavors to determine which will be crowned as their cold weather safety drink.

Starbucks has two new drinks available: the Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso and the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte. Three Tree Coffee also released their fall menu recently: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Secret Garden, and Espresso Tonic.

Here’s what I had to say about them,

ranked from favorite to least favorite:

1. Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte

• Overall rating: 9.5/10
• Description (according to Starbucks’ official website): “Black tea infused with cinnamon, other warming spices, and milk topped with a sweet pumpkin cream cold foam and a dusting of pumpkin spice topping.”
• Summary: Call it what you will, it was a pumpkin milkshake and it was delicious. The sweet taste and creamy texture was tear-worthy. The only flaw is the abundance of ice they put in every drink, causing a strange watered-down taste about halfway through.

This is the first and last picture I could manage before chugging my drink right there on the pedestrium like a linebacker during halftime. I went to Starbucks immediately before class in an attempt to put a buffer between the chai latte and my bank balance-crippling addiction, but it never made it into the building with me.

Delicious. Creamy, sweet, nearly made me cry. Again, the only reason I stole .5 is because they put too much ice in it and it became watered down. Even then, I could taste the faintest whisper of layered scarfs and the cries of pumpkins being turned into Jack-o’-Lanterns.

The pumpkin foam was truly a creation of a higher power. It balanced the sweet earthy flavor of cinnamon spice with the frothiness of a chai latte. However, it’s a little milk-heavy, so if you’re lactose intolerant or just wanting to add another distinct flavor, ask for oatmilk (my personal go-to) or another substitute. 

• Caffeine count: There’s no coffee in an Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte, but black tea still contributes to the caffeine count at approximately 95mg in a Grande (16 fl oz). Though, compared to Pumpkin Spice Lattes, with approximately 150mg in a Grande, this might not cut it for some people.
• (Employee recommended! Jessica, a friendly Starbucks barista at Russell Union, didn’t hesitate in telling me her favorite fall flavor is the Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte when asked for a recommendation.)

2. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

• Overall rating: 8/10
• Description (according to Three Tree Coffee’s website): “Coconut flavored cold brew with pineapple cold foam.”
• Summary: Very accurate to its description! In fact, it exceeded my expectations. I don’t know how they got coffee and milk to taste like coconut and pineapple, but I don’t doubt their genius. However,  I personally don’t like the taste of regular coffee or even fruity drinks in general, so even though it was good for its genre, I prefer sweet over citrus in my heart. Two point deduction!

Before mixing the cold foam into the cold brew, I took a small sip of both to sample their bare flavors and I was transported to a world of coconut clothes and shaved ice: the perfect tropical destination. This drink was carefully crafted for the small period of time where summer dusks and autumn dawns, reminding us of the warmer season we leave behind every September. The coconut and pineapple blends together into a soft bittersweet flavor with a tart, fruity coffee aftertaste.

In simple words: I’ve never enjoyed pineapple or coconut flavored things, but this cold brew might have me convinced. 

Usually, coffee’s aftertaste makes me want to scrape my tongue and gargle mouthwash, so the fruity freshness that awaited me after my first sip had me in disbelief. The mission seemed impossible but Three Tree Coffee exceeded my expectations and delivered the perfect morning coffee. 

Accompanying the blend was a picture perfect atmosphere for studying. Little tables perfect to clutter with laptops, textbooks, and a fresh cold brew (and maybe one of their delicious pastries or sandwiches as well). The next time I visit- which will be very, very soon- I’m bringing all my homework and maybe even a book to annotate, just to fulfill the cozy academic vibes of the coffeehouse.

All in all, the only negatives to my first Three Tree Coffee experience was the embarrassment of saying “Can I please get a Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” to the barista.

3. Secret Garden:

• Overall rating: 7.5/10
• Description (according to Three Tree Coffee’s official website): “Iced Butterfly Pea Tea and Matcha explosion! Sweetened with vanilla and creamy with oat milk.”
• Summary: Tea and matcha, to me, are on opposite sides of the earthiness tasting scale. So when put together, they balance out in an almost flavorless way (especially when iced), deducting a few points in its favor. The tea’s taste is a little stronger and the matcha is almost soothing, paired together they almost put me asleep at the table.

Matcha has always been an intense hit or miss with me so this concoction threw me for a loop. On my first sip, the earthiness of the matcha overpowered the subtle palatableness of the tea, but the more I drank the more it balanced itself out. The ice eventually watered it all down, but as I stirred my drink I noticed it didn’t bother the drink’s taste or texture.

The oatmilk bridged the gap between the distinct flavors nicely, giving them a creamier texture to melt into. Vanilla added a swirl of sweetness into the blend to compliment the tea, which became more prominent towards the last handful of sips. The aftertaste left a pleasant mint-adjacent tang in my mouth. 

So far, everything I’ve consumed from Three Tree has tasted clean and fresh, a far cry from the soggy feeling most big chain coffee brands offer. 

I’m a firm believer in matching a palette to a location, and while I wish I could get a Secret Garden to-go and magically teleport to the banks of the Seine, Three Tree Coffee does a beautiful job of matching the distinct flavors of their drinks to the atmosphere and decorations of their building, so much so that it’s almost a shame to separate the two experiences.

4. Apple Crisp Oat Milk Shaken Espresso:

• Overall rating: 6/10
• Description (according to Starbucks’ official website): “Blonde espresso combined with notes of apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar shaken together to blend the flavors and topped with oatmilk for a perfectly balanced flavor and energizing fall treat.”
• Summary: Espresso and I have had a bad history. This felt like an olive branch, an attempt to taste less like eating a pile of leaves. The toppings were subtle but delicious, and the oatmilk sweetened the sharpness of the espresso shots. Not really my thing, but it definitely has its positives. For instance, I finished all my work in thirty minutes and even went for a run (or two) to blow off some of that caffeine-fueled energy. Perfect morning drink, but don’t make the mistake of drinking it at 5p.m. like me.

It was confusion at first sip. My mouth didn’t enjoy the bitterness of the espresso (hidden behind the apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar like an elephant behind a tree) but after one, I couldn’t stop taking more. Once the ice melted, the sharpness rounded off a little and it was more tolerable. 

I usually don’t enjoy darker coffees and I’d heard a few complaints, so I was expecting to dislike it, yet it surprised me. I don’t know if the spirit of Kayeighleigh took over or if my taste buds finally matured, but it didn’t make my face sour or scrunch up as much as usual: a step in the right direction. 

I can definitely see the appeal of beginning your morning with a swirl of dark flavors and a faint apply aftertaste! It woke me up just in time for my 8a.m. so it’s a great contender if you want a pep in your step.

Despite my ability to finish it, it was still a little too bitter for me as I prefer my coffee in milkshake form. I went and got this drink twice at separate locations for confirmation, but it won’t be making my fall rotation this year.

• Caffeine count: There is approximately 255mg in a Grande (16 fl oz) Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. A Grande contains 3 shots of Blonde Espresso, which is estimated to be around 85mg of caffeine. There are 2 shots in a Tall and 4 in a Venti.

Fall Foods:

1. Cinnamon Coffee Cake:

• Overall rating: 9/10
• Description: “Buttery, moist, coffee cake swirled with a cinnamon-sugar blend and finished with a crunchy streusel topping.”

Let me just say this: If it were legal to marry a concept, I think cinnamon coffee cake would be the one. 

I got this as a pick-me-up after studying for exams and it definitely did its job. They give it to you warmed up, and I was getting it to-go so I took an experimental pinch off a corner. It was warm and soft and deliciously sweet. Biting into the crunchy streusel and clumps of cinnamon-sugar were tiny euphoric-filled explosions that made the inevitable cavities worth it. 

While it doesn’t serve as a breakfast/meal item, it’s the perfect sweet treat to brighten your spirits in between classes.

2. Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffin

• Overall rating: 9/10
• Description: “Our signature gluten-free and dairy-free muffin… Fluffy and delicious! This one has espresso and chocolate chips.”

This is your official warning: Sprint to your nearest Three Tree Coffee location right now and get one before I begin buying them in bulk. This was the best thing I’ve eaten in weeks, especially when it’s still warm. Ooey gooey chocolate chips melt into an espresso-dominated aftertaste, leaving the alertness only a morning coffee can provide. One bite rejuvenated me, though that might have been more of a chocolate thing.

The muffin itself was sweet and soft, void of any stale crumbs usually encountered when purchasing baked goods. It surprised me a little. The best $4 I ever spent.

3. Everything Kolache:

• Overall rating: 8.5/10
• Description: “A house-made Eastern European sweet roll filled with cream cheese and topped with everything bagel spices!”

The kolache itself was soft and doughy, which I was expecting. However, I was not expecting the perfect tangy taste from the seasonings or the sweetness of the cream cheese filling. These four characteristics blended together beautifully and I had to stop myself from devouring it in four bites.

It was the perfect study snack, no residue on your fingers to grease up all your pencils. This will be a recurring purchase from me!