We Tried That: Starbucks Now Has Lavender Lattes, but Don't Worry — They Don't Taste Like Spa Water

On March 7, 2024, Starbucks officially entered its lavender era with its introduction of the Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte and the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha. This is the first time the coffee giant has ever experimented with the lavender plant.

As Meryl Streep iconically said in The Devil Wears Prada, "Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking."

The good news is that I got to taste-test these new beverages, and now you all get to hear about them. I'd like to preface this by saying that I am not a culinary expert, a master mixologist, or a coffee connoisseur. I'm barely a person. But my therapist says my feelings are valid, and so here's what I thought about Starbucks's new limited-edition lavender drinks for spring 2024.

When I heard Starbucks was incorporating lavender into its menu, I first thought of Taylor Swift's "Lavender Haze," even though there isn't any connection at all, which is deeply upsetting. And when I first smelled the new drinks, I got the ick and thought of a soap I use.

I mean, lavender in coffee is definitely different! Especially as the lavender plant is usually touted for its healing properties. In fact, according to Sleep Doctor, lavender oil is a popular aromatherapy choice for sleep and relaxation. Some studies have found that using lavender oil for aromatherapy can help improve sleep quality, including in people with insomnia, depression, and anxiety.

That's great, and I definitely have all of those problems as a millennial who should have bought a house in 2008 instead of being in eighth grade.

But when I "go out" for coffee in the morning, I'm not trying to buy something to calm me down. I'm trying to do just the opposite. I'm attempting to resurrect my brain from the dead and fuel my very few brain cells.

Listen, I don't drink coffee for fun, as nothing is fun in 2024 — please grow up if you think otherwise! I drink coffee to be productive and feel powerful. I drink coffee for fake energy, a rapidly beating heart to remind me that I am alive even though I feel dead inside, and to go No. 2 because I probably don't eat enough fiber.

Currently, my usual Starbucks order is for a Black Americano because I feel that adding all the syrups and sugar takes away from the drink's caffeine efficacy. However, that doesn't mean I don't like sugar, though. I have the biggest sweet tooth and love frappes, cake pops, and everything that's bad for me. But during the work week, I want coffee for the caffeine, not the taste.

So, I was a little skeptical of this floral ingredient — would it be too fragrant? Would it make me zen out too much? I actually learned from a Starbucks representative that the lavender used in the drinks comes in powder form and is not a syrup pumped into your drink.

Furthermore, when dispensed in that form and in such a small quantity, you're likely not going to reap the therapeutic benefits of the lavender, which is ideal if you need to be totally clocked in at work. Also, both beverages cater to the dairy-free crowd by using oat milk as the base making it safe for all the hotties with stomach issues.

Upon trying the Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte, I was actually surprised by how much I didn't hate it. Starbucks' Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte features the chain's signature Blonde Espresso with oat milk and a dash of lavender. I was worried it would taste like soap, which is probably needed in my mouth for my often unhinged and offensive comments. But the lavender powder was subtle and light.

It didn't give off main character energy, which is good because I wasn't trying to drink soapy flower coffee — gross! It was nice and smooth, and it went down easy, while still giving me that much-needed caffeine boost to go absolutely feral during the workday.

As for the aesthetics, it's not ugly, but it's not very pretty either. It's mid, and while some purple specks of lavender powder might be at the bottom of your drink, it just looks like any other latte.

Next was the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha, and oof, I gulped that bad boy down like I had been stranded in the desert for weeks without water.

Starbucks' Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha features the coffee roaster's smooth, creamy matcha with oatmilk, served over ice and crowned with a cushy layer of floral lavender cream cold foam. It's not only delicious but also pretty with its soft green base and purple cloud-like topping. You truly can't order one without taking a photo for your Instagram story unless you're a monster.

It's a sweet addition that complements Starbucks's already light and refreshing matcha latte.

But here's the thing: It's not a morning drink. Two hours after I drank it, I was exhausted. It's a drink you should order in the afternoon as a pick-me-up, during a Target run, or on a lazy Sunday, etc. A grande has 60 mg of caffeine, which is weak next to the Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte's 170 mg.

This drink won't give you energy, but it may temporarily remind you that life isn't completely awful. Also, the layer of cold foam at the top featuring the lavender isn't dairy-free, so your bowels may just have to tough it out. But the rest of the beverage should go down easy.

And on that note, my work is done. Lavender is now at Starbucks. Go get it if you want it!