The first Monday back after a long weekend is always kind of rough, but it’s especially difficult coming off of New Year’s; as the official conclusion of the winter holidays, it means that none of us will have an extra day off for a very, very long time. But maybe this will help you feel better about the situation: The Starbucks Latte Macchiato has arrived! Not only is it a brand new drink — always exciting, especially for the coffee fanatics in the house — but moreover, it’s an addition to the permanent menu. That means you’ve got aaaaaaaall the time in the world to try it out. Learn it. Live it. Love it.
Or whatever it is that people do with their coffee drinks these days.
Anyhoo, here’s the deal: Starting on Jan. 5 (that’s tomorrow, for those who are keeping track), the new Latte Macchiato will arrive at Starbucks stores in the United States, Canada, and select locations in Latin America. Unlike a lot of the holiday specialty drinks we’ve been gulping down for the past couple of months, this one consists of only two ingredients: Espresso and milk. According to Starbucks’ ever-helpful Newsroom:
The new Latte Macchiato features steamed whole milk that is perfectly aerated and free-poured, creating dense foam reminiscent of meringue. The beverage is then marked by slowly-poured full espresso shots, creating a signature espresso dot. Starbucks baristas will use this carefully crafted technique to draw out an intensely bold and roasty flavor that highlights the Starbucks espresso in the beverage.
The end result is a beautifully layered beverage that's almost too pretty to drink. Almost. Because believe you me, I'll still be drinking one anyway. Nothing stands between me and my caffeine.
The Latte Macchiato joins the roster of core espresso beverages available at the coffee giant, bringing the total up to six. The drinks range from bold to creamy, depending on the espresso-to-other-ingredients ratio; according to a nifty little infographic created by Starbucks identifying the differences between all of them, the Latte Macchiato falls at the low end of the middle:
Neat-o, right? And for the curious, here's how it compares to a Flat White, which was introduced to the Starbucks menu around this time last year:
Kind of looks like a reverse Flat White, doesn't it? It seems that what makes a Latte Macchiato unique is the fact that the espresso is added to the milk, rather than the other way around — a characteristic which I'd say is readily apparent here.
They’ll be available to try starting on Jan. 5, so get ready to get excited!
Images: Starbucks (3); Giphy
