Be still your beating caffeinated heart: Starbucks is introducing the Chile Mocha to its fall beverage lineup this year, and it is, scientifically speaking, a party in your mouth. While we tend to think of traditional ~fall~ beverages as leaning toward the sweet side, this new drink just turned everything you thought you knew about autumnal drinks on its head — made with Starbucks espresso topped with a blend of cocoa and spice steamed together with two percent milk, and topped with whipped cream and a blend of ancho chili pepper, sea salt, cinnamon, paprika, cayenne chili pepper and sugar, it is like nothing you've ever tasted before.
I know, I know — some of us whose tastebuds the weaker sauce end of the spice spectrum might raise an eyebrow at this departure from the usual fall fare. But fear not, fellow spice weaklings. For although there is certainly a zesty kick to the Chile Mocha, it is entirely evened out by the sweetness of the cocoa, and has just the right amount of pizzazz to wake you up on your sleepy autumn commute. If the PSL is the cool dude you're secretly stalking on Twitter in high school (or obsessively messaging on Facebook chat bot), then the Chile Mocha is its hip younger sister — equally cool, but def striking her own path in this world, thank you very much.
And more good news for early adopters of this new drink — you can customize it in any which way your spicy heart desires. If you're still beating the heat in autumn, you can get it as a Frappuccino Blended Beverage (a Chilly Chile Mocha, if you will); if you're living that dairy-free life, you can get it with Starbucks' brand new addition of Almondmilk; and if you're craving it as a bedtime snack, you can order it in decaf as well.
So when can you start hanging out with the hip little sis of the PSL? Early access will be available to Starbucks Rewards loyalty members starting September 3 (check your email and the app, y'all!), and it will be available nationwide on September 6, the same day the PSL emerges from the autumnal Starbucks vault. So go forth and be bold this fall, fellow coffee addicts! Your taste buds will thank you for it.
Images: Courtesy of Starbucks
