The New Starbucks Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso Tastes Like Spring

With daylight saving time right around the corner, the days are going to feel even longer as we adjust to the time change. That being said, there’s no better way to get over that initial tiredness than by treating yourself to a little treat from Starbucks. You might have your favorite beverage already saved in your app or memorized by heart, but Starbucks recently launched a new Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso that could change your mind.

After briefly hinting at a new release on the Starbucks social channels, the company finally announced the latest drink on March 1. The Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is a spring launch but will be a permanent menu item, joining the existing shaken espresso lineup which includes the Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso and the Iced Chocolate Almondmilk Shaken Espresso. I tasted the drink ahead of its launch to give you the rundown on its flavor and how it compares to existing Starbucks beverages.

What’s In The Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso?

The Toasted Vanilla Oatmilk Shaken Espresso is made with Starbucks Blonde espresso and caramelized vanilla that’s shaken together with ice by hand and finished with oat milk. Like the other shaken espressos on the menu, the final drink achieves a nice gradient look and can be sweetened with your sweetener of choice.

What Does The New Starbucks Drink Taste Like?

Starbucks shaken espressos are a great way to enjoy the punch of espresso in an iced drink form since the first step involves the barista brewing the espresso and shaking it on ice with the added flavor syrup. Starbucks shaken espressos are all made with dairy-free milk if that happens to be your preference. You can always ask for a particular milk — Starbucks offers dairy, half & half, heavy cream, almond, coconut, soy, and oat — if you want something besides the default.

After tasting the new beverage, I can confirm it has an added layer of subtle sweetness compared to a normal iced coffee thanks to the caramelized vanilla flavor, although it’s noticeably less sweet than its Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso counterpart. The iced drink is also a good choice if you want to step away from hot beverages as the weather gets warmer and don’t love your drinks overwhelmingly sweet before you add your own sugar or add-ons. Keep in mind you can also always ask for customizations in-store or while ordering on the Starbucks app — like peppermint or raspberry syrup — to mix it up and create a more complex flavor.

What’s On The Starbucks Spring 2022 Menu?

This isn’t the first time Starbucks released a new drink for the springtime. In 2020, the Iced Pineapple Matcha and Iced Golden Ginger came to menus nationwide. Along with the new shaken espresso, this season Starbucks is introducing its new energy drink to their cafés. BAYA Energy’s raspberry lime and mango guava flavors will hit Starbucks shelves soon, so you can try it out and pair it with a cake pop for the ultimate afternoon pick-me-up.