Sure, the Americans may have gotten their hands on it first this year, but we Londoners haven’t got long to wait. Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte is officially returning (no surprises there), and there isn’t long to wait. The drink will be available for those after a caffeine-fuelled dose of autumn from September 7 onwards.
Rewards members can get it a week early, with the PSLs available from today (August 31) for those in the know.
In classic Starbucks fashion, the drink’s return is accompanied by a number of other similar drinks to get us through the colder months. The Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino takes the drink and amps up the sugary satisfaction in an icy blended drink. Cold brew fans, meanwhile, can still get that autumnal feeling on warmer days thanks to the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew.
And just a reminder for those who get hung up on the ‘pumpkin’ part of the name: the OG drink is not a pumpkin and coffee drink. Instead, it was invented to evoke the flavours of American pumpkin pie, with an emphasis on the spices used. Think of a mulled cider or mulled wine – but in coffee form. Starbucks’s drink makes use of both pumpkin pie-flavoured syrup and a pumpkin spice topping.
Since 2015, however, the drink has included actual pumpkin. This followed widespread confusion about whether the drink was a ‘pumpkin spice’ drink or a ‘pumpkin spice‘ drink. So to placate both camps, it’s now both!
If you can’t wait, look no further than high-street rival Greggs. They’ve got their own Pumpkin Spice Latte, with iced versions even up for grabs from some of their shops. After all, some people want iced coffees all year round – even in the midst of winter.