Summer has officially arrived and that means a whole new set of Refresher drinks to try from Starbucks, and I'm here to tell you exactly what you can expect.
Starbucks is the go-to for drinks of all seasons: holiday drinks in the winter, pumpkin spice lattes in the fall and as soon as the weather really starts getting warm, Starbucks is quick to roll out drinks for summer sipping.
This year, Starbucks' summer drinks are incredibly summery and super refreshing. However, one sticks out as maybe the runt of the litter.
The new drinks are a slushy twist on their popular menu item, Refreshers, offering some of their iconic flavours with a great dash of icy fun.
Starting on Tuesday, June 27, you can waltz into your local Starbucks and order a Frozen Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade, Frozen Strawberry Acai Lemonade or a Frozen Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade.
As for price, where I live in Toronto, they'll cost you $5.75 for a Tall, $6.25 for a Grande, $6.95 for a Venti, and $7.25 for a Trenta for each, but prices will of course change depending on where you are.
And, as someone who got to try them all before they hit stores across Canada, I can safely say that these are some of the most festive drinks that the 'Buck has ever put out.
Here's what I think about Starbucks' new frozen Refreshers.
Frozen pineapple passionfruit lemonade
The Frozen Pineapple Passionfruit Lemonade.
This drink had some of the boldest flavours of the bunch, but I think that, unfortunately, didn't do it any favours.
The pineapple with the slushie was really quite refreshing after the first sip. However, after a few minutes, it started to feel like I was sipping the liquid that canned pineapple sits in.
The slushy part cut that sweetness a bit, but then when I got to the passionfruit near the bottom, I was hit with another slap of sweetness — which similarly reminded me of that sweet liquid from canned fruit.
Ultimately this one was my least favourite of the bunch, but there's a chance that that is just a matter of personal preference.
Maybe I'm just not a pineapple head!
Score: 2/5
Frozen strawberry acai lemonade
The Frozen Strawberry Acai Lemonade.
The second drink I tried was the frozen strawberry acai lemonade and this one was neck-and-neck with my favourite.
It had a nice tartness that balanced the sweetness really well. This is also a drink that only got better as the ice melted, chilling out those vibrant flavours a bit and making it more refreshing as I made my way through it.
I could very easily see this being a favourite for Canadians, and it definitely seemed to be a winner at the taste-testing event.
I think this one didn't quite make the top for me as I like summer drinks that aren't too in-your-face with sweetness. While this drink was quite balanced, it did have a bit of that sweetness.
Score: 4.5/5
Frozen mango dragonfruit lemonade
The Frozen Mango Dragonfruit Lemonade.
And without further ado, here is my favourite of the drinks I tried.
The frozen mango dragonfruit lemonade was a perfectly balanced drink that did a great job of incorporating the real dragonfruit along with the icy slush.
It was sweet, wonderfully mango-y and, with the fruit pieces and ice, had a really nice foamy, cold texture that is guaranteed to cool you off on a summer's day.
Along with being the tastiest, this drink is likely also the most Instagrammable with its eye-catching vibrant purple-pink colour.
This one is something that will make heads turn as you strut down main street sippin' it.
Score: 5/5
If you're also someone who likes to enjoy some food with your drink, you can also try Starbucks' new Potato, Cheddar & Chive Bakes, which are a "protein packed meal" made from eggs, cheddar cheese, potatoes, onion and chives, according to Starbucks Canada. These will also be available starting June 27.
So Starbucks fans, why not get out there and enjoy the summer with these new sips?
Splash fraîcheur fraise et fruit de la passion et Refreshers ananas et fruit de la passion@iza.bee | Narcity Québec
Refreshers fraise açaï à la limonade et Splash fraîcheur au citron@iza.bee | Narcity Québec
Starbucks Refreshers à la mangue et au fruit du dragon et Splash fraîcheur à la pêche et à la mangue.@iza.bee | Narcity Québec