We Tried Starbucks' Newest Fall Drink And It Might Be Better Than The PSL

No other coffee shop does fall quite like Starbucks, largely thanks to the pumpkin spice latte. But the ubiquitous autumnal beverage has a delicious new rival: the cardamom latte.

Unlike the fiery orange and verging-on-cloying PSL, the cardamom latte is subtly sweet and spicy, reminiscent of a frothy chai latte with a hint of espresso. The new cardamom latte will be available in Canada starting on September 6, and is made with cardamom-spice-sugar-infused milk and espresso and comes sprinkled with more cardamom and sugar. Starbucks tends to overdo it with its flavoured lattes — they're often way too sugary, with an almost syrupy mouthfeel. But this one, which is available only in Canada, isn't over-the-top, it's just comforting and satisfying, which is what you want from a warm beverage when it's sweater weather.

It seems like Starbucks is moving past its love affair with Instagram-bait beverages after its series of gimmicky frappuccinos fell flat following the success of the Unicorn Frappuccino in 2017. At least, that looks like it's the case in Canada. This past spring, the global coffee chain introduced a new line of tea lattes. And like the cardamom latte, the teas don't feel like dessert and actually taste good — like something you could drink regularly.

You can get it made with dairy or the alt-milk of your choice (soy, almond or coconut) and with or without the sugary cardamom sprinkles on top. Now, we'll just have to wait and see what Starbucks fills its signature red cups with come the holiday season (which starts in less than two months at Starbucks, so savour fall while you can).