Starbucks has officially gone bananas for the summer, and its latest launch might just be the most unexpected drink flavours we’ve tried this year.
Launching first for Starbucks Rewards members from today, 25 June, ahead of a full UK rollout on 2 July, the new Caramelised Banana range brings a sweet, nostalgic twist to iced coffee and matcha. And while banana in coffee and matcha might sound a little confusing at first, we can officially say that we've tried it, and absolutely devoured it. We might even call it the best coffee flavour combination we’ve had all year..!
The range includes the Iced Caramelised Banana Latte, Iced Caramelised Banana Oat Shaken Espresso, Caramelised Banana Velvet Latte and the drink we really need to talk about: the Iced Caramelised Banana Matcha Latte.
Caramelised banana and matcha sounds like the sort of pairing someone invented during a heatwave-induced moment of madness. But it actually works brilliantly. The banana flavour is rich, sweet and slightly toffee-like, bringing that familiar banoffee-style sweetness, while the matcha adds a grassy, earthy freshness that stops the whole thing from becoming too sweet. It’s creamy, refreshing and much more balanced than expected.
The coffee options are just as delicious as they've used its blonde espresso which has a smooth and lighter flavour profile, which works well with the caramelised banana sauce. In the iced latte, it gives a mellow, dessert-like flavour, while the shaken espresso version adds a brighter, more fruity taste.
This entire new range is fun, nostalgic and genuinely a delicious treat if you're after something to cool you down right now. And if you only try one item from the new range, make it the Iced Caramelised Banana Matcha Latte.
Mel is the Senior Food & Drink Writer for Good Housekeeping UK, covering all the delicious new product launches that come her way, writing about food and drink topics, and curating gift guides for the best foodie products to buy. Alongside that, she can be found developing and creating cocktails for GH and holds her WSET Level 2 in Wine and Spirits. She was part of the Good Housekeeping Institute food testing team for over four years before moving over to the digital side, so knows a thing or two about great food products. You'll find her scouring the supermarket shelves in her spare time for new and exciting ingredients to experiment with in her kitchen.
