Starbucks Fans Share First Sip Reactions to New Olive Oil Drinks
The Oleato drinks are infused with cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil.
Starbucks stunned consumers with the announcement that it would be infusing its new drinks with olive oil.
The chain’s new Oleato collection is dubbed as "transformational innovation in coffee,” as it brings together “Starbucks arabica coffee deliciously infused with a spoonful of Partanna cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil."
Olive oil in coffee isn't a traditional drink in Italy, but Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz was inspired by his recent trip to Sicily, choosing to marry the flavors for a unique new coffee experience.
The concoction was first rolled out in Italy before debuting in select U.S. Starbucks Reserve Roasteries in Chicago, Seattle, and New York on March 23. A wider rollout is planned for roughly 600 stores in Los Angeles and Seattle on March 27, with additional stores across the country getting the drinks throughout the year.
Parade previously broke down all of the items being offered, including the three main draws: Oleato? Caffè Latte, Oleato? Golden Foam? Cold Brew, and Oleato? Iced Shaken Espresso.
At first glance, the drinks may sound unappetizing, but they’ve surprisingly gotten some savory responses from Starbucks lovers around the world.
Those who were able to get their hands on the elixir—either in Italy or stateside—have shared their gut reactions upon taking the first sip of the golden-hued beverage on social media.
One customer in Italy commented her thoughts on Starbucks’ Instagram post announcing the new coffee, and she was 100 percent sold: “I had the pleasure to taste the Oleato beverages and i freakin’ LOVE them. It truly is the most velvety coffee. It brought a smile on my face instantly from the first sniff. Can’t wait for everyone to have a taste.”
When the Starbucks account inquired about her favorite sip, she ranked them from best to least favorite—“definitely the Latte, the hot version ?? followed by the Cold Brew. That Golden Foam is magic ?.”
Spoon University sent a brave soul to try the drinks, with the TikToker sharing her delight with the Shaken Espresso, explaining, “honestly, this worked. It wasn’t as weird as I thought it would be,” adding that the flavor is “actually pretty subtle.”
Next up was the Golden Foam Cold Brew, which wasn’t as well received as it was “a little stronger” and “pretty bitter,” though she added that she would order it again just for the foam which was “so pillowy and sweet.”
As for the Oleato Latte, her first thought was that it “tastes like chicken,” which honestly, isn’t convincing. She clarified that it was an “herby baked chicken” flavor profile,” though after a while she “didn’t hate it.”
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One Reddit user, who claims to work at the coffee chain, was pleasantly surprised by the flavors, revealing, “I can admit i really enjoyed two of them but i have mixed feelings about one of them,” later revealing that the mixed feelings were about the Golden Foam drink and only because it “had a unique flavor.”
Another user agreed, “I enjoyed two of them more than the third, but none of them were as grossly offensive as I expected.”
One barista took to TikTok to show fans how the drinks are made, which elicited a flurry of mixed reactions, with one user suggesting that the “golden foam tastes & smells sooo much like olive oil it’s actually unsatisfying and it has a smooth oilbey [sic] after taste.”
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Others seemed to be in agreement with one adding, “its so bad honestly the only okay one is the shaken espresso even then i kept burping up the olive oil,” with another saying the shaken espresso was the best “because of the toffee nut,” adding that even then it still started separating after a bit.
A Twitter user by the name of Big Mike couldn’t get enough, sharing a shot of his coffee along with a croissant, noting, “Oleato golden foam cold brew at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in New York might be my favorite coffee I’ve had in a long long time.”
The Golden Foam had another huge fan, with a Twitter user lamenting, “So good I went back this afternoon. The oleato golden foam cold brew was delicious.”
One customer in Italy was pleased with her order, though due to the simplicity of the drink, she didn’t feel that it warranted such a steep price tag.
Not everyone was convinced, however, as another Italian consumer explained, “I tried the Golden cold foam Oleato cold brew. It was the worst thing I’ve ever tasted. Thank you, have a nice day.”
This TikToker in Italy found herself split somewhere down the middle, adding that the drink was a “little heavy” but that she liked the “spicy olive oil aftertaste.”
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Another weighed in saying that it was better than she thought it was going to be and recording her first sip reaction, adding, “shocked that I actually like this… so creamy.”
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Parade wasn’t able to give the drinks a whirl just yet to form our own opinions, but Delish’s expert opinion is that the “Oleato line is one of the brand's best launches in years.” The writer—a self-proclaimed “olive oil head” who likes her coffee the “bitter the better”—was pleased that the drinks are “not muddled by syrups, creams, and toppings; rather, they're accentuated by a robust star ingredient.”
Yahoo Finance reporters tried the Golden Foam, with Seana Smith declaring, “Initially, I thought it was pretty good. Now, I'm a little skeptical. That aftertaste is very, very strong.”
Dave Briggs explained he’d “give it a go” every once in a while, with Seana quipping, “Not for $9 though.”
She also pointed out a barista at the store explained the drink as a “moisturizer for your lips,” so maybe that in itself is worth a steeper price as you get a coffee and a spa day all in one!
It’s safe to say, the Oleato collection is either a love it or hate it menu item. Will you seek it out for yourself? If you do, let us know your thoughts on Parade’s social media channels!