Envy us Midwesterners, o coastal dwellers, for while you (probably) “discovered” oat milk long before we did and drank the entire borough of Brooklyn dry, we get the Starbucks Oatmilk Honey Latte before you do!
I mean, it is fair to say that you probably have lots of oat milk lattes available at cafes that are not Starbucks and that at this point you can waltz into any Starbucks and request that your latte be made with oat milk instead of cow milk, but hey. It’s January. The skies are gray here, and when the sun comes out, the temperature drops precipitously. The news is still bad. We need to celebrate the little things.
Anyway, I tried an Oatmilk Honey Latte this morning on my way into the office. It was very good. It required no extra sweetener, which is always a plus in my book. (An intact lid reduces risk of a spill.) It had a substantial, creamy mouthfeel, closer to dairy than to soy. The oat milk had a mellow flavor that mixed nicely with the espresso. The honey was sweet but not cloying. The whole thing was very balanced. I did not feel like I was drinking a liquified sugar bomb. In fact, the whole thing tasted vaguely healthful, which made me feel virtuous. I felt like a grown-up! (Note: While it does have less sugar and fat than other Starbucks drinks, the Oatmilk Honey Latte is by no means healthy and nutritious, but virtue is relative.)
It’s nice to see that Starbucks is starting to make better accommodations for people with dietary restrictions, either for health or religious reasons, instead of forcing them to make do with inferior alternatives or suffer bloat or crushing guilt. Also, the more oat milk the better, I say.