Starbucks Has Invented An Entirely New Espresso Drink

Like any smart company, Starbucks loves to create hype. After quietly dropping the classic cappuccino from its featured lineup, the coffee giant introduced its cousin from Down Under, the flat white. Meanwhile, the differences between the two are very slight: The small layer of foam that sits atop a cappuccino is left off its Australian counterpart.

Now the coffee company is at it again, this time developing an entirely new drink that it’s dubbing the “latte macchiato.” The name itself is curious. It’s two vastly different espresso drinks competing in one cup: the latte, a milk-heavy, foamy espresso drink, versus the macchiato, a double shot of espresso topped with a light layer of foam.

Yet the brand insists that this new drink is much different from both of its predecessors—and the newcomer flat white as well. In a release, Starbucks representatives describe the latte macchiato as “a burst of bold, roasty espresso in the first sip that’s softened by creamy steamed whole milk.” In comparison, they say, the flat white “offers a sweet balanced flavor” of espresso and “velvety” steamed whole milk.

If, like us, that not-so-different description doesn’t clarify things enough for you, here’s a side-by-side comparison of Starbucks’ standard lineup—one with the standard espresso macchiato from years past (left) and the new menu featuring the latte macchiato (right)—complete with drink diagrams.

Here’s how Starbucks describes the way this new drink is made: Baristas aerate whole milk until it’s foamy, then pour two shots of espresso through the foam, marking it with a single dot of espresso and supposedly suspending the espresso throughout the steamed milk and foam temporarily.

But are the proportions any different? Is Starbucks just smartly marketing an amped up latte with a turbo shot in it? It’s hard to say without exact measurements of every ingredient. We also have to wonder if this is Starbucks way of reminding us that it’s always offered the macchiato—especially after it’s top competitor, Dunkin Donuts, debuted its first macchiato this fall.

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