Fall is here, and the rulers of seasonal beverages are back to work. Starbucks released its featured fall menu, complete with a new drink: the Apple Crisp Macchiato.

Starbucks advertised the drink as, “Layered flavors of apple and brown sugar meld like the filling of a gooey apple pie in harmony with espresso, milk, ice and a caramelized-spiced apple drizzle—a nostalgic autumn pick-me-up.”

Clocking in at 280 calories for a “grande” size with 49 grams of carbs and 150 mg of caffeine.

The Iowa State Daily Editorial staff was intrigued by the seasonal drink. With the buzz around its release, the staff wanted to see if it would be the new Pumpkin Spice Latte.

The editors evaluated the drink by smell, appearance and taste. They also responded to the price and calorie count.

Madison Mason, Engagement Editor

Appearance

“I mean, it was definitely pleasant-looking. So, I mean, it looked like a macchiato. So I would probably give it an eight out of 10.”

Smell

“It smells like apple, like cinnamon!”

Taste

“It tastes really sweet. It’s kind of like a mix of like- it’s like a sweetened apple cider almost, but with a milk base, so it’s kind of odd-tasting.”

Price and calories

“It’s really expensive and a lot of calories for a coffee. Because of how sweet it is, I probably couldn’t finish a grande of it.”

Gabby Lucas, Visuals Editor

Appearance

“I noticed it when you brought it in. I was like, ‘That’s a beautiful macchiato,’ like the barista snapped. ⁅It was⁆ layered perfectly. But I know that that is not like it doesn’t apply to the drink itself. It’s the barista!”

Smell

“It smells fantastic. It does smell like a candle, but I like candles. It’s one of those things that tastes how it smells, which isn’t always good.”

Taste

“Oh, I actually like that…oh, no, no, no, I don’t. It tastes really good until it goes down. And the like you smell it in the back of your throat. It’s just apple…It’s refreshing, I guess. It’s just not the best Starbucks drink I’ve had.”

Price and calories

“Tell me why a cup of coffee is the same price and calories as like a meal from a fast food place.”

Katherine Kealey, Politics Editor

Appearance

“I thought it looked hot; it’s cute!”

Smell

“It does smell really good. So, they should make it into a candle!”

Taste

“No! No, I don’t appreciate it. I mean, it’s not coffee. It doesn’t feel like coffee!”

Price and calories

“Is that a lot?”

Matt Belinson, Sports Editor

Appearance

“I liked it. I think the way it was layered was kind of cool.”

Smell

“They are right; it does smell good. It kind of smells like going to an apple orchard, and they have their little gift area? It smells like that.”

Taste

“Yeah, it’s ok. I don’t know. The first sip, I tasted it and thought it had potential, but no.”

Price and calories

“That’s the price?! Oh, no.”

Logan Metzger, Managing Editor

Appearance

“I thought it was very pretty. It’s a very pretty drink with the layers and everything. I would buy it off of sight.”

Smell

“Definitely, candle-y, which I think is a referring trend. It makes me think of fall. I really love apple cider, so it makes me think of apple cider, which this isn’t apple cider, so it kind of disappoints me in that.”

Taste

“It’s not bad. The initial: great. It’s good; it’s cool, it’s coffee. But then there’s a weird apple taste…It’s not a bad aftertaste; it’s not gross or anything. It’s just not expected, therefore puts me off of it. I would drink it again.”

Price and calories

“I don’t know anything about calories, so that doesn’t make sense to me! That’s not a bad price, I think. It’s a novelty drink; basically, you’re paying for the experience of it at the same time as getting the product.”

The editors seemed to stick with their stance on the drink smelling like candles, and some liked it more than others. Whether you decide to try the Apple Crisp Macchiato or stick to your usual order, the Iowa State Daily editors worked their hardest to deliver their truth to readers.