STARBUCKS is adding a new range of drinks to its menu with a very unusual ingredient.
The coffee giant has created three new beverages that are infused with olive oil.
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The new line of drinks is called Oleato and includes a latte, iced espresso, cold brew.
Each of them come with a a tablespoon of Partanna extra virgin olive oil.
They won’t be on menus here just yet, and Starbucks stores in Milan will be serving up the unusual concoction first and from tomorrow (February 22).
But The Sun got an exclusive first taste of the unusual coffees at Starbucks top secret labs before they launch in the UK later this year.
The Oleato Iced Shaken Espresso is made with rich espresso and oat milk over ice and the Oleato Golden Foam Cold Brew is cold brew coffee topped with cream foam.
Then there’s the Oleato Caffé Latte uses Starbucks blonde espresso roast beans, served with whichever type of milk you prefer.
There are no prices set yet for the drinks when they hit stores over here, but we’ll let you know as soon as we know.
You’ll be able to add an extra spoonful of olive oil to selected other drinks too, just like requesting a shot of caramel or vanilla syrup.
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Starbucks has also not yet revealed exactly when and where this will be available.
First look at Starbucks new drinks range
When the new range – and bizarre ingredient – were first revealed I was completely shocked.
I was not expecting such a wacky ingredient when we’re used to getting flavours like salted pretzel and the classic pumpkin spice.
I tried all three new drinks and each were unlike any other drink I’ve ever tried before.
First up was the shaken iced espresso. Nothing looked different to the usual serving I might get in any Starbucks.
But immediately I could taste the nutty flavour of the olive oil, which is added with the milk rather than to the coffee itself and shaken.
It was odd at first, especially with the rich espresso, but not unpleasant.
The flavour was almost savoury but the addition of oat milk added some creaminess.
After a couple of sips – and after getting past the surprise of the extra ingredient – I started to enjoy the beverage and I would have finished it off if I’d had the chance.
I’ve tried the same drink flavoured with brown sugar instead of olive oil. The fresh addition creates a more savoury flavour.
Each sip left an almost buttery coating on my lips and whilst this was a slightly odd feeling, it was thoroughly enjoyable.
Next up was the Golden Foam Cold Brew, the smell of which hit me first.
The dollop of creamy foam on top made it look more appealing than the iced espresso and created the dreamy whiff.
Standard foam cold brews are not an everyday item at Starbucks in the UK, but sometimes appear on seasonal menus.
Olive oil is in the foam rather than the coffee itself, but melts into the cold brew as you go.
The drink tasted as sweet as it smelled as I took my first sip.
It was super creamy and like whipped cream you get on a hot chocolate, but with the nutty taste of the oil again.
This wasn’t unpleasant and I preferred the additional sweetness from the foam compared to the shaken espresso.
This drink reminded me a bit of Starbucks Frappucinos because of the texture.
But the taste was completely different to anything I’ve tried due to the nutty flavour in the foam.
Finally, I tried Caffé Latte which is the only hot drink in the line up.
The Blonde Espresso is a light roast which tastes smooth and a little sweet.
This drink also stands apart from the other drinks as it’s the only one where olive oil is added to the coffee itself.
It’s combined with the olive oil and is steamed with creamy oat milk which gives it a velvety texture.
The warmth of the coffee and mix of the oat milk masks the flavour of the olive oil slightly more in this drink, but it’s definitely still there.
The latte had the least flavour of olive oil, but there was still a hint of it.
This is probably because the steamed milk is added to the coffee making it less strong, and because it’s hot.
It tasted like a regular latte but with that slightly nutty flavour again.
My verdict
The drinks don’t taste any better or worse than normal coffee drinks – just completely different to any other drink I’ve tried.
I’ve never seen olive oil added to a brew before and couldn’t find any other coffee shop in the UK doing it either.
Starbucks top boss Howard Schultz said he was inspired to add olive oil after visiting Sicily where he spotted locals sipping a spoonful in the morning.
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the addition of olive oil – which I’m more used to drizzling over my food.
When they launch, I will definitely give them another go – the cold brew would be my first choice as I liked the extra sweetness of the foam.
But as Starbucks has not yet revealed prices for the drinks, or information on how many calories they contain, I’d want to check that out first before getting my coffee fix.
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