The Starbucks Spring Lineup Includes Two Perfect-for-Spring Lavender Drinks

If you’re the sort to shift your caffeination habits with the season, your seasonal coffee adjustment is probably limited to swapping out your hot coffee for iced or cold brew as temperatures climb, or going for a lighter roast as the days get longer. But Starbucks is now offering another way to celebrate spring via your coffee order by adding lavender flavors to its menu for the first time with the launch of two new spring drinks: the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha and the Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte.

Starbucks is constantly launching new drinks, from permanent menu additions like the olive oil–infused Oleato to limited-time seasonal offerings (see the latest winter menu at Starbucks), but this is the first time the company has explored adding lavender to its beverages.

Available starting March 7 in the U.S., the new lavender drinks at Starbucks (plus the rest of the company’s spring launches) are a clear—and tasty!—sign that spring is well on its way. Read on for more info about the new spring menu at Starbucks, and stop by your nearest Starbucks today for a little floral pick-me-up to get you through these last official weeks of winter.

The New Lavender Drinks at Starbucks

The floral-first flavor addition at Starbucks comes in the form of two carefully crafted drinks: an Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha and an Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte.

Both drinks are made with a proprietary lavender powder that, according to Starbucks lead developer Patrick Penny, is “the best expression of the subtle sweetness of lavender.”

“It reminds me of lavender ice cream because of the light and soft vanilla flavor,” Penny continued in a statement announcing the new drinks.

The result of the powder is a subtle flavor that completely captures the sweet, floral taste of lavender that we all know and love. The two lavender Starbucks drinks are very different, though, and both put a different spin on their floral add-on.

The Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha consists of smooth, creamy matcha served with oatmilk over ice, then topped with a lavender cream cold foam for what Penny calls “a delightfully colorful and unexpectedly delicious flavor combination.”

For a more caffeine-heavy option, try the Iced Lavender Oatmilk Latte. It’s made with Starbucks Blonde Espresso Roast, creamy oatmilk, ice, and that subtle addition of lavender. (This beverage is also available hot.) The result is supremely balanced, with just enough of a hint of lavender to put a little spring in your step.

For both drinks, oatmilk was chosen intentionally, as this specific plant-based milk offers the perfect texture and flavor to complement and carry the lavender notes. While you could request a different milk in your drink, the Starbucks pros suggest sticking with oatmilk to get the full experience of these drinks. (If you avoid dairy completely, note that the lavender cream cold foam in the Iced Lavender Cream Oatmilk Matcha does contain dairy.)

Why Lavender?

The Starbucks beverage development team was inspired to bring lavender to Starbucks locations nationwide after a trip to Sequim, Washington, which calls itself the Lavender Capital of North America. Lavender had also been a popular request from Starbucks employees; the original store in Seattle’s Pike Place Market even serves a specialty lavender-infused honey latte.

“Partners have been asking us to introduce lavender, and it’s a concept we’ve been working on for some time now,” Penny said. “We’re hoping to have captured the feeling of springtime with this flavor.”

Pumpkin spice is well-established as The Flavor of Fall at Starbucks (and beyond, depending on who you ask). Thanks to these new drinks, lavender might just become the trademark flavor of spring for Starbucks everywhere.

More Spring Launches at Starbucks

The new spring offerings at Starbucks don’t stop there. Also starting March 7, Starbucks Reserve locations in Seattle, New York, and Chicago will be offering new malt and affogato options: the Caramel Mocha Drizzle Affogato, the Whiskey Barrel-Aged Malt, the Orange Spice Espresso Martini, and the Roastery Affogato Flight. The Starbucks Reserve Empire State Building store will also exclusively offer the Empire Affogato Flight.

Reserve menus will also newly feature three Princi Avocado Toast varieties, with toppings like pancetta, egg, and cherry tomatoes.

Starbucks will also have new merchandise starting March 7, including colorful seasonal drinkware and items featuring the work of artist Shae Anthony, in honor of Women’s History Month.