This is the Starbucks Dark Chocolate Cold Brew ($6.40, no ice). It’s a ’20hr slow steeped cold brew coffee mixed with vanilla syrup and topped with dark chocolate sweet cream and Belgian chocolate curls’.

When enjoyed chilled, the cold brew base maintained its customary smoothness, displaying well-balanced acidity and bitterness. However, the ‘dark chocolate sweet cream’ diverged from the liquid consistency of the typical sweet cream, exhibiting a thickened texture akin to whipped cream. This substantial creaminess notably enhanced the coffee’s body, yet it lacked a discernible chocolate character of its own. Instead, the beverage appeared to rely solely on Belgian chocolate curls to convey the chocolate element. However, a more substantial quantity of these curls would have been necessary to truly accentuate the dark chocolate flavour. On the whole, this proved to be a disappointing beverage, although it retained some appeal due to the commendable cold brew base; the dark chocolate components fell short of elevating the experience.

This Dark Chocolate Cold Brew was purchased from Starbucks in Sydney, Australia in May 2023.