IMAGE FROM STARBUCKS
I had the chance to try the Chestnut Praline Chai Tea Latte both yesterday and today, and I was excited.
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Chestnut praline syrup is great to mix with several of the other Starbucks syrups, and Starbucks is starting to utilize its potential after having it for several years.
The basic flavor profile is given in the official Starbucks description of the Chestnut Praline Chai Tea Latte:
“Your beloved Chai gets a holiday twist with the complementary flavors of caramelized chestnuts and subtle holiday spices.”
My recommendation
Normally I get my Starbucks lattes with breve and fewer pumps of syrup. In this case, for a grande Chestnut Praline Chai, I’d keep the normal 4 pumps of Lightly Sweet Chai and cut the pumps of Chestnut Praline syrup from 4 to 2 pumps.
I really enjoy the Dirty Chai, which is a Chai Tea Latte with 1 or more shots of espresso. It’s an off-the-menu drink that’s been around for years, but it needs a little sweetness added in to make it perfect. The chestnut Praline syrup fills the gap perfectly! If you’re adding espresso, the default number of pumps works better with all the flavors than fewer pumps. So if you get
My experience
It’s sweet without being overwhelming. The standard Chai Tea Latte is sweet, so if you like the classic chai latte this new chai should hit the spot. The nutritional information below gives the sugar content as 42 grams, exactly the same as a standard Chai Tea Latte of the same size. The chestnut praline syrup adds sweetness and a nice nutty flavor which blends very nicely with the spice. The spiciness gives a lingering aftertaste on the back of your tongue as the nutty flavor fades.
The topping is a mix of sugar, spices and more, including cane sugar, clove, cinnamon, and ginger.
If you prefer the lightly sweet chai, this may not be for you. It’s significantly sweeter than the Lightly Sweet Chai Tea Latte.
Verdict
This is a good holiday take on the classic Chai Tea Latte! I’m pretty happy with it. The Chestnut Praline Chai Latte mixes both things I like separately – chai and chestnut praline – into one drink which is more subtle and has more depth to the flavor. Not to mention, I really like both the Chestnut Praline Lattes and the Chai Tea Lattes with some shots of espresso (called a ‘Dirty Chai’).
It’s definitely different than either the Chestnut Praline Latte or the Chai Tea Latte, and I think it’s better than the regular Chai Tea Latte. If you like the Chestnut Praline taste, you should give this a shot while the Chestnut Praline syrup is still around.
Nutritional Value
16 oz. Grande Chestnut Praline Chai Tea Latte
Courtesy of Starbucks.com:
| Calories 240 | Calories from Fat 35 |
| % Daily Value* | |
|---|---|
| Total Fat 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat 2.5g | 12% |
| Trans Fat 0g | |
| Cholesterol 15mg | 5% |
| Sodium 105mg | 4% |
| Total Carbohydrate 42g | 14% |
| Dietary Fiber 0g | 0% |
| Sugars 42g | |
| Protein 7g | |
| Caffeine 95mg** | |
| *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. | |
| **Each caffeine value is an approximate value. | |
Final thoughts
This does not come with whipped cream as the default topping. This is a twist on the Chai, which has no whipped cream either. Starbucks adds whipped cream as a default to most of their holiday drinks, but this follows the trend they’ve been setting in recent years, releasing some spicy drinks that don’t come with whipped cream. The Holiday Spice Flat White is the best example of that. I personally love whipped cream, so I keep track of which drinks come with whipped cream and which don’t.
I’m going to experiment with adding more spiciness to the drink. This can be done by adding more Lightly Sweetened Chai
