Looking Back at Starbucks's Best and Worst Moments of 2015

Iced coffee and iced lattes are a thing of the past! Starbucks introduced a 20-hour-steeped cold brew coffee and did a side-by-side taste comparison for press. Hedy Phillips reported, "I was definitely sold on the cold brew. It has a chocolaty, smooth finish without the bitterness of iced coffee. It is intended to be consumed black, so it has a full flavor that really requires no additions. Since it's a bit weaker than other cold brews I've tried, I didn't feel like I had to load it down with ice, milk, and sugar."

Frappuccinos are delicious, but they can be a sugar overload (not to mention expensive), which is why we were so happy that Starbucks launched a 10-ounce mini Frappuccino size to add to the lineup.

For the holiday season, Starbucks brought out a new Holiday Flat White, made with a Holiday Spice blend (cinnamon, clove, and citrus) and a ristretto shot of the Christmas blend, followed by free-poured steamed whole milk. This is the type of beverage that would appeal to tea drinkers and those looking to get into the holiday spirit. Taste tester Hedy Phillips likened the spice blend to "Christmas dust."

Starbucks released a new mobile app that makes your in-store experience even faster. The app lets you customize the drink to the nth degree, find the nearest location to you, and pay for the order ahead of time, so you can waltz right in and grab your beverage. Hello, convenience.

For years, customers have been requesting another nondairy milk option, and Starbucks finally delivered. Macy Williams reported that it was better than she expected. "I was pleasantly surprised. The sweet and tangy flavor of the milk gave my drink a rich update. The foam on the top of the latte was thick and smooth, adding a velvety texture. If you don't like your coffee sweet, this isn't the drink for you. However, if you are looking for a touch of flavor, this option doesn't need any extra sugar or sweetener."

Starbucks teamed up with Seattle Seahawks star running back Marshawn Lynch to create the Beast Mode Frappuccino, a double mocha Frappuccino with protein powder, mint, cream, berry drizzle, and a touch of matcha. But that's not all! Starbucks donated $24,000 to the Fam 1st Family Foundation, an organization that supports child and adolescent mentorship, and 24 cents per Beast Mode purchased in Washington and Oakland, CA.

Starbucks released six new Frappuccino flavors in the Summer, based on fan favorites and "secret menu" orders like cotton candy. Most of these flavors missed the mark in a serious way, but Caramel Cocoa Cluster and Cinnamon Roll are worth trying at least once.

In order to appeal to serious coffee drinkers, Starbucks released a flat white, but according to Macy Williams, it's a pass. "Intrigued by its latest espresso drink, I visited the nearest Starbucks to try it . . . but its flat white was a little underwhelming. I expected to taste a foamy beverage, filled with extrasmall bubbles. Instead, I tasted a run-of-the-mill latte, with a distinguishable layer of froth on top of the liquid. I was also left hoping for a stronger espresso flavor — the Starbucks flat white has more milk in it rather than equal parts milk and espresso."

Starbucks released a new wintry tea latte, made with English breakfast tea with gingerbread flavors, steamed milk, and a dusting of cinnamon spice, but according to tasters, it was like drinking "watered-down, warm milk." As for the chocolate snowmen doughnuts, even with their cuteness and yummy icing, the cake portion tastes really dry.

When taste tester Brinton Parker tried the new Birthday Cake Frappuccino, she only had lackluster things to say about it. "Compared to the festive promotional images that Starbucks has been circulating, my drink was pretty pathetic. I'm unsure if my Starbucks location had simply run out of the raspberry-infused whipped cream promised on the menu, but the Frappuccino I received looked more plain than a glass of milk. The blended vanilla bean and hazelnut portion of the drink was everything that the ads promised, but the overall effect was more along the lines of melted vanilla soft serve than birthday cake. Even in the chilly weather, my entire Frappuccino was melted within two minutes — sipping the celebratory beverage felt more like I was drinking liquid disappointment."

In early December of this year, Starbucks's Turkey & Stuffing Panini was recalled from hundreds of locations after it was linked to an E. coli outbreak at Costco. Yuck!