Here's How Starbucks's New Affogato-Style Frappuccinos Really Taste

Starbucks came up with a pretty ingenious way to mimic a classic Italian treat by drizzling Frappuccinos with espresso to create an affogato-like beverage. The new affogato-style Frappuccinos are available through Summer in US and Canada locations, and we quickly made our way to the closest Starbucks when we heard the news. So, how does this amped-up Frappuccino stack up to a traditional affogato, which is a shot of espresso poured on top of vanilla gelato or ice cream?

Unsurprisingly, it's not too much different than a regular Frappuccino, but the addition of steaming, bitter espresso has two notable results. It creates a marbling effect as it's poured over the whipped cream and seeps into the rest of the frozen beverage, which is especially eye-catching in the Vanilla Bean Frappuccino, where the color contrast is most evident. While it looks pretty at first, the heat of the espresso does cause the drink to melt more quickly than it typically would, so keep that in mind. The second note is the espresso cuts through some of the sweetness of the Frappuccinos — everyone knows Frapps are extremely high in sugar. Our tasters appreciated the shot of espresso both for its added caffeine and its bold flavor, and most of us would even recommend adding another. While the base of most Frappuccinos is coffee, there's no actual espresso blended into the beverage.

Starbucks lists the Vanilla Bean, Caramel, and Mocha Frappuccino flavors as the ones available affogato-style, but you can add a shot of espresso to any flavor of your choice. As for the price, we ordered grande Frappuccinos at $4.75 each, and it costs $0.80 to add a shot of espresso. If a Frappuccino is your go-to Starbucks order and you're in need of a little extra kick, be sure to try one of these before they're no longer available.

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