'I compared Starbucks, Greggs and Pret to find best pumpkin spice latte - one was clear winner'

It's pumpkin spice latte play which is the unofficial marker that autumn is here. With beauteous overmuch each java store creating their ain mentation of the festive drink, Mirror writer Niamh decided to spot which came retired connected top

It's autumn, the leaves are falling and the temperatures person dropped which tin lone mean 1 thing: it's good and genuinely pumpkin-spiced latte season.

Whether you emotion it oregon loathe it, there's nary escaping the PSL erstwhile beauteous overmuch each coffee chain proudly serves its ain mentation of the autumnal drink. It's the unofficial marker that wintertime is connected its way, and arsenic a existent person of the cinnamon-spiced blistery drink, I ever get my yearly hole arsenic soon arsenic they travel backmost into stock. Starbucks arguably began the pumpkimn spice craze, but present they've got contention connected their hands from rival chains.

Greggs announced they person concocted their ain PSL backmost successful August, and TikTok-viral underdog Blank Street sent fans into a frenzy with an Instagram station unveiling their autumn enactment up including Banana Bread Matcha and Pumpkin Spice Latte. Meanwhile, Pret has besides joined successful connected the seasonal fun.

With blistery drinks costing an limb and a limb these days, it's hard to cognize which 1 to walk your hard-earned wealth on. Luckily I've done each the hard enactment for you by trying this season's offerings to spot who does it best...

Pret - £4.40

Pret's pumpkin spiced latte was a existent journey. As a Pret lover, I was hoping this would go a steadfast favourite but sadly, it conscionable didn't adjacent travel close. It had a earnestly beardown spice sensation arsenic soon arsenic I took my archetypal sip, and this whitethorn good person been down to the clumpy sprinkles connected top. I besides didn't bask the bitter aftertaste either arsenic it astir tasted burnt.

The clumps besides seemed to person seeped into the java which wasn't a pleasant acquisition - it was conscionable excessively overpowering. I couldn't truly sensation immoderate pumpkin successful it, but they got a bonus constituent for being hotter than Starbucks and having a batch much foam. I deliberation I'll conscionable instrumentality to my regular Pret latte adjacent time.

1/5

Blank Street - £4.70

I've lone conscionable clocked onto the Blank Street java hype, truthful I was excited to effort their instrumentality connected the PSL. Known for their unsocial matcha flavours, the micro concatenation is renowned for its experimental flavourings.

As soon arsenic I took my archetypal sip I was deed with an highly beardown sensation of spice, it was rather a to truthful you person to beryllium a existent pumpkin spice person to bask this. I thought it was delicious adjacent though it was a batch stronger than different contenders. Although I went for the large, it was inactive the smallest retired of the 4 and for £4.70 it is is beauteous pricey.

4/5

Greggs - £2.95

I americium a large Greggs java instrumentality - it ever offers large worth for money. But does its PSL unrecorded up to expectations? For conscionable £2.95 it was the cheapest of the four, and it was amazingly good. It was a creaseless coffee, with a bully magnitude of foam.

There were hints of spice but it wasn't excessively beardown and it didn't person the bitterness that Pret had. It besides didn't permission excessively overmuch of an aftertaste but it did sensation highly sugary. I don't deliberation it's a beardown contender against Starbucks and Blank Street, but for the terms you can't kick astatine all. If you privation a bully autumnal dainty astatine a tenable price, I deliberation this is your champion option.

3/5

Starbucks - £5.55

My go-to for my PSL fix, Starbucks' offering was astir costly retired of the 4 I tried, coming successful astatine a whopping £5.55, truthful I was expecting large things. Starbucks holds the crown for being 1 of the archetypal creators of the portion and arsenic soon arsenic I took my archetypal sip, I knew it was going to beryllium beauteous pugnacious to beat. It's besides by acold the biggest retired of the 4 - I opted for a grande, which is their 'medium' size and they were besides the lone store to connection pick connected top.

The java was creaseless and creamy, with the hint of spices coming done consecutive away, followed by a affluent aftertaste. The pumpkin and cinnamon notes weren't excessively overpowering either, which was nice. It's the cleanable equilibrium of saccharine and spicy.

The portion got other points for its antithetic orangish colour, which made it basal retired successful the crowd. Overall, this 1 has the champion pumpkin flavour and isn't overshadowed by the spices.

Rating: 5/5

The verdict: Best pumpkin spice latte

I deliberation it's just to accidental that each of these chain's recipes differ, but my bosom inactive lies with Starbucks. The marque has managed to cleanable the blend of the pumpkin flavour, java and subtle spices - it genuinely is an autumn treat.

I was besides pleasantly amazed by the Greggs offering. Although it was a weaker brew than the rest, it's the champion worth for wealth - and tasted overmuch amended than the Pret one. It's harmless to accidental I've had my just stock of pumpkin spice lattes to support maine going until they're backmost adjacent autumn.

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