A new espresso beverage is coming to Starbucks. The Hazelnut Macchiato launches on March 5, 2013, at Starbucks stores everywhere in the U.S. and Canada. The beverage is a traditional machiatto with a vanilla syrup in the drink itself, and hazelnut sauce on top. I have heard that the intent is to keep the hazelnut sauce as a permanent offering, but can’t confirm that for certain. Since the launch date is right around the corner, it’s possible that plenty of people have had a sneak peek of this drink. Have you tried it? What do you think?
A big thank you to the partners who sent me their beautiful Hazelnut Macchiatos pictures! And if you haven’t tried it, keep your eye out for it on March 5, 2013!
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@Hayley – I’ve thought about playing around with it too. I think it needs a little more hazelnut flavor. @Laura and Laily – Great comments, and I hope that at some point a partner offers me a free tall hazel nut macchiato.
Oh and it looks like you are right – here’s the coupons on eBay –
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Starbucks-Drink-Beverage-Coupons-Caramel-Macchiato-FREE-Ship-Same-Day-/321085009141?pt=US_Coupons&hash=item4ac2286cf5
Well, I ordered one yesterday..it was a 4shot grande..I usually have a 4shot tall…..the barista suggested I try it with hazelnut syrup instead of the vanilla syrup..as recipe calls for, He said a lot of people were finding it kind of tasteless with the vanilla but I still thought I’d try the classic version. (vanilla) Sadly, I was taking this to go because I did find it absolutely tasteless. I even ended up tossing about half of it. (I NEVER do that) So, I guess I might try it with the hazelnut syrup but….I think I get the idea….so, maybe not.
Just tried the Hazelnut Macchiato today. It’s okay. Just okay. I did reduce the amount of vanilla to just 2 pumps for my grande (usually I find 3 pumps too sweet). I think it needs a bit more hazelnut. The drizzle is nice though. So maybe I’m going to try 1 pump vanilla and 1 pump hazelnut next time. And maybe ask for extra extra hazelnut drizzle.
And, oh ya, didn’t get the free macchiato coupon though. But it’s alright. Wasn’t really expecting any anyways. 🙂
@Michelle – I’d love to go to Canada and I love anything with maple in it. I’d put Canada down in my travel planner. Heading to Seattle end of this month. Exciting! 😀
Laura – I read the list of ingredients on the hazlenut sauce when we first got it in and it says natural and artifical flavours. That’s enough for me to stay away!
Well, I’ve been in 3 different Sbux since this hazelnut macchiato and seen zero about any free drinks. As I think I might have mentioned earlier, the partner who was taking my order yesterday said to just try it with the vanilla syrup and if I didn’t like it, they’d re-make my drink with the hazelnut syrup. (he had recommended using the hazelnut syrup, now I completely agree) I’ve had many caramel macchiatos (remember exactly when they came out here in the ’90’s) and still love them. But this hazelnut thing..? completely tasteless to me) And, if I hadn’t been taking it ‘to go’, would’ve had it re-done.
As someone mentioned above, each store got only 100 coupons for the free ones, and each of them are handing them out as they see best. Mine are at the bar, and my bar partner is interacting with customers about the new drink, esp if they get a hazelnut latte/caramel macchiato, and if they seem interested in trying it, offering them a coupon. Other stores are doing the same thing, but at the till. They aren’t supposed to be in a stack at the till, going to the first 100 people that say yes (or selling on eBay, *sigh*) as it’s supposed to be a way to help hesitant customers try it and buy into the new flavour. I’ve portioned out (or actually, put one of my shift supervisors in charge of portioning out) the coupons, 10/day for 10 days, and she puts out a little stack of coupons with each day’s line chart.
I personally find the hazelnut syrup super overwhelming when I put it in the hazelnut macchiato, but it is quite nice with toffee nut instead of vanilla – not quite as overpowering but still tasty 🙂
Hi Rebecca, I have seen the free HM coupons as a stack near the registers! Saw that today. I like your idea better to have them with the bar partners. I saw the stack and asked about it, and got one.
By the way, this afternoon, I did try a tall hazelnut macchiato with both hazelnut syrup and hazelnut sauce. It’s a bit over powering. I think I will soon be back to my usual drinks. Or Clover coffee.
I ordered my first one this morning and took it to go. I didn’t taste it until I got to my destination at work. I don’t know if it was made wrong, but mine didn’t even have the slightest hint of sweetness or flavor, even with the whipped cream and hazelnut topper.
It really does depend on the size of the drink (espresso to milk to syrup ratios) and the amount of Hazelnut sauce applied to the top. The new sauce is quite viscous and hard to squeeze out of the bottles, so if the barista on bar was in a rush they may have been a little skimpy on it.
@chgo: that’s essentially what I said. In fact, my drink was just totally tasteless. The first Sbux espresso drink that I ever actually tossed. (would’ve had it re-made, after expressing my comments, if I’d still been at the store) Actually, the barista who made mine (which was ‘extra foamy) was actually scooping off the sauce with the extra foam in order to put the lid on. I requested he add some sauce BACK, since he’d just removed it all. (which he did, but still, tasteless)
@Denise – You know I drink coffee most of the time. I used to drink a Frapp. every so often, but I haven’t been tempted in awhile to get one. I used to get a Caramel Machiatto every once in awhile. I haven’t had one in over a year. I was expecting that mine would at least be as sweet as the Caramel Machiatto. I ordered mine in Rosemont yesterday morning. I was worried that it was going to be too sweet. I asked the barista’s what to expect, and we agreed that I would just try it made as it should be made (without adding or subtracting syrup). I was just stunned how unsweet and flavorless it was. If what they made me is how it was supposed to taste, I will stick with my coffee.
Ok, I tried it. As I said before I am not a fan of hazelnut unless it’s Nutella. I still feel that way. I’ll stick with the Caramel Macchiato.
SO after reading many reviews and constantly debating whether to try
something new or not, I decided to try the Hazelnut Macchiato. Let me
start off by saying I’m not much of a coffee drinker anymore and prefer
their unsweeted green tea lattes or china green tips tea, but I always
loved hazelnut so I decided to try it. First, I discussed with the two
baristas my dilemma of wanting to try it but that it was not positively
reviewed by many customers. One barista said she left the vanilla syrup
pumps, but put chocolate syrup with the hazelnut and she said it tasted
like nutella. (I’m more of a hazelnutty person than a
chocolate-hazelnut, but I do love making hot nutella) Anyway! I also
mentioned that some people have suggested changing/adding a pump of
hazelnut or mocha syrup, so the other barista suggested 2 pumps
hazelnut, 1 pump vanilla and that’s what I ordered (grande soy)! If you
are a hazelnut coffee person, have your macchiato made this way and it
is perfect! I promise. Honestly, people need to stop complaining by saying, “oh didn’t live up to my expectation so I’ll stick with the caramel macchiato”. Remember that the baristas at Starbucks are willing to work with you until your drink is to your liking!
Jess – Awesome experience of getting your drink to your liking! Maybe I’ll try that 2 p hazelnut, 1 p vanilla. 🙂 Thanks for your comment.
And I noticed that all my old comments are finally back! Yeah. The disqus transitions seems to have worked.