Starting today, June 19th, Starbucks is adding an Instagram-worthy new Refresher drink to its permanent menu nationwide.
It's called the Mango Dragonfruit Refresher and it's made with ice + mango dragonfruit base + freeze-dried dragonfruit pieces.
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You can add lemonade or coconut milk if you want to change things up. Starbucks says the new drink "features a vibrant hue which comes from pieces of real red-fleshed dragonfruit (also known as pitaya)."
Even better, it contains no artificial colors or sweeteners.
You can "remix" the drink by getting your barista to add coconut milk instead of water. That's called DragonDrink.
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According to Starbucks, the "creamy swirls of coconut milk mingle with the fruity mango and dragonfruit flavors for a refreshing beverage."
With nothing added, the drink costs $4.25 + tax, and is only 90 calories.
“People love both the flavor and the color,” Starbucks spokesperson Alicia Binion told BuzzFeed. “It’s bright and vivid, something you would want to take a picture of to share with friends.”
Here are the nutrition facts from Starbucks' website:
I love Starbucks teas so I had to try the drink for myself. I went to my local store and got four different varieties of the drink:
Here's what I picked up:
• One with the drink + coconut milk
• One with the drink + lemonade
• One unsweetened/regular version
• One with Starbucks' classic syrup added
Here's what it looked like right when I got it:
My fave by far was the DragonDrink (the one with coconut milk). Guys, it's the drink of the summer!
I'm always trying new Starbucks drinks and some are a huge hit and others can be a miss. Because this one was a "refresher," I was super excited to try it because I love almost all of Starbucks' iced fruit drinks. And for me, this one is a winner. The coconut milk was actually really refreshing. The mango wasn't too overpowering and the dragonfruit pieces were a really nice touch, but thankfully didn't clog up the straw.
Overall the drink wasn't too sweet, the flavors mixed perfectly and dare I say, it's the drink of the summer! I'd definitely order this again, especially on hot days when I need something to cool me down.
As far as Starbucks' refreshers go I give this one a 5/5.
I also had some of my co-workers try it. Here's what they thought:
Whitney said: "I am not usually one for trendy Starbucks drinks, but for this I am ALL IN. After trying all four varieties of this drink, I definitely prefer the original, unsweetened edition best. (But shout-out to the coconut milk edition because it was delicious, and the half-lemonade drink because it was really refreshing.) The bright pink color made me worry that my lips would turn that same color like a bright red popsicle would. But it didn’t! I’m assuming that the dragonfruit is frozen, not fresh, since it was cold as ice when I bit into it, but it tasted great regardless. Call me basic, but you’ll definitely catch me sipping on this over the summer."
Ryan said: "OK, I’m a very picky person. It took me like two years and a lot of contemplating to switch from Dunkin’ Donuts to Starbucks. So, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this drink. Turns out, I actually really liked it — especially the one who with no added sugar. I think because it didn’t have added sugar, it felt lighter and definitely more refreshing. I wouldn’t get it as subsitute for coffee or tea, but I’d get it if I was hot, bored, or wanted to put something on my Instagram story in the summertime."
Andrew said: "I really loved the one with no added sugar. I prefer unsweetened iced tea, and while this most definitely had sugar in it, it tasted more like a delicious fruit juice than a super-sweetened drink. I would definitely order this again."
Jon-Michael said: "First off, the color is ~exactly~ what I want in a summer drink — a bold fuchsia with bits of fruit floating at the top. But even better than the color is its fruity sweetness, which is a little bit like biting into a cold mango on a hot summer day. TBH, the only thing it’s missing is a shot of rum."
