Hi! My name is Sam, and I'm a Starbucks addict. Like, we're talking once when I wake up (the jugs of cold brew you can buy at the super market) and then again at work (Venti cold brew with a splash of almond milk, because I'm gay).
So yeah, I spend a lot of money at Starbucks. But I typically order a fairly simple beverage. What would happen if I ordered the most LUXURIOUS drink they have to offer?
Would I live my fanciest life possible? Or would it all be a waste? There was only one way to find out: TRY IT FOR MYSELF.
I did some research, and one beverage in particular stood out: The Jamaica Blue Mountain Reserve Siphon coffee. It's not one of those big, over-the-top drinks — it's only 12 ounces. But it's SO luxurious, it costs a whopping $12 for a cup! It's also not available at every Starbucks — you have to go to one of the chain's special Reserve bars to order it.
So I made the trek to one of the stores to see if the drink was worth the hype (and of course, finish my cold brew along the way).
I got to the store, and I ordered my drink. There's a special section at the store just for the extra-special drinks, so I didn't have to wait in line with any plebeians.
It probably shouldn't come as a surprise that $12 coffee is not made like a normal cup of joe. No, we FANCY! This coffee is made using a siphon technique that's popular in Japan. TBH, it looks like a crazy potion that Snape would yell at Ron Weasley for not preparing properly.
The brewing process looks like this:
And this is the part where the coffee drips down back into the bottom chamber:
And the baristas know the drink is a success if there is a lump of grounds under the filter. If there isn't, it wasn't brewed properly.
I realized along the way that you weren't paying $12 just for a cup of coffee. It's for the whole experience — watching the mad science experiment behind your drink, and then how it is served to you. Like, how cute is this setup?
But how did it actually TASTE?!
Pretty dang good! The best way I'd describe it is like a mix between a really good cup of hot coffee AND that fancy schmancy hot chocolate that is more bitter than sweet.
The verdict? The drink was amazing, and the process behind making it is Instagram-worthy. But at $12 (and almost an eternity to make) it's a treat, and not something I'd order every day.
CORRECTION
This drink is only available at Starbucks Reserve bars. A previous version of this post had a Grande-sized mistake and said it is only available at Reserve stores.