As California fire season smolders to a close and students begin to see evidence of Christmas at Costco, it definitely CHAIme to start the fall season. How can we tell it’s fall? The daily breeze that will soon knock down our Eucalyptus trees has begun to kick up. Pumpkin property owners have begun to clear their weeds. And Starbucks has predictably conjured up a new drink. 

The Howl recently sampled the Iced Apple Crisp Non-Dairy Cream Chai. Created with a dash of apple-flavored cream and a bushel of tea spices, you can start off the fall season while sipping on their new drink. Apart from its record-breakingly long name, everything else about the drink was great. 

The concoction is light on the apple crisp flavor and heavy on the non-dairy cream. Though the apple flavoring is faint, the strong chai flavors took over my mouth.

The Howl expected it to taste like apple juic, but instead it reminded me of going to a fall carnival and getting a caramel apple or consuming an apple pie on Thanksgiving. 

I took one sip, then another, and another until the drink simply disappeared. When you mix the Iced Apple Crisp Non-Dairy Cream Chai, the flavors burst.

I do wish that the apple flavoring was stronger. Consuming the Apple Crisp Chai will also mean downing 280 to 510 calories, depending on the size. Apart the predictable dietary warning that comes with anything Starbucks, it is a delicious drink. 

Whenever you’re out and about, The Howl suggests heading to your local Starbucks for this new fall drink. We hope they’ll bring this flavor back every year, but sadly know its  CHAIme is limited.

The Howl’s overall rating: 9/10. 

Price: $6.75 (Grande)