Starbucks' Blue Coconut Drinks Are Low-Key Taylor Swift-Coded

Starbucks just changed the color palette of your afternoon drink run. On June 16, the chain drops two new, limited-time menu additions: a Blue Coconut Refresher and an Iced Blue Coconut Matcha, and they are the moment.

The latest launch proves the coffee giant really got the Insta-worthy memo this summer. After releasing the orange and purple Tropical Butterfly Refresher in May, the cafe is now feeling the blues with a set of picture-perfect sips. The Tropical Butterfly may have been giving Taylor Swift’s Lover vibes, but these new beverages are fully embracing the 1989 aesthetic with a beachy sky shade that looks like Andy Sachs’ iconic cerulean blue sweater from The Devil Wears Prada.

Beyond being gorgeous, the new items also support a great cause. From now through July 7, Starbucks will donate 25 cents to Water.org’s Get Blue initiative for every one sold. Basically, you can support clean water access by just heading out on a quick lunch break.

If you want to know which of the new drinks is worth ordering first, though, here is an honest review of Starbucks' Blue Coconut menu.

The Blue Coconut Refresher ($6)

For more customization, go for the Blue Coconut Refresher. This sip combines the all-new coconut flavor with strawberry and açaí that is shaken with ice and blue spirulina — to give your drink its ocean water color. You can enjoy the Refresher by itself, with lemonade, or mixed with coconut milk to make an Ocean Drink. You also have the option to caffeinate your sip to your liking, so it really delivers on the afternoon pick-me-up.

I got my Blue Coconut Refresher by itself, which was, well, refreshing and full of summer flavors. The coconut wasn’t as strong as I thought it would be with the tart strawberry and açaí taking center stage. When I could taste it, the coconut was more candy-like than fresh off the tree. I can tell that’s not going to be for everyone, but I really enjoyed my Blue Coconut Refresher and how pretty it was.

Rating: 4.4/5

The Iced Blue Coconut Matcha ($6)

My favorite of the two was the Iced Blue Coconut Matcha, which is mixed with sweet mango and topped with Toasted Coconut Cold Foam infused with blue spirulina. It’s a gorgeous sip with a pale blue top and green on the bottom, and tastes just as good as it looks.

What I really loved was the cerulean cold foam layer. Just like the Refresher, the coconut flavor isn’t as fresh as I expected, but I didn’t mind it. It was sweet like candy and added a nice creamy flavor to Starbucks’ earthy matcha. I’m just excited to have a blue coconut cold foam to add onto other orders, and see what additional colorful sips I can come up with using this new option.

Rating: 4.7/5