Dunkin’s Potion Macchiato is incredibly sweet, but not much else

Seasonal food and drinks are certainly nothing new — there’s the yearly anticipated Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, a slew of fall products at Trader Joe’s, and now a new holiday drink at Dunkin’. Of course, Dunkin’s Fall 2024 menu has been around for a while, including the chain’s own version of a PSL, pumpkin donuts, and even a maple sugar bacon breakfast sandwich. What hasn’t been available in 2024 are Halloween-specific items, but that’s about to change thanks to a special purple drink and a handful of other spooky treats.

In fact, Starting October 16th, Dunkin’ fans can find some downright magical treats, including a Potion Macchiato, at their nearest location. For those unfamiliar with Dunkin’s products or hesitant to try the layered purple blend, I purchased and tried the Potion Macchiato to see if it’s worth adding to your seasonal checklist. I’ve broken down exactly how much the Potion Macchiato costs, when you can get it, what it tastes like, and most importantly, whether or not it captivated me.

If you’ve only ever ordered macchiatos at small, local coffee shops, there’s a good chance you’re left scratching your head at the purple drink that Dunkin’ calls a “potion macchiato.” Dunkin’s Macchiatos, whether hot or iced, involve pouring espresso shots over milk and flavoring, creating a layered drink that’s quite different from a traditional macchiato. The Potion Macchiato is no different, and according to Dunkin’ themselves, “This stunning drink blends layers of espresso and milk with a vibrant, purple marshmallow ube flavor.” There’s nothing scary about that!

When and for how much you can buy the drink, These macchiatos will be available in stores for the first time on October 16th. It’s unclear exactly how long the Potion Macchiato will be available at Dunkin’, but considering the drink is part of a Halloween menu, it would be wise to snag one before the end of October. As for the price, I ordered both a small iced macchiato and a hot potion macchiato at my nearest Dunkin’ in Chicago the iced version was $3.99 and the hot version was $3.49. A medium and large iced potion macchiato would cost $4.39 and $4.79, respectively, and a medium and large hot potion macchiato would cost $3.89 and $4.29, respectively. Please note that prices may vary slightly depending on your location.

As with any coffee drink, many too The nutritional breakdown depends on what size you order, what type of syrup or sweetener you add, and what type of milk you choose. If you were to order a small hot or iced potion macchiato as is, meaning you would get whole milk and two dashes of marshmallow ube flavor, then the calorie count would be 190 with 4 grams of fat, 32 grams of carbohydrates, and total 31 grams of sugar, with 23 grams being added sugar.

Meanwhile, a medium hot or iced potion macchiato (with three dashes of marshmallow ube flavor) has 280 calories, 6 grams of fat, 48 grams of carbohydrates and 46 grams of sugar. Finally, a large hot or iced potion macchiato (four dashes of marshmallow ube flavor) has 380 calories, 8 grams of fat, 64 grams of carbohydrates, and a total of 61 grams of sugar. As you can see, the nutrient distribution is largely the same for hot and iced drinks. The only difference is that the iced version contains slightly more potassium and calcium – for example, a large iced potion macchiato contains 672 milligrams of potassium and 404 milligrams of calcium, while a large hot one contains 667 milligrams of potassium and 388 milligrams of calcium.

My first impression of Dunkin’s Potion Macchiato, just looking at the iced sample, was that it was nowhere near as purple as advertised. This made me think that the ube flavor might be a bit lacking. At the first sip, my suspicions were proven correct as I was met with an overwhelmingly sweet, vanilla-like taste that didn’t taste like ube at all. For those unfamiliar, ube is a type of purple yam that doesn’t necessarily have a particularly strong flavor, although it does typically have a very earthy and somewhat nutty flavor. Ube also tastes like vanilla, as does marshmallow, so the vanilla flavor wasn’t necessarily out of place in this drink, but the sweetness definitely was.

As I continued to sip both macchiatos, I had a hard time identifying any true defining characteristics of the drinks other than sweet, sweet, sweet. Anyone who has tried Dunkin’ drinks knows this sweetness is no surprise, but I was hoping for more marshmallow and ube notes. I did detect some marshmallow flavor, but most of these two macchiatos just tasted more like an extra-sweet vanilla latte than anything else. The light purple layered look on the ice cream was a fun and festive touch, but the flavor was far from magical.

After trying Dunkin’s new Potion Macchiato both hot and iced, I can safely say that those who prefer their coffee sweet will likely enjoy this drink. Which one is better depends on personal preference. However, I think the refreshing factor of the ice contrasts nicely with the cloying nature of the drink itself. The hot coffee felt a little too much like a vanilla latte, especially since you can’t really see the purple layering of the drink from the outside of the cup.

For those who are a bit sensitive to excessive sugar, I would recommend avoiding this drink or at least ordering one with less marshmallow ube flavor. This is a limited time release from Dunkin’. So if you really enjoy trying seasonal drinks or just stopping by Dunkin’ in the morning, it can’t hurt to try out the Potion Macchiato to switch up your routine. I wouldn’t imagine drinking this drink again, but that’s not to say it’s a particularly bad sip – ultimately I just found it a little too sweet and a little too one-dimensional in flavor.