Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha

I know I said in my last post that I'd be back soon with a non-coffee review, but the Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha at Starbucks is too interesting to ignore. My first experience with this fusion of white chocolate, coffee and espresso came last weekend during the two-for-one holiday beverage deal at Starbucks. I held off on a full review until we made it past Turkey Day, but I feel comfortable taking on this Santa-riffic drink now that Black Friday has come and gone.

Those of you groaning at the thought of another coffee-based post need not worry, though. This drink may contain espresso, but its presence is hardly detectable. The flavor is more milk based than anything.

Milk based and delicious, that is. While I'm not the biggest fan of calorie-laden steamed milk concoctions, the Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha is a real treat.

Here's the recipe: Espresso, steamed milk and white chocolate are mixed with peppermint and some flavor syrups. Your local barista tops it off with whipped cream and some dark chocolate curls. If you think it sounds rich and sugary, you're right.

Fortunately, the sweetness doesn't overpower the peppermint flavor, which is present from first sip to last. It's astounding how seamlessly it all blends. White chocolate is the first taste on the tongue, followed by a milky, creamy middle and a peppermint finish. You won't mistake it for sucking on a candy cane -- the flavor is much more balanced.

My only complaint is the bottom of the cup. Flavored syrups tend to sink to the bottom, and the Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha follows this rule. As a result, the bottom of the cup tasted distinctly of salt. This is a little surprising -- I expected mint at the dregs , not sodium.

If you're a gung-ho fan of the sweet and salty flavor combination, you might find the bottom enjoyable. It was a little overpower for my taste, however. I'd recommend sticking to the top 3/4 of the cup.

Most of this drink was delicious, so it's certainly worthy of a high rating. Unfortunately I'm going to have to dock a point for the sub-par finish. Four sporks out of five.

And anti-coffee folks, I promise the next review will be in a different field. I'll even give you a hint of what we're tackling next: It starts with "chocolate" and ends with "pop rocks." If that doesn't have you coming back for a refill, I don't know what will.