Review: Starbucks' Coco Cold Brew & Matcha Are The Refreshing Pick-Me-Up You Need

Starbucks is currently testing two drinks: the Coco Matcha and Coco Cold Brew. These are part of the company's new initiative to create products that have a greater focus on health and wellness. The two beverages are made with a coconut water base, which offers extra hydration as well as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

To see how customers are enjoying the new drinks, Starbucks is testing them in 400 stores across New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and several cities in the Midwest. I was able to taste-test both drinks at a location in New York City and was even given a QR code to submit my thoughts on the drinks directly to Starbucks. For a grande of each drink, I was charged $5.25 (prices will vary by location), which is a bit cheaper than a regular Iced Matcha Latte and the same price as a cold brew.

As a lover of coconut water myself, I was very excited to try both of these drinks and did a thorough tasting of each. If you want to try them yourself, check to see if your local Starbucks is a part of the 400 stores participating in this trial. Otherwise, the chain has not released any information on if or when these drinks will be available in stores across the country.

The Coco Cold Brew is simply made with coconut water, ice, and a thick layer of cold brew foam. To ensure that I wasn't just drinking the foam straight, I mixed up the drink so that I could evenly taste the cold brew foam with the coconut water. It mixed fairly easily, and I took my first sip. Knowing that the base was mostly water, I was very surprised with how creamy the mouthfeel of each sip was. Instantly, I enjoyed the coconut flavors matched with the cold brew foam and thought that they were a perfect match.

I particularly enjoyed how light and refreshing this drink was, even compared to a regular cold brew with plain water. The coconut water adds a soft yet invigorating quality to the beverage that elevates it beyond your average cold brew. I noticed as I drank that the coconut water shined through at first with each sip, and then the pure coffee taste would settle on the tongue, allowing you to enjoy the nutty and bitter coffee flavor. Overall, I thought it was an enjoyable drink to sip on. My only complaint was that I think the cold brew foam could be a bit stronger, or maybe they could add a touch more to the mixture. Other than that, I'd get this drink again.

My drink of choice at Starbucks is an Iced Matcha Latte with whole milk, so I was a bit apprehensive when trying this matcha beverage. The Coco Matcha is made with coconut water, ice, and unsweetened Matcha Cold Foam. I mixed up the drink with a little shake of the wrist and noticed that it took a bit more effort to get it all mixed together compared to the Coco Cold Brew. It was worth it, however, because the taste of this drink was honestly flawless.

Somehow, Starbucks was able to keep the creamy, full-mouth consistency to the matcha without having milk as a base. This is most likely due to the fact that the Matcha Cold Foam was very thick and ended up blending very well with the coconut water, ultimately making for a creamy beverage. The matcha flavor was nice and simple, with an earthy taste that wasn't unnaturally sweet. Instead, the coconut water gave the drink a slight touch of sweetness, as well as a burst of hydration and an addicting flavor profile. Usually, when I try drinks for articles, I discard them after I've thoroughly tasted them. With this Coco Matcha, however, I drank the entire cup — and can't wait to order it again.

I'm happy to share that I'm a big fan of both of these drinks. Even though both have the coconut water base, each drink provides something a bit different. The Coco Cold Brew is perfect if you need a coffee pick-me-up, but you also don't want to be dehydrated in the process. The coconut water pairs so well with the coffee flavor that I'm surprised more coffee shops don't offer this type of pairing.

As for the Coco Matcha, I think it has landed itself in my top five favorite Starbucks drinks. I found it even more enjoyable than the regular Iced Matcha Latte. The flavor of the coconut water itself is a perfect pairing to the Matcha Cold Foam, and the drink just feels like a hydrating, delicious, and flavorful treat. While the Coco Cold Brew was great, the Coco Matcha simply blew it out of the water. I will definitely be ordering this drink often, especially if I need a tasty, hydrating, caffeinated pick-me-up during my day.