Not Dunkin', Not Starbucks: This Coffee Chain Has The Best Iced Vanilla Latte

It's no secret that coffee shops can be pretty hit or miss. There are many factors at play when it comes to espresso-based drinks, but an iced latte is generally a pretty safe bet. The sugar and milk can easily mask the taste of bad beans, and you can always mess around with steam wands or microfoams to fine-tune the taste. But while iced drinks are forgiving, some are still much better than others, as proven by the iced vanilla from Black Rifle Coffee Company.

A Tasting Table expert recently set about trying iced vanilla lattes from 10 major coffee chains, ranking them from worst to best. All of the fan favorites were inspected, including Starbucks and Dunkin', but it was Black Rifle that really blew our tester away. Every element of the coffee was delicious, right down to the milk. The coffee had a subtle acidity that played well with the rich dairy, and the vanilla syrup was just sweet enough to round everything out. It was far more interesting than Starbucks' semi-boring brew, and it felt more balanced than the sugary hit from Dunkin'.

There were two things that our tester especially appreciated. The first was that the cup wasn't overflowing with ice like some of the other coffees on the list, which ended up making them too watered down. The second was the cost. An iced vanilla latte from Black Rifle Coffee Company generally costs about $5.45 depending on location. As a bonus, since the company is a veteran-founded chain, many locations offer a military discount.

Overall, our tester felt like the latte rivaled something from a specialty coffee bar rather than a large chain. The business did indeed have a small start; it was founded by a Green Beret veteran, Evan Hafer, in 2014 after he refined his coffee skills in between deployments. At first, Hafer was grinding coffee for his fellow soldiers in a converted truck in Iraq. By 2025, his efforts grew to the point where the company brought in a net revenue of over $398 million.

The chain now operates dozens of locations across multiple states. Opinions on the company are mixed, but many agree that it's a solid option as far as chain coffee goes, especially for something like an iced vanilla latte. One Yelp reviewer said the drink had the "perfect milk to coffee ratio" and a "really robust flavor." They added, "The vanilla notes were there without it being overpowering and sweet." Another wrote, "They have great food and great coffee, I haven't had anything I don't like, I highly recommend the vanilla latte!"

The Liberty Bell, a latte with a mix of vanilla and caramel, is also popular as is the Betsy Ross (wild blackberry and white mocha). Black Rifle featured on Tasting Table's ranking of 14 popular canned coffee brands, too. It can be nice to switch things up, but if Black Rifle's selection has you wondering what else available back at Starbucks, here are some different iced lattes to try.