It’s nowhere close to fall in Texas and received’t be for months. Nevertheless, pumpkin spice season begins in August, due to our Starbucks overlords and the passions of dozens and dozens of spice lovers who can’t wait. Okay, high quality, so we additionally go for that first pumpkin spice latte of the season (the season is in October, although), and that second of enjoyment is a part of what drove me to attempt the brand new 7-Eleven pumpkin spice Slurpee, which is accessible now on the take a look at retailer at its headquarters in Irving.
The place to start describing it? There isn’t a espresso or milk flavoring; it’s strictly pumpkin spice and Slurpee ice, which is odd. Even chilly brew, iced espresso, or chai and pumpkin spice drinks have that stout espresso observe to set off the sweetness, and it was laborious to think about what this is able to style like as a drink with out it.
The primary sip out of the machine provides the acquainted mouthfeel of a Slurpee with a strong high observe of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, all of the hallmarks of pumpkin spice. Tasting that in a frozen drink is an odd psychological disconnect however not solely disagreeable. The aftertaste is robust, which isn’t uncommon for a Slurpee, and the array of syrups the flavors appear to make the most of. Nevertheless, having cinnamon linger on a chilly tongue is a little bit odd.
Because the drink melts, the vanilla syrup component turns into stronger, and extra cloying — it requires some shaking round to remain palatable. The extra it melts, the much less fascinating it turns into, eliciting cringes with every sip.
7-Eleven declined to make a consultant obtainable to speak about how this drink was developed, however driving down the freeway and sipping it on a 100-plus diploma day in Texas units the thoughts to an apparent reply to the why. Summers are hotter and last more. Pumpkin spice season creep hasn’t simply gone ahead, breaking into August at espresso retailers, however iced drink season has pushed again, creeping into the time that was once fall and now could be a perpetual extra-long summer time.
The thought for this drink isn’t out of pocket — on paper, it is smart. Sadly, it’s a mash-up of two nice concepts, the Slurpee and pumpkin spice, that don’t sit properly in a single cup collectively.
Dallasites who need to attempt it will possibly discover the Slurpee on the 7-Eleven Headquarters retailer at 3200 Hackberry Street in Irving.
