Happy December everyone! We’ve officially entered the very last month of 2019, which is the most festive time of the year. Candy canes, log cakes and puddings are beginning to pop around for the season, and my speakers are belting out my favorite carols. The aura that surrounds this season is magical. It’s only fitting to extend a cordial welcome to December with a new Christmas-themed post!

Another visit to Starbucks marked yet another new drink to taste from the Christmas menu that they’ve unveiled in the Lion City. As I experienced the candy cane-inspired peppermint mocha previously, it’s finally the toffee nut crunch’s turn to be ordered. This flavor is available at Starbucks outlets in the UK and Australia as well.

I didn’t quite know what to expect from this frappe – the words ‘toffee’ and ‘nut’ clearly indicate the primary flavor notes to look out for in the coffee (which is espresso), but what would the ‘toffee + nut’ equation taste like?

A customary swirl of whipped cream is topped with a sprinkle of toffee nut bits – possibly best describable as a crunchy, buttery, a bit nutty and a bold toffee taste. As expected (based on previous Starbucks frappes), the toppings are paired wonderfully with the drink itself – and the sprinkled bits add the ‘crunch’ to toffee nut crunch after mixing the concoction. It has a sweet scent of toffee that reminds me of my childhood.

Buttery toffee with a light note of nuttiness, blended together with coffee. This is the most fitting description of the frappe itself as it embodies a sense of coziness. It’s probably something that’s synonymous with a snowy little city at Christmas with gorgeous British-style high street shops (small shops in the heart of a city’s main business area) lined in rows along the city’s primary street with stunningly-decorated window displays and stings of lights (with a fairy-like presence, no doubt) illuminating the night sky.

Yes, as I’m sitting on one of the comfy sofa seats at Starbucks and savoring this frappe, I was in my own world – a whole other world away from the tropics. The bliss was probably from either: A. the sugar and coffee that were kicking in, B. the spirit of Christmas, or C. the toffee nut flavor itself. I’m pretty sure it’s all of them! Starbucks hasn’t disappointed with their buttery flavors this year, and the toffee nut crunch is a lovely round-up of 2019’s star flavor.

Overall, I love the toffee nut crunch frappe. To me, the sense of Christmas delight it embodies is similar to the peppermint mocha. Between the two, I can’t identify a favorite as they’re both delicious and different from each other.