Why does coffee taste like soy sauce in this Starbucks drink?

Starbucks Reserve released the Harvest Savory Latte at 68 yuan, a drink inspired by Dongpo braised pork that adds Dongpo pork-flavored sauce and pork jerky to coffee. A blogger who tried it called the taste salty and sweet, comparing it to fermented bean curd stewed pork with candied hawthorn.

Reactions split: some praised the creativity, others asked whether such drinks still count as specialty coffee. Savory notes in coffee often come from fermentation or added sauces rather than the bean itself. The episode highlights the growing tension between novelty drinks and the core identity of coffee.

Starbucks Reserve recently launched a "Harvest Savory Latte" priced at 68 yuan, inspired by the traditional Jiangnan dish Dongpo braised pork, incorporating Dongpo pork-flavored sauce and pork jerky into the coffee, quickly sparking widespread discussion on social media. One blogger, after trying it, described the taste as both salty and sweet, even evoking a sense of fermented bean curd stewed pork paired with candied hawthorn. Netizens' opinions are sharply divided, with some calling the creativity explosive, while others question whether such specialty drinks have strayed from the essence of coffee. This article will sort out the flavor performance of this product, consumer feedback, and the industry phenomenon of creative specialty coffee gradually becoming more novelty-seeking in recent years, and explore the balance between coffee innovation and the essence of the beverage.

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Speaking of the traditional Jiangnan famous dish "Dongpo braised pork," many people have surely heard of it, or even tasted it themselves.

However, have you tried Starbucks Reserve's recently launched new product — the "Harvest Savory Latte"? Priced at 68 yuan, this drink was inspired by Dongpo pork, featuring Dongpo braised pork-flavored sauce and pork jerky.

Recently, a blogger posted on social media expressing curiosity and anticipation for Starbucks' "Harvest Savory Latte." This netizen even nervously asked a Starbucks barista: "Will this coffee taste very weird?" The store partner responded: "Some customers really love this coffee."

After actually tasting it, the blogger found this "Dongpo salted meat latte" both salty and sweet on the palate, never expecting that "salted meat" elements would really be incorporated into coffee, with the flavor even reminding one of fermented bean curd stewed pork paired with candied hawthorn. Such a unique taste also prompted some netizens to exclaim: "I really can't keep up with Starbucks' pace."

In the comments section, some pointed out that putting salted meat into coffee is no different from stuffing chocolate into xiaolongbao — truly "explosive." Others were puzzled by its so-called innovation and the 68-yuan price tag, believing such attempts may just be for attention-grabbing and bring no substantive change.

For example: adding chili oil with Lao Gan Ma and soy sauce to double-skin milk, mixing ice cream cream into fermented mung bean juice... These seemingly novel coffee combinations may just be pursuing novelty effects.

Some consumers also feel that such innovation doesn't improve the taste or nutritional value of the food, but instead makes it seem a bit "strange." Meanwhile, others are confused by the taste direction of its product development department, not understanding what connection there is between pork jerky, Dongpo pork, and salted meat. Some netizens even joked: "At this moment, Starbucks' coffee is going through everything mooncakes went through."

Although Starbucks' "pork jerky with coffee" combination is seen by many as an ultra-advanced creative specialty drink, some consumers say they are willing to try this novel pairing.

In fact, such creative specialty coffees are not uncommon. Many other coffee shops began combining ingredients with coffee early on, attempting to create various unique flavors. However, over time, these specialty coffees seem to have gradually deviated from their original intent.

They no longer aim to make coffee more acceptable to more people, but instead become increasingly bizarre, even somewhat absurd. These innovations feel more like making a dish rather than a traditional coffee beverage.

At the same time, this approach has not made more people interested in specialty coffee, but instead attracted some resentment. The reason is that some ingredients used in specialty coffees don't harmonize with coffee's own flavor, leaving a confusing mix of tastes on the palate. Additionally, these creative coffees often come with high prices, further deepening consumers' cautious attitude toward them.

Image source: Internet

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The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.