Starbucks Caramel Macchiato

The Caramel Macchiato is a Starbucks invention from 1996, and it has almost nothing to do with a traditional macchiato, which is an espresso shot marked with a spoon of foam. This one is a vanilla latte built upside down: vanilla syrup, steamed milk, the espresso poured on top so it sits in a dark layer, and a crosshatch of caramel drizzle over the foam.

How it tastes

The layers matter. The first sips are espresso forward because the shots sit on top; the cup gets sweeter and milkier as you go down and reach the vanilla. Stir it and you get a smooth, sweet vanilla latte with a caramel finish. A Grande is 250 calories with 33 grams of sugar and 150 mg of caffeine, so it is a treat, but a lighter one than most flavored drinks on the board.

How to order it

"Upside down" is the most common modification: the barista pours the espresso first, so the whole drink is mixed and tastes like a caramel vanilla latte. "Extra drizzle" is the second. To lighten it, ask for nonfat milk and fewer vanilla pumps; the caramel drizzle itself is small. The Iced Caramel Macchiato is the same recipe over ice and looks even more layered in the clear cup.

Compared with the caramel drinks

The Caramel Frappuccino is a different thing entirely: blended, 380 calories, whipped cream. The plain Caffè Latte is what this drink would be without the syrup and drizzle, at 190 calories. A Caramel Latte, which is not on the board but can be ordered, uses caramel syrup in the milk rather than a drizzle on top and tastes sweeter throughout.

Who it is for

It is the gateway drink for people who find black coffee too harsh and plain lattes too dull, and it has been one of the top five Starbucks orders for most of its life. A Grande is $6.25 for pickup at the reference store, ninety cents above the plain latte it is built on.