That Pumpkin Spice Latte In Your Hand Almost Never Happened

It turns out that the Pumpkin Spice Latte, arguably the most beloved of cool-weather drinks, almost never existed. Ten years ago, as coffee gurus and execs at Starbucks were testing fall drink ideas, pumpkin spice quickly fell into the “meh” category, sinking behind flavors like chocolate caramel and cinnamon spice. But Peter Dukes, the espresso brand manager for the coffee giant, knew that the drink was a winner. He refused to scrap the idea, and now, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is one of Starbuck’s most popular seasonal drinks, developing a cult following similar to the Shamrock Shake or the Cronut.

The development of the sauce that makes the drink so popular came from months of testing and eating  many pumpkin pies: homemade, store bought, and even with a shot of espresso poured over the top. Now, the blend of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, steamed milk, espresso, whipped cream, and a pumpkin spice topping signals cooler weather to coffee drinkers across the country.

This season, the Pumpkin Spice Latte celebrates its tenth anniversary. Check out the #PSL tweets to see how people are celebrating the milestone and sharing their latte happiness.

H/T Wall Street Journal + PicThx Starbucks