This New Starbucks Frappuccino Is So Chocolatey and Sweet (Look Closely for the Cute Cat Ears!)

Every year, seasonal Starbucks drinks take over my social media feed. Frappuccinos are fewer and farther between than lattes, but when they drop, people notice, like with the recent return of the Unicorn Frappuccino. Somehow, despite seeing these blended drinks go viral time and time again, I’d never actually tried a Starbucks Frappuccino. So when Starbucks announced its new Black Cat Frappuccino just in time for Halloween, I figured it was finally time to see what all the fuss was about. After trying the chain’s Iced Pecan Sticky Bun Latte and discovering that I might be a bigger fan of special Starbucks concoctions than I thought, I was feeling pretty optimistic.

According to Starbucks’ announcement, the Black Cat Frappuccino is a limited-time Halloween drink that dropped on October 22. It combines “a rich cocoa flavor with a Creme Frappuccino beverage to create decadent brownie-like notes.” To add an adorable, festive touch, it’s topped with whipped cream and a piece of chocolate shaped like cat ears. The Black Cat Frappuccino is available exclusively in a grande size at participating U.S. coffeehouses through Halloween. It costs $7.89 at my location in New York, and my editor found it for $7.16 at her Chicago location.

For my first-ever Frappuccino, I honestly couldn’t have picked a more fun one than the Black Cat Frappuccino. Right away, it tasted like a chocolate milkshake, and it gave off chocolate cake-in-a-cup vibes, likely thanks to the Black Chocolate Cake Sweet Powder listed in the ingredients. It’s definitely a sweet drink, but if chocolate is your thing, you’ll love it. I’m not usually the biggest admirer of chocolate-flavored drinks or desserts because the cocoa flavor can be a little too intense, but the Frappuccino reminded me more of an Oreo cookie: chocolatey and rich without being overwhelming.

I’m all about milkshakes, so I loved that fluffy whipped cream with the smooth, icy drink underneath. The whipped cream makes it feel like a dessert, like having chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream on top, but you get to sip it through a straw. The festive chocolate ears felt like biting straight into a chocolate bar (they reminded me of Hershey’s).

Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this drink. I went in curious about the Frappuccino hype, and I came away understanding why people get so excited about Starbucks’ seasonal creations. The Black Cat Frappuccino is sweet, creamy, and chocolatey in a very cookie-inspired way, and the whipped cream makes it feel like a proper treat. And, of course, the chocolate cat ears are such a cute Halloween touch. I’m not usually one to reach for chocolate-heavy desserts, but this one struck the right balance for me. The Black Cat Frappuccino won’t be in my regular rotation, but if you’re looking for a fun, dessert-like drink to celebrate Halloween, I’d definitely recommend trying this one while it’s still around.