I Tried Starbucks’ New Secret Menu Drink — It Tastes Like My *Favorite* Childhood Snack

I try to keep the warm, cozy fall drinks on the back burner until there’s a chill in the air. And the weather here in Chicago is still fully in summer mode, which means it’s a perfect time to try a new Starbucks Secret Menu iced latte. I was intrigued to see the pumpkin-free fall drink called the “Bear-y Nostalgic Iced Chai” featured in my app inbox.

One thing about me is that I love graham cracker treats (Scooby Snacks are superior), so with this drink name alluding to the famous Teddy Graham cookies, I had to give this chai a try. Here’s my honest review of the new drink that Starbucks says tastes like “a certain teddy-bear-shaped graham cracker snack.” 

This drink is one of the new official Starbucks Secret Menu drinks. You no longer need to sleuth around on the secret menu Instagram accounts, because Starbucks has its own secret menu of rotating custom beverage offerings. You can find the secret menu on the Starbucks app home page, or under the “offers” tab. 

Currently you can order the Bear-y Nostalgic Iced Chai Latte with one tap on the app, but when that goes away you can still order this drink. Here are the exact customizations for a grande size of the Bear-y Nostalgic Iced Chai Latte (aka the “Teddy Graham” iced chai latte): 

• Grande iced chai latte 
• Add brown sugar cream cold foam
• Add cinnamon powder

A grande size of the Bear-y Nostalgic Iced Chai cost $7.49 at my Starbucks location. 

My first instinct when I grabbed this drink was to see what it smelled like. Opening a new bag of Teddy Grahams always had such a distinct sweet smell, and I hoped to be hit with that same honey-like aroma. Instead I immediately smelled cinnamon, and even after stirring in the topping I still was getting a powerful cinnamon scent. 

Overall I thought this drink was a super-fun idea, and the base of the chai definitely tasted similar to a Teddy Graham. However, the sugary, creamy topping on a sweet drink was a bit much for me. I have tried other Starbucks cold foam toppings, and had never heard of the brown sugar cream cold foam prior to tasting this drink. I think this would be a great addition to an espresso- or coffee-based drink, but for me it doesn’t belong on a super-sweet and milky tea. 

I totally understand what Starbucks was going for, but I think it leaned a bit too heavily into the cinnamon flavor as opposed to honey. I know Starbucks has a honey syrup, and I wish this drink used that instead. 

I don’t plan to order this drink again, but Teddy Grahams are now back on my radar — and I’ll definitely grab a box the next time I’m grocery shopping.