When Dunkin Donuts announced their new Ice Spice Munchkin Drink, the social media world was in a frenzy. Could Dunkin Donuts encapsulate the greatness of Ice Spice’s musical ability, displayed in her hit songs “Munch” and “Bikini Bottom”, in their new fall themed drink? As an Ice Spice enthusiast, I had to investigate myself.
I remember the moment so vividly. I popped the straw out of its paper wrap, jabbed it into the drink, and prepared for the groundbreaking sip. The first flavor that I tasted was pure sugar. I took another sip to make sure this wasn’t a fluke. Again the overpowering sugar taste masked any attempts to make a pumpkin spice flavored drink. Almost as bad as the overpowering sweet taste was the odd mushy texture coming from the pumpkin munchkins in the drink. The Ice Spice drink was quite a disappointment to say the least. Immediately I went to check the internet to see what people were saying.
Opinions were split and controversy was brewing. Some loved the sweet drink and enjoyed the added texture of tube blended munchkins, while others were disgusted by the excessive amount of sugar, odd texture, and lack of actual coffee. Enjoyers of the drink compared it to many of the drinks at Starbucks, given the pumpkin spice flavor and the overload of whipped cream and multiple layers of caramel drizzle. Critics of the drink like myself however, found several issues with the drink. The issue was not just with the sweet taste and off putting texture, or perhaps even the lack of coffee for the traditionalists who won’t drink anything other than Espresso. The headlining issue was the health concerns surrounding the drink. Many pointed out the extraordinarily high 44 grams of sugar, eclipsing the recommended daily 36 grams of sugar recommended for an adult male, and the 24 grams of sugar recommended for an adult woman. Additionally, a large Ice Spice Drink has more calories than four glazed donuts. I, and much of the internet, are not willing to spend our money on a drink that is not only extraordinarily unhealthy but also is simply not appetizing.
Overall, the Ice Spice Drink just fell flat. Dunkin Donuts took a risk and it did not pan out. The overpowering sweetness, the texture of the added munchkins, and the lack of a strong pumpkin taste made the drink one to forget. To add on, the drink is ridiculously sugar and calorie dense, discouraging people from buying it on a regular basis due to its unhealthy nature. Unfortunately, Ice Spice’s talents as a singer and performer could not be matched by Dunkin Donuts’ attempt at a fall pumpkin flavored drink, leaving for an experience that nobody’s time or money should be wasted on.
