《首尔经济日报》消费组记者测评星巴克韩国秋季新品「焙茶釉面茶拿铁」，属门店新品口味评测，非经营或财务披露

Reporters from the Seoul Economic Daily's consumer industry desk buy the hottest new products in stores with their own money, try them out together and share their reviews.
Starbucks has rolled out a new autumn seasonal drink to succeed the Black Glazed Latte, a fall staple known in Korea by its abbreviation "beulgeulla." The new offering, the Hojicha Glazed Tea Latte, combines the glazed concept with hojicha, a roasted green tea. It pairs a tea latte made with domestically grown hojicha with a layer of glazed foam, giving it a nutty yet smooth flavor. The chain has reinterpreted hojicha, which has emerged as the next tea trend after matcha, in its own style.
For this week's New Product Unboxing, our reporters drank the Hojicha Glazed Tea Latte and assessed its taste, aroma, price and overall execution. Can it become the next autumn steady seller, following a Black Glazed Latte that has sold 26 million cups to date?
Starbucks Hojicha Glazed Tea Latte, tall size, 6,700 won
The Dreaming Gourmet (Prefers straightforward flavors but makes an effort — sort of — to savor the layers in food. Bread over rice.)
I have decided to trust the "Glazed" series. It captures the appeal of hojicha, which is a bit lighter and sweeter than matcha. You might find it similar to matcha, but savor it and there is a crisp quality that clearly belongs to hojicha alone. It is less sweet than the Black Glazed Latte, so I recommend it if you found the original a little too sweet. Here's hoping for repeated extensions to the run, like last year.
Taste ★★★★★
Price ★★★☆☆
Would buy again ★★★★☆
The Mint-Choco Defender (Likes spicy and sweet alike, but hates anything "too" spicy or sweet. The type who has to chase something sweet with something spicy to feel satisfied.)
As a fan of the Black Glazed Latte series, I had high hopes for the hojicha version. Well, personally I would cast my vote for the original. In the Black Glazed Latte, the bitterness of the espresso does a relatively good job of reining in the drink's excessive sweetness, but the hojicha version somehow tasted sweeter. The funny part is that the Black Glazed Latte actually has a far higher sugar content than the hojicha version. If I drink the hojicha version again, I would like to try it with less syrup.
Taste ★★★☆☆
Price ★★★☆☆
Would buy again ★★☆☆☆
The Palate Scrooge (A picky eater who rarely spares a glance for most desserts. But once something clicks, the classic "fixed-taste" eater who sticks to that one thing.)
The balanced sweetness and the well-blended nuttiness are excellent. The smooth, creamy texture is another good point. But this is a new menu item? It tastes like a familiar matcha latte. A flavor everyone knows and everyone can imagine. You could skip it.
Taste ★★★☆☆
Price ★☆☆☆☆
Would buy again ☆☆☆☆☆
Three Coffees a Day (A walking melting pot of flavors, from Korean food to Mediterranean. Who you eat with matters more than what you eat.)
I did not know what hojicha was, but as long as it tastes good, that is enough. It tasted similar to matcha, so I quietly asked a colleague, who told me it is "tea made by roasting green tea leaves at high temperatures." That gives me confidence my palate was not wrong in finding it similar to matcha. It did feel smoother, perhaps because of how it blends with the cream. Green tea flavors are a rising challenger in a beverage world guarded by chocolate and strawberry, and this one does not disappoint.
Taste ★★★☆☆
Price ★★☆☆☆
Would buy again ★★☆☆☆
The Skinny Big Eater (Eats anything, rich or spicy. A whole chicken or a whole pizza is the baseline.)
The first sip is strongly sweet and smooth. Then comes the distinctive nuttiness and subtle aroma of hojicha, which reins in the sweetness. It is easier on the palate than coffee and its nutty flavor stands out more than in a regular milk tea, but for something labeled a tea, it is quite sweet, so it may not suit those who do not like sweet drinks.
Taste ★★★☆☆
Price ★★☆☆☆
Would buy again ★★★☆☆