Review: Dunkin's Potion Macchiato Is Scary Sweet But Not Much Else

Seasonal foods and beverages are certainly nothing new — there's Starbucks' annually-anticipated pumpkin spice latte, a slew of fall products at Trader Joe's, and now a new festive drink at Dunkin'. Of course, Dunkin's 2024 fall menu has been available for some time, featuring the chain's own version of a PSL, pumpkin donuts, and even a maple sugar bacon breakfast sandwich. What hasn't yet been available in 2024 are Halloween-specific items, but thanks to a special purple drink and a handful of other spooky goodies, that's all about to change.

Indeed, starting on October 16, Dunkin' fans can find some positively bewitched goodies at their nearest location, with one of those Halloween-themed goodies being a Potion Macchiato. For those who aren't familiar with Dunkin's products or are hesitant to try out the layered purple concoction, I purchased and tasted the Potion Macchiato to figure out whether it's worth adding to your seasonal checklist. I've broken down exactly how much the Potion Macchiato costs, when you can get your hands on it, how it tastes, and most important of all, whether or not it left me spellbound.

If you've only ever ordered macchiatos at small, local coffee shops, then there's a good chance the purple drink that Dunkin' calls a Potion Macchiato may have you scratching your head. Dunkin's macchiatos, whether you get them hot or iced, involve espresso shots being poured on top of milk and flavoring, resulting in a layered drink that is quite different from a traditional macchiato. The Potion Macchiato is no different, and according to Dunkin' itself, "This showstopping beverage blends layers of espresso and milk with a vibrant, purple marshmallow ube flavor." Nothing spooky about that!

As for when you can buy the drink and for how much, October 16 is the date that these macchiatos will first be available in stores. It's unclear exactly how long the Potion Macchiato will be available at Dunkin', but considering the drink is part of a Halloween menu, you'd be wise to snag one before the end of October. Now, as for price, I ordered both a small iced and hot Potion Macchiato from my nearest Dunkin' in Chicago, with the iced one being $3.99 and the hot one being $3.49. A medium and large iced one would be $4.39 and $4.79, respectively, and a medium and large hot Potion Macchiato would be $3.89 and $4.29. Keep in mind that prices may differ slightly depending on where you're located.

As with any coffee drink, much of the nutritional breakdown comes down to the size you order, what type of syrups or sweeteners you add, and what kind of milk you opt for. If you were to order a small hot or iced Potion Macchiato as-is, which means you would be getting whole milk and two swirls of marshmallow ube flavor, then the calorie count would be 190 with 4 grams of fat, 32 grams of carbs, and 31 total grams of sugar with 23 of those grams being added sugar. 

Meanwhile, a medium hot or iced Potion Macchiato (which comes with three swirls of marshmallow ube flavor) has 280 calories, 6 grams of fat, 48 grams of carbs, and 46 grams of sugar. Finally, a large hot or iced Potion Macchiato (four swirls of marshmallow ube flavor) has 380 calories, 8 grams of fat, 64 grams of carbs, and 61 total grams of sugar. As you can tell, the nutritional breakdown is largely the same between the hot and iced drinks, and the only difference is that the iced version is ever so slightly higher in potassium and calcium — for example, a large iced Potion Macchiato has 672 milligrams of potassium and 404 milligrams of calcium, whereas a large hot one has 667 milligrams of potassium and 388 milligrams of calcium.

My first impression of Dunkin's Potion Macchiato just by looking at the iced one, was that it wasn't nearly as purple as advertised. This led me to believe that the ube flavor might be a bit lacking. Upon first sip, my suspicions were proven correct as I was met with an overwhelmingly sweet, vanilla-forward flavor that really didn't taste like ube at all. For those unfamiliar, ube is a type of purple yam that admittedly doesn't boast a super bold flavor all on its own, though it typically does have a very earthy and somewhat nutty flavor to it. Ube can also taste vanilla forward, as can marshmallow, so the vanilla flavor in this drink wasn't necessarily uncalled for, but the sweetness certainly was.

As I continued to sip on both macchiatos, I found it hard to distinguish any true defining features of the drinks other than sweet, sweet, sweet. Anyone who has tried Dunkin' drinks knows that this sweetness doesn't come as a surprise, but I was hoping for more marshmallow and ube notes. I did pick up on some marshmallow flavor, but mostly both of these macchiatos just tasted like extra-sweet vanilla lattes more than anything else. The light purple layered look on the iced one was a fun and festive touch, but the flavors were far from magical.

After trying Dunkin's new Potion Macchiato in both hot and iced form, I can confidently say that those who prefer their coffee on the sweet side will likely enjoy this drink. As for which one is better, that comes down to personal preference. However, I do think the refreshing factor of the iced one contrasted nicely with the cloyingly sweet nature of the drink itself. The hot one felt a little too much like a vanilla latte, especially since you can't actually see the purple-layered look of the drink from the outside of the cup.

For those who are a bit sensitive to excess sugar, then I'd recommend avoiding this drink or at least ordering one with less of the marshmallow ube flavor. This is a limited time release from Dunkin', so if you really enjoy trying seasonal beverages or you just happen to swing by Dunkin' most mornings, then there's no harm in trying out the Potion Macchiato to switch up your routine. I wouldn't see myself going for this drink again, but that's not to say it's a particularly bad sip — I ultimately just found it a little too sweet and a little too one dimensional in flavor.