@brushworksbydima [1]

Collect your thoughts before you get to the drive thru tho 🤣 #fyp [2] #starbucks [3] #starbucksdrinks [4]

♬ original sound - Dima [5]

When I first saw this viral TikTok video [6] of an extremely interesting twist on the popular Mango Dragonfruit Refresher [7] drink from Starbucks, I immediately knew I had to try it. As a self-proclaimed Starbucks [8] connoisseur, the bold flavours and beautiful colours were just too tempting to pass up. Plus, you know, it sounded freakin' delicious.

My go-to order at Starbucks is usually an iced coffee with one pump of vanilla and one pump of caramel, so the refreshers and other fruit-based drinks are not in my usual rotation, but I had to make an exception for this beautiful drink to see if it was worth the hype. And I'm very pleased to report that it tastes just as summery as it looks and even reminds me of the Fourth of July. Oh, and it's just $5.

How Do You Order It?

I have social anxiety, and personally, I started this custom order [9] by apologising to my sweet barista, who simply laughed like it was no big deal. The drink is a grande Mango Dragonfruit Refresher with no water, blended with strawberry puree, and topped with whipped cream and extra strawberry puree. My barista opted to double blend it, which made the drink extremely smooth and creamy. They also took one look at the sticker and excitedly said, "Wow." I felt that.

What Does It Taste Like?

If you've ever had a Strawberry Coolatta from Dunkin' Donuts, this drink had a very similar taste. The Mango Dragonfruit made it a bit more sour and tangy, but the strawberry puree and whipped cream were the most overpowering flavours in the drink. I will say that the flavours didn't exactly mix together well — they were a bit separated, with the Mango Dragonfruit settling on the bottom and the strawberry and whipped cream staying more on the top. But as long as you kept mixing, you got a sweet and tangy drink that would be perfect to sip on in the warm sunshine. The double blend made it very light, refreshing, and enjoyable.

Would I Recommend It?

If you love a sweet, fruity drink, then I'd absolutely recommend this fun twist on the Mango Dragonfruit Refresher. To enjoy it, you need to really like both the refresher flavour and the taste of strawberries, as both really stand out independently in the drink. You also need to have a high sugar tolerance. I know I would have absolutely loved this in high school and college when I was drinking Starbuck Frappuccinos [10] daily (does anyone else remember the Cotton Candy Frappuccino?), but it was a bit too sweet for my liking now to finish the whole thing. If I were to order it again, I'd add extra ice and get it in a venti cup to try and cut down on the sweetness. I felt a sugar rush for a few hours after drinking it and ended up with a bit of a headache once I was finished, but overall, it's a delicious little treat.