Is pumpkin spice even good?

You may be able to tell by the cooler weather and mountains of red leaves on the ground that fall is in full swing. Another way to recognize the fall season is here is the arrival of Starbucks’ pumpkin spice latte.

The drink is one of Starbucks’ most successful latte creations and is only served during the fall season. Made from a blend of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg and of course pumpkin flavouring, the PSL has gotten more attention than ever this year.

From BuzzFeed articles to Twitter hashtags and everything in between, people have been obsessing over the latte.

The amount of articles, posts and conversations that have been created around making every food “pumpkin spiced” is overwhelming. It almost seems as if the PSL is the epitome of life from late September to early November.

But is it really that good?

The latte itself is tasty at first, but it’s not the best drink on Earth by any means. Often the latte is made in such a rush because of the influx people in line, that all the unique “spices” and “accents” are poorly mixed into the caffeinated beverage leaving it bland.

On top of that, the real pumpkin pie garnishes can get old really quickly, especially if you’re having one or more a day — not to mention the obvious stomach ache that would ensue from all the heavy cream.

In all honesty, out of all the seasonal drinks Starbucks offers throughout the year, it kind of sucks.

Like most seasonal fads, it is the idea of the PSL that makes people go crazy more so than the actual drink itself. Most people base the start of fall on when the latte hits the Starbucks menu. The hype around its release gets guys and girls alike excited for all the things fall represents.

While the PSL is available, so is the colour changing of leaves, fall fashion, cooler weather and Thanksgiving, which triggers the craze. People like to think that by drinking them, they are consuming more and more of the fall season with every sip — regardless if that sip is tasty or not.

On top of that, the pumpkin spice sprinkle atop fresh whipped cream on a fall day background makes for a very “like-able” Instagram picture.

So, is the pumpkin spice latte the essence of fall? Not exactly — but it can help you get in the mood. If a creamy caffeinated beverage from Starbucks means you feel good all day.

However, if you don’t want anything to do with the drink and the noticeable hype it brings, then feel free to avoid Starbucks like it’s the plague.

The choice is yours.