Guide for the Ultimate Fall PSL
Darian Trabold, Editor-in-Chief & Arib Hassam, VP Community Life, SMCSU
For the third and final year, we are coming to you live from cafes in Toronto. We review some old favorites and a few new ones. One thing is for sure, nothing says fall like a Pumpkin Spice Latte.
Second Cup
Darian: This is a solid PSL, not too sweet, and just the right amount of coffee. If you are not a huge fan of overly sweet coffee, this is a great option. Second Cup never disappoints, when I leave Canada, I can say for sure I will miss it!
Arib: A good baseline PSL; very balanced, however, I’m not a huge fan of the pumpkin spice topping they use, as it’s a bit grainy and eventually settles to the bottom of the drink. However, I feel this does not detract from the overall pumpkin spice experience.
Gong Cha
Darian: This was shocking. One does not usually associate bubble tea with PSL, but it works better than expected. The foam topping did take away from the drink, but we would definitely recommend ordering it without the foam for the best experience.
Arib: This drink was life changing. While very sweet even though we ordered it at the lowest sweetness level (30%), it tasted exactly like a pumpkin pie in milkshake form. The one improvement I would make would be the elimination of the overly salty milk foam topping; I will definitely be back!
Dairy Queen
Darian: There is nothing on this Earth like a blizzard; the fear when they flip it over and you think your sweet treat is going to be ruined, that first delicious bite, it is like heaven in a cup. The pumpkin pie Blizzard lived up to my expectations. It reminded me of Gong Cha tea without the bad foam. Do not think I would get this often but a good, sweet treat option if you are near a Dairy Queen.
Arib: The pumpkin flavor was not too forward on this, overall, it is a good dessert. I liked the addition of the graham cracker and cookie dough pieces which added some nice texture to the Blizzard. However, for $9, this item was slightly overpriced.
Jimmy’s
Arib: Darian and I had very different experiences when it came to Jimmy’s PSL, which I attribute to the fact that she and I visited different locations. While my PSL from the 84 Gerrard Street location was quite delicious, not too sweet and had plenty of lovely pumpkin flavour, I’ll leave you to read Darian’s experience at the McCaul location below.
Darian: Jimmy’s is one of my favorite coffee shops so disappointed is an understatement. I was excited when Arib told me they improved their PSL only for my dreams to be crushed as if I were at the Exam Center. Not even the wonderful chalk drawing of Jimmy Carter could distract me from the artificial taste. The syrup they use at this location needs to be switched to what they use at 84 Gerrard. This PSL is the epitome of “not mad, just disappointed.”
Oreos
Darian: That fateful day in Target changed my life. This not being a year-round flavor is a crime. We need this in double-stuffed, mega-stuffed, thins, every way imaginable. They are the perfect way to enjoy a little taste of pumpkin after a long day.
Arib: I hate Justin Trudeau for not allowing these to be sold in Canada. They are the perfect fall treat, pairing perfectly with a hot PSL. A huge shoutout to Darian for always smuggling a pack of these over the border from America for me. The pumpkin creme filling is delicious and dangerous. Don’t leave me alone with these because I will finish the whole pack in one sitting.
Paris Baguette Drink and Pastry
Darian: Paris has never been known for its PSL and maybe there is a reason for that. This was kind of like Second Cup, nothing special but nothing particularly bad, not sure I would pay almost $10 for it again. The pumpkin pastry we had was good, but it was not pumpkin. The pumpkin frosting tasted like buttercream with orange food coloring. This is a once-a-month feeling really bougie kind of place.
Arib: I was a little skeptical at first when I had to pay over $8 for this PSL, but honestly it was quite enjoyable. It was nothing special, and didn’t really stand out for any of the other PSLs that I’ve tried. That being said, it did pair nicely with the “pumpkin” tarte that we got with it. Unfortunately, the pastry didn’t taste like pumpkin spice at all, and the neon orange colour was a bit misleading.
Danish Pastry House Drink and Pastry
Darian: I did not hate it, but I did not love it. More coffee forward than any of the other PSLs but the syrup lingered on the bottom which was odd. The pastry looked good but alas looks are deceiving. I probably would not come back here for a PSL.
Arib: Very disappointing. We trekked to the Eaton Centre, only to be disappointed. The iced PSL had a horrible artificial sweetener aftertaste, and the pastry was dry and crumbly. I would not recommend it.
7/11
Darian: If this PSL ever tasted bad I would lose faith in humanity. Money does not always buy happiness and 7/11 has proved it. Despite being the cheapest PSL on the list and coming out of a machine, it is by far the best. When someone asks me what I learned in my four years of university, I will tell them that 7/11 has the best PSL.
Arib: Few things are as consistent in life as the 7-Eleven PSL. When we first tried it three years ago, it was a cultural reset. We tried it iced this year, and it was just as good, if not better. With a perfect balance of coffee and pumpkin spice flavour, this PSL is easily the best one out of all the ones we have tried.
Photo Credit: Darian Trabold
