This story was originally published on May 19, 2017.
The days are getting longer, the temperature is starting to climb, a three-day weekend approaches. It can only mean one thing — summer is really almost here. And what better way to celebrate the return of hot weather than with a really cold drink?
Today, Dunkin' Donuts officially launched its brand-new frozen coffee, literally called Frozen Dunkin' Coffee. The much-anticipated replacement to the Coolatta, on first glance, the drink seems rather simple: a mix of coffee concentrate, ice, and milk, with additional flavors and sweeteners up to each person's discretion.
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But, as we learned when we sampled the drink earlier this week, the key to making a perfect blended drink that would stack up to the rest of the Dunkin' family wasn't just as simple as blending regular coffee with ice. What the brand eventually landed on was a concentrate that is stronger than even iced coffee concentrate, allowing the resulting blended drink to be more like a classic coffee, versus the Coffee Coolatta, which was more of a milkshake.
The resulting beverage has all the caffeine of a typical iced coffee and can be customized with the milk of the consumer's choice (including almond milk) and any flavor shots or swirls of their choosing. For a limited time, those flavors could include Coconut Crème Pie and Butter Pecan, also available today.
Ahead of the launch, R29 staffers got to do a taste test, and it even swayed Coffee Coolatta fans, including one who said it was "200% better" than it's predecessor. While it can be adapted countless ways, the concentrate allows the coffee taste to stay strong, no matter what you toss in it. And even if you've never had a Coolatta, the new Frozen Coffee is the perfect antidote to a hot summer's day: cooling, refreshing, and rich. It's definitely a coffee drink, and not a sweet frozen drink with some coffee added, making it great for a bracing pick-me-up during the long, hot summer days.