Ah, autumn. There are many beautiful aspects of the season that are widely loved—pumpkin patches, chili on a cold day, the trees ignited with fiery leaves and the crunch under your boots after they fall, and arguably the most beloved staple of fall, the Pumpkin Spice Latte.

All the hype began with Starbucks. In 2003 after sustained success with seasonal drinks, and therefore decided to create a fall drink using vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice. Various other coffee shops copied the idea with diverse disparities, creating their own autumnal caffeinated beverages.

The excitement of the Pumpkin Spice Latte, or PSL as it is fondly dubbed, has just about everyone going a little bit crazy for it in the fall. Due to the temporary insanity and bombardment of pumpkin spice, three college students, Julia Faltin, Zach Pohlman, and Annika Svobda, were offered a free taste test of the PSL from the three coffee vendors that sell the autumn beverage on Rockhurst University’s campus, Einstein’s, Starbucks, and The Roasterie to find the superior drink.

To keep the taste test as fair as possible and void of tainted previous experiences, the students were not given the knowledge as to the vendor that produced any given Pumpkin Spice Latte.

After all the drinks had been tested, the final outcome was determined by the majority. Faltin and Svoboda ranked the Roasterie as first, Starbucks as second, and Einstein’s as last. Pohlman, however, rated Einstein’s first, Starbucks second, and The Roasterie last.

The Roasterie’s PSL was the favorite because, according to Svoboda, it tasted more like spiced coffee and was not as comparatively sweet. Faltin gave similar statements. Pohlman, however, did not prefer this spiced brew because of its lack of sweetness and its strong aftertaste.

Starbucks received a middle-of-the ground review by all three participants. “There’s more coffee, less spice,” said Faltin, “It’s not as pumpkin-y.” Svoboda agreed, stating that it had a genuinely “lighter” taste about it that was devoid of boldness.

Einstein’s the last place coffee, was named by both Faltin and Svoboda as tasting diluted. Pohlman, however, loved the coffee, describing it as “coffee flavored pumpkin.” Pohlman described that the reason he loved the Einstein’s coffee was primarily due to that he preferred Einstein’s coffee over the other vendors on campus.

The remaining question that the participants were asked about their perception about the Pumpkin Spice Latte after the taste test. According to Pohlman, his perception was greatly changed. “Starbucks is not the pinnacle of fall, like they would have you believe,” Pohlman said. “To paraphrase Shakira, my buds don’t lie…referring to my taste.” Pohlman’s viewpoint was directly oppositional to that of Svoboda and Faltin, and he believes his ranking to be the best based upon his taste buds.

Svoboda, by the end of the taste test, had grown weary of drinking PSL, saying “I’m not gonna drink a pumpkin spice latte ever again.” Nevertheless, her concluding thoughts surrounded a new perspective of the latte. “It’s overrated…it’s all in the marketing.” To Svoboda, the drink is not so much a tasty seasonal beverage, but rather a corporate scheme.

Faltin, in conclusion, said, “You need to find your place within the coffee community. Taste all, don’t discriminate.” It is important to Faltin that coffee consumer’s keep an open mind regarding their preference of drink, rather than remaining hyper-fixated on one particular drink.

Pumpkin Spice Lattes, although a beautiful treat, have a life expectancy as long as the color change of the leaves in autumn. The expiration date for the seasonal latte is fast approaching, so the hunt for the perfect PSL outside the bounds of Rockhurst University may abruptly end.