Pistachio Oat Latte by Luckin Coffee

After trying Luckin's Toffee Hazelnut Oat Latte, I found that oat and nuttiness were a good combination, especially for those who like or need dairy-free drinks. So I tried their Pistachio Oat Latte, especially since pistachio-flavoured cafe treats are all the rage these days. This drink officially boasts "3 pistachios and 2 cashews" per cup, so it's also a Cashew Oat Latte rolled in. 

Pistachio Oat Latte by Luckin Coffee

Visually, the oat milk portion was quite green indeed, as you can see at the bottom part of the cup. That bottom part was also where I started drinking from via the straw.

I was instantly hit with a very fragrant and sweet roasted pistachio nut aroma - creamy notes of vanilla, pandan-coconut and perhaps even slightly floral. The fragrance, especially the lush floral bits, were only noticeable on the first sip from the bottom, and it faded into the coffee by the next few sips, when the coffee and ice started to mix in.

The oat milk has a nutty and grainy element to it, which I thought balanced the pistachio's sweetness and enhanced its nuttiness.

The coffee grounded the taste with its darkness. It paired with the oat milk to come across as a dark, roasty and earthy flavour.

I didn't really understand where the cashew nuts fit in... perhaps they brought out the creaminess a bit more. Compared to other nut-flavoured drinks I've tried, such as hazelnut, this one is way more fragrant with those vanilla-pandan notes, yet without added sweetness. So it was a real treat.

Finally, I wonder if adding a dash of salt might better balance the overall taste, as in other pistachio sauces and creams. I did not notice any salt added - if they did, it was very subtle.

I chose the least sweet option, and thought it was perfect. I think some real sugar sweetness is needed to pair with the pistachio's sweet fragrance, otherwise it might taste weird. 

And with Luckin's low prices, I thought this was an absolute steal, beating many gourmet cafes in value hands-down. Not to mention that Luckin didn't charge an extra dollar for the oat milk, especially after factoring in their discounts. I think Luckin has done a fantastic job making "premium" menu items very accessible price-wise.

Personally, pistachio is one of my favourite nut flavours in almost anything - pastries, drinks, chocolate and ice cream, so this was a wonderful treat. I hope to grab it again while it lasts, or better still, I hope to see this as a regular item on their menu. 

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