How Does Dunkin's Brown Sugar Shakin' Espresso Compare To Starbucks'?

A new year means a new coffee battle between major chains Dunkin' and Starbucks. While the two rivals usually try to stand out from each other as much as they can, there's been plenty of overlap in menu items over the years. Dunkin' chose to take its final jab at Starbucks for 2024 by dropping a shaken espresso drink right at the end of the year that might give Starbucks fans deja vu.

In 2024, the two (mostly coffee) chains went head to head with energy drink releases. First, drinks in February 2024, and then in June of the same year . Fast forward to December 31, 2024, and a collaboration with "Espresso" singer Sabrina Carpenter.



Starbucks first added its Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso to its menu all the way back in 2021. Perhaps the rise in popularity of pop star Sabrina Carpenter made for the perfect moment for Dunkin' to not look like it was completely plagiarizing its rival more than three years after the fact. Or, maybe Dunkin' has perfected its shaken espresso in a way Starbucks customers won't be able to resist.

It's time to find out. What's the difference between Dunkin's and Starbucks' shaken espressos? Sometimes when these two chains copy each other, they at least try to differentiate the flavors of their competing offerings. Take, for example, the energy drinks released in 2024.

Starbucks released a Melon Burst and a Tropical Citrus flavor, while Dunkin's SPARK'D came out in Peach Sunshine and Berry Burst flavors. Surprisingly though, this is not the case for the Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso and Sabrina's Brown Sugar Shakin' Espresso at Dunkin. Other than the brand name attached and the actual spelling of the two drinks, the makeup of the beverages are essentially identical.

A tall Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso contains oatmilk, three pumps of brown sugar syrup, cinnamon powder, and two shots of the brand's blonde espresso on ice. The Dunkin' version contains oatmilk, two pumps of brown sugar syrup, and two shots of espresso over ice. The ratio of measurements might differ slightly, but the drinks are pretty much twins in terms of ingredients.

Which shaken espresso is best? In the spirit of full transparency, I will note that this author has been drinking Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso since it was first introduced. So, the Dunkin' version had its work cut out for it from the beginning. However, for as much as I enjoy Starbucks's drink, it was almost impossible to find a difference in taste.

Both drinks are a smooth, creamy blend of espresso and oatmilk with just enough sweetness to balance everything out. There's possibly a bit more of an espresso bitterness in the Dunkin' version but it's barely detectable. This might only be due to the fact that Starbucks' version has one more pump of brown sugar syrup to balance its espresso content.

With their flavors being so close, this fight may be determined by price point. Dunkin's drink is selling for $5.29 for a 12-ounce cup while Starbucks sells its shaken espresso for $5.

75 for the same size. Strictly based on price, it would appear that Dunkin' wins out, but in terms of originality the donut shop loses in my book. Since the ingredient lists and the taste are equivalent, the real question is: "Do you prefer your espresso shakin' or shaken?" Recommended.