I was happy to see it had a bit of the festive flavours, and again a slight minty aftertaste, but it was also underwhelming. When I started with the smell test, I only got their regular hot chocolate aromas and nothing candy cane at all. Tims, on the other hand, leans into the chocolate flavour and the sweetness that comes with it. Starbucks doesn't make them overly sweet either. However, the chocolate doesn't really stand out. The first one definitely has more mint flavour to it and even leaves a slight seasonal aftertaste. While Starbucks' version isn't overly chocolatey, Tims' take isn't overly minty. Neither of these drinks is overly impressive.

If either of these drinks had whip cream on them at any point, as they do in the promo pics, it's long gone.Īlso, the Starbucks cup already looked a little empty. Once you open the lids, however, it's pretty lacklustre. Tim Hortons took a simple approach with a white cup and their typically red logo but to make it merry, they added a sprig of holly and some extra text around it so now it reads 'It's the most wonderful Tims of the year.' This time of year doesn't just mean holiday beverages but it also includes festive packaging too.įor Starbucks, that means a green cup with seasonally coloured polka dots and green branded ribbon wrapping around it all. Whether it's the looks, the taste, or the amount of holiday cheer, this is my honest opinion of these seasonal sippers.Įditor's Choice: A New 'Family Photo' Of Justin Trudeau & World Leaders For The G20 Has The PM Standing Out What do they look like? 'Tis the season for taste testing! With Starbucks' peppermint hot chocolate coming out and Tim Hortons' candy cane hot chocolate back on the menu, I tried both to see which one reigns supreme.

Starbucks peppermint hot chocolate