(Last year I wrote up some reviews on pumpkin spice lattes but it was near the end of the season so I never did anything with them. Assuming no changes, this is presumably how I’d feel about them this year.)

Starbucks
$4.15
Somewhat thick, sugary. Can taste nutmeg, some cinnamon, but not so much coffee. Comes with whipped cream (was asked). Feels like a drink I’d feel a bit sick afterwards.

Bridgehead
$3.94
More coffee, cinnamon, and less sweet, bloat and dairy than Starbucks. Actually tastes like a coffee beverage.

McDonald’s
$3.60
The sweetness level is high but the richness level is poor. It tastes diluted. If one mixed a McD and a SB PSL together 1:1, it’d probably be the right amount of dairy. Rather strong on what I think is nutmeg, and lacking in other spices, which overwhelms the spice experience. Not tasting much if any coffee.

Second Cup
$4.33
Arguably, how the SB PSL should taste: not very coffee-flavoured, but a better balance of sugar, dairy, and spice. Can use less sugar, but okay otherwise. The price is ridiculous, though.

Timothy’s World Coffee
$4.10
Weird mix of spices, which leaves a bit of a metallic or chemical aftertaste? Same watery flavour as McD, and not as much dairy. Not all that sugary… …actually, the whole concoction seems to have a hint of aspartame.

Tim Hortons
$3.21
For the price, I’m not surprised that I’m drinking some kind of diluted warm milk liquid. There may be some spice here, but probably not coffee.