Before <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/starbucks-peppermint-mocha-a-love-story/">Peppermint Mocha</a>, before <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/redcupdesigns/">red holiday cups&nbsp;</a>– there was Christmas Blend. This beloved holiday coffee was Introduced in 1984, back when Starbucks had only five locations in Seattle and they didn't sell drinks and food, just whole bean coffee, tea and spices. The new coffee blend showcased Starbucks artistry in roasting and blending with an expert combination of lively Latin American beans and mellow Indonesian coffees. The finishing touch was the addition of rare, spicy Sumatra beans that were painstakingly aged for three to five years for a full-bodied, spicy and rich cup of coffee.

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Customers quickly snapped up the hand-scooped bags of Christmas Blend, and the air in stores was soon filled with the roasty-sweet aroma of Christmas Blend. The roasting plant ramped up production, as more and more shipments arrived each morning to meet the growing demand, their white metal bins still warm from the fresh-roasted beans inside.

Ever since that very first holiday, Christmas Blend has become a cherished part of the holidays, whether it’s shared around a table or given as a <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/holiday-beverages-and-red-cups-arrive-at-starbucks-nov-4/">perfectly wrapped gift</a>. Its legacy continues with this year’s vintage, created by Starbucks team of expert coffee developers to honor its rich heritage while bringing in new coffees from Latin America, Africa and Indonesia and considering brewing methods such as iced and cold brew.

All of Starbucks coffees are made with 100% arabica coffee, verified as ethically sourced by <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/cafe-practices-starbucks-approach-to-ethically-sourcing-coffee/" target="_blank">Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.) Practices.</a> Here are the holiday coffees you can enjoy this year from Starbucks – with that warmth, that spice, and that richness you have come to love:

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Starbucks Reserve Christmas 2023

Starbucks VIA Instant Christmas Blend

* Keurig, K-Cup, and the K logo are trademarks of Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., used with permission.

Here’s the scoop on Starbucks holiday coffees and Christmas Blend, a beloved part of the season since 1984.

An insider’s guide to Christmas Blend and Starbucks holiday coffees

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Every November, colorful bags of Starbucks holiday coffees arrive in stores, beckoning to be scooped up as a gift or as the perfect <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/2019-starbucks-holiday-coffee-and-pairings-guide/">accompaniment to a festive meal</a>. The original Christmas Blend, introduced in 1984, has been a holiday tradition at Starbucks even longer than the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/starbucks-peppermint-mocha-a-love-story/">Peppermint Mocha</a> or <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2017/20-years-of-starbucks-holiday-cups/">red holiday cups</a>, beloved for its special blend of Latin American and rare aged Sumatran beans. Over the years, the holiday coffee family has grown to include new varieties like Starbucks <a href="https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/295/whole-bean">Holiday Blend</a> and <a href="https://www.starbucks.com/menu/product/770/whole-bean">Christmas Blend Espresso Roast</a>, with fresh twists on the classic recipe.­­­ Their packaging helps tell the story of more than three decades of coffee passion and craft – if you know where to look.

“The coffee packaging is always like these little jewels that show up in the store that cue the holidays,” said Jeff Wilkson, creative director for Starbucks, whose team led this year’s holiday design. “They are so beautiful and they have a little bit of shine to them.”

When Starbucks first introduced Christmas Blend, it was packed into plain brown paper bags to be brewed at home. But as Starbucks transformed from a whole-bean retailer to a coffeehouse, its bags became vessels for visual storytelling starting with decorative adhesive stamps and later with higher tech packaging that uses a printed laminated film, called “­­rollstock,” with a FlavorLock™ seal to help the beans to taste fresh longer. The new rollstock packages offered a larger canvas for sharing each coffee’s unique story through images and words. Christmas Blend could &nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2016/12-years-of-starbucks-christmas-blend/">wrapped as a treasured gift</a> – bedecked with boughs of holly, snow-filled scenes, or shimmering ornaments – along with tasting notes and brewing tips from the blend’s creators.

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The artwork for the 2020 Starbucks holiday coffee bag draws from this long and vibrant tradition. Each one distinctive, with traditional reds, greens and gold with highlights of sugar plum and candy pink. They also tie into this year’s holiday cup design, with iconography pulled from the ribbon cup – like the Siren’s crown, tail and scales.

The coffees inside the bags are just as beautiful. Inspired by the original flavors of the holiday blends, Starbucks team of expert coffee developers built upon their comfort, tradition, and familiarity while also bringing new coffees from Asia, Africa and Latin America. They also considered brewing methods such as iced and cold brew and savory pairings as well as sweet.

“What I love about all the holiday coffees this year is that there are so many new origins and so many unique, extraordinary sensory experiences, across the portfolio,” said Mary Mayorquin, senior manager for Starbucks Global Coffee Strategy and Development.

Christmas Blend Espresso Roast

Starbucks® Holiday Blend

Starbucks Reserve™ Christmas 2020

Starbucks Reserve™ coffees have a keepsake card affixed to every package, each is its own work of art like the coffees themselves. Since 2015, Starbucks Reserve™ Christmas has been a vibrant, modern expression of the holiday, with savory spice notes and a bright sweetness. The blend, roasted at Starbucks Reserve™ Roastery locations, features three rare and remarkable coffees: Hacienda Alsacia™, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/5-things-to-know-about-starbucks-farm-hacienda-alsacia/">from our Starbucks Costa Rica farm</a>, returns with hints of citrus alongside aged Sumatra, long treasured for its earthy, aromatic spice. New this year is the inclusion of full-bodied Sulawesi coffee from the Indonesian archipelago. These hand-selected beans, cultivated by smallholder farmers, bring a delicate butterscotch sweetness to the 2020 blend. This year’s artwork reflects the rare and magical elements of these three coffees coming together. Orange, butterscotch and warm spices all inspired the colorways, iconography and textures in this artwork with greens and reds coming in to help further celebrate the holiday season.

Available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.starbucksreserve.com/en-us?">Starbucks Reserve Roastery</a>&nbsp;locations and&nbsp;select stores that offer Clover™-brewed coffees&nbsp;in the United States and Canada.

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* Keurig, K-Cup, and the K logo are trademarks of Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., used with permission.

Lineup of Holiday coffee bags on green background

The packaging of Starbucks holiday coffees share the legend of more than three decades of coffee passion and craft – if you know where to look.

The story behind Starbucks Christmas Blend coffees

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How a tradition began: The story behind Starbucks Christmas Blend coffees

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