If you make a purchase using our provided links, we may receive a commission. Learn more here.
Spiked Dunkin coffee felt like an odd but easy way to ease into happy hour.
Dunkin has released a line of teas and coffees blended with alcohol, and they feel aimed at parties, coolers, and low-effort get-togethers.
So what are Dunkin Donuts Spiked drinks, and how do they actually taste?
Key takeaways
What exactly are Dunkin Spiked drinks?
The Dunkin Spiked range is a series of four coffee and four tea flavors with a small amount of alcohol blended in.
These are flavored malt beverages, so the alcohol comes from a fermented base of hops, barley, and sugar rather than from brewed coffee or tea itself.
The Dunkin Spiked iced coffee flavors (At 6% ABV):
The Dunkin Spiked teas flavors (At 5% ABV):
Where to buy Dunkin Spiked drinks?
It is important to note that Dunkin Spiked drinks will not be available in their restaurants. You can find your nearest Spiked Dunkin retailer on their site locator.
Dunkin Spiked iced tea came first, in late August, with Dunkin Spiked coffee following in early September.
You can currently pick some up for yourself at certain grocery and package stores in:
You can currently get the following packs:
In the following sizes:
Now for the fun part! How do they actually taste?
Driving my two cases of Spiked drinks home, I kept wondering which ones would taste closest to the drinks I already knew and which ones would lean hardest into the alcohol.
I love coffee and tea, but I’m not usually into malty alcohol, so I went in with a few reservations.
Even with a serious sweet tooth, I still have a limit, and I wanted to know whether these would cross it.
I was also curious whether the alcohol would stay in the background or take over the whole drink.
There was only one way to find out.
1. Dunkin Spiked coffees
Spiked Original
The moment I cracked open an Original can, I got a strong coffee aroma, which felt promising right away.
The first few sips were heavily sugar- and alcohol-forward, with the coffee showing up more at the end than upfront, so I had to let it sit on my tongue a bit to catch it.
I liked the vanilla and chocolate notes, but the sweetness and alcohol kept crowding them out.
Spiked Caramel
Caramel was the one that surprised me most. It came through as a very sweet, rich coffee with burnt sugar and toffee notes, but the caramel itself felt more like an aftertaste than a blended flavor.
It also had a syrupier mouthfeel than the other coffees, which made the whole thing feel heavier than I wanted.
Overall, the Caramel was fine, but it would not be my first choice.
Spiked Mocha
I started drinking mochas as a teenager, so I’ve always had a soft spot for them, and I was curious to see whether this one could still work with alcohol in the mix.
The can had a strong chocolate aroma that I liked immediately.
The first few sips were sweet, but the coffee bitterness gave the chocolate some structure and kept the alcohol from feeling clumsy. The mouthfeel was thinner than the others, which helped.
Out of the coffee Spiked range, Mocha handled the balance best, and it was my favorite of the three coffee flavors.
Spiked Vanilla
Vanilla lattes are a big hit in my house, so I was curious about this one too.
The Vanilla was strong and sweet, almost like a creamy White Russian or vanilla liqueur. The coffee flavor stayed fairly subtle, but the drink still felt more polished than the Original, and I didn’t mind the softness.
It balanced better than I expected, but it still came in behind the Mocha for me.
2. Spiked Dunkin Iced Teas
Slightly Sweet
If you like a hard iced tea, the Slightly Sweet will probably land well. It felt closer to the version I’d order on a patio than something I’d nurse slowly.
Despite the name, it drinks sweeter than I expected, but the alcohol stays mellow.
It has a straightforward balance of black tea and lemon, with a tea aftertaste that leaves it feeling clean and refreshing.
Half & Half
Half & Half is an even split between lemonade and black tea, and it really works.
It reminds me of an Arnold Palmer, just with a touch more sourness than the previous flavor.
It also packs a little more punch while still tasting light enough to finish quickly.
I found it easy to drink a little too quickly, so I kept an eye on how fast it disappeared.
Strawberry Dragonfruit
The Refreshers line inspired both the Strawberry Dragonfruit and Mango Pineapple flavors.
The Strawberry Dragonfruit threw me at first because of the bright fuchsia color, but once I got past that, the flavor was sweet, fruity, and not overly artificial.
It reminded me of a strawberry margarita, which was an easy win for me.
That made it my favorite flavor across both lines.
Mango Pineapple
I had to try the Mango Pineapple next, because mango and cocktails are an easy sell for me.
It was light and tropical, with a nice balance of fruit, tea, and alcohol. A lot of drinks chase that vacation feeling, but this one actually gets there without tasting syrupy.
It still finished just behind Strawberry Dragonfruit for the top spot.
Final words - Would you try Dunkin’ Spiked?
Dunkin's move into the ready-to-drink alcohol aisle is uneven, but a few flavors here held up better than I expected.
For me, the standouts are the ones I’d be happy to see in a cooler at a party.
