Pumpkin spice has been among the top fall flavors for over a decade, but why? In the fall of 2003, Starbucks first released its famous pumpkin spice latte. Since then, many companies have tried to replicate Starbucks’ success with their own pumpkin spice items: Oreos, Cheerios, Swiss rolls, and even air fresheners have hit the shelves.

So in the spirit of the season, I decided to try, rate, and rank an array of pumpkin-spiced and pumpkin-flavored items. I rated them on a scale from pumpkin having the most pumpkin/pumpkin spice flavor to nonekin having the least pumpkin flavor.

• Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte: This is the original. If you look up pumpkin spice in the dictionary, there will be a picture of the pumpkin spice latte in there. What can I say that hasn’t been said? It is the epitome of fall: you can almost see the leaves changing color after every sip. 10/10 pumpkin, 9/10 taste

• Pop Tarts Pumpkin Pie: This was a very pumpkin flavor from the first bite. It does taste like a pumpkin pie, however, the pumpkin puree flavor is somewhat overpowering, which leaves much to be desired of the other aspects of a pumpkin pie. 8/10 pumpkin 3/10 flavor

• Hostess Iced Pumpkin Cupcakes: Unexpectedly very pumpkiny, the traditional sweetness of the cupcake paired with the pumpkin flavor makes for a great little fall treat. 7/10 pumpkin, 8/10 flavor

• Little Bites Pumpkin Muffins: From the first bite, it was very pumpkin spice forward; it tasted like you were biting into a pumpkin spice latte with the cinnamon and nutmeg shining right along sides of the pumpkin. If you’re a fan of pumpkin spice, I would definitely recommend this. 6/10 pumpkin, 7/10 flavor

• Tazo Pumpkin Spice Latte Black Tea Concentrate: I had this iced, which was quite good. It had a more subtle pumpkin spice flavor, with the black tea really being the star of the show. 6/10 pumpkin 10/10 flavor

• Swiss Miss Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate: The original hot flavor is very chocolatey, and you can’t taste that much of that pumpkin spice flavoring. However,  as it cooled down, it began to take a lot of that pumpkin flavor and became quiet pumpinkey, but it’s called hot chocolate, not lukewarm chocolate, and for that reason, I will give it a 5/10 pumpkinish but a 4/10 flavor

• Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew: For those who are big fans of both the pumpkin spiced latte and the cold brew, you will be sorely disappointed. The pumpkin flavor was lackluster at best, with it really just tasting like the regular cream they put in their cold brew. 3/10 nonekin, 6/10 flavor

• Pumpkin Spice Cheerios: This was the item I was most looking forward to as I was preparing to write this; however, with my first bite, I could already tell there was much to be desired, and after finishing a bowl, I knew there was much to be desired, with its plain cheerios flavor and just a hint of cinnamon flavor. I’m not sure how they decided to call this pumpkin spice. 1/10 nonekin, 5/10 flavor

Since its inception from the pumpkin spice latte, to now with pumpkin spice Latte everything pumpkin spice has undeniably come a long way in its popularity.  Whether you’re a pumpkin lover, or hater, it’s undeniable that pumpkin (and pumpkin spice) is a seasonal flavor that’s here to stay.