Imagination is the world’s greatest spice. In the real world, nothing about the idea of blue-colored milk sounds good, it sounds straight-up frightening and if you saw it in real life you’d probably be too scared to smell it, let alone drink it. Yet, for whatever reason, Star Wars fans of all ages have been absolutely f*cking captivated by the concept of blue milk ever since we first saw Luke Skywalker pour a glass in Star Wars: A New Hope.
What does this stuff taste like? Blueberry Nesquik? Does it have a raw milk vibe? Does it taste good in espresso? All valid questions.
Blue milk is such a part of the Star Wars expanded universe and mythology that when Rian Johnson dared to give us an image of an old curmudgeonly Luke Skywalker drinking *gasp* green milk straight from the teet of… whatever the hell this thing is in The Last Jedi, a certain sector of the internet lost their shit. Which is exactly why when Disneyland put together their Star Wars land, Galaxy’s Edge, they capitalized on our unhealthy obsession by giving us our first official taste of the stuff.
I’ve been wanting to know how the Disney-fied blue milk tastes for a while now, ever since Galaxy’s Edge first opened in the summer of 2019 (full review of the park incoming) and… then the pandemic hit. The pandemic is by no means over, but since this is seemingly a permanent part of our lives now I decided to risk it all, make the trek to Disneyland rocking an N95, and try this milk for myself in my own private corner of the busiest happiest place on Earth.
While at the park, I actually discovered that isn’t just one flavor or colored of milk, there are three. Naturally, we reviewed them all!
Blue Milk
Price: $7.99
The Milk:
Available at the unimaginatively named “Milk Stand” in Galaxy’s Edge (on the planet Batuu), I was pleased to learn that this “blue milk” is thankfully, not milk at all and is mostly dominated by a hard to decipher fruity flavor. In an attempt to, I’m certain, cater to the widest audience possible ($$$), this milk is entirely plant-based, featuring a mixture of coconut and rice milks.
I think that makes for a better drink. But I don’t know that it’s going to satisfy Star Wars fan’s expectations.
Disneyland could’ve gone with a food coloring and made this a simple milk tea inspired drink (I’m not opposed to adding boba to this thing either) but instead this relies on fruity characteristics above all else, a tasting note that I don’t think any Star Wars fan expected out of the legendary piece of set design.
The flavor is dominated by notes of sweetened coconut and the slightest hint of pineapple on the back end.
A bit like a piña colada, but leaning much more heavily on the coconut than anything else. The drink features an icy consistency that comes off a bit like a loose slushy with shavings of ice present throughout. It tastes nothing like I expected it, or even wanted it to. To be fair to Disney though (because Disney needs/deserves/reciprocates fairness?) this isn’t Bantha milk, which is what Luke was drinking, it’s “Batuu’s legenadary blue… treat, served frozen.”
So you could argue it’s not what Luke drank anyway. But then… why are we drinking it?
Green Milk
Price: $7.99
The Milk:
Next up was the green milk. It looks much less appetizing than the blue, but the two flavors are pretty interchangeable at the end of the day. While the blue milk had a cooler more refreshing vibe to it, the green has a more tropical quality. I’m tasting more coconut but also mango, and maybe even a hint of citrus.
It’s really hard to decipher the fruity notes of each drink because they are primarily dominated by sweetness. There isn’t a lot of subtlety here at all, but I can see the green milk being more enjoyable on a hot day when you’re looking for a refreshing snack between waiting in punishingly long lines.
Toydaria Swirl
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Price: $8.79
The Milk:
The Milk Bar’s description of the Toydaria Swirl is a bit misleading. The signage suggests it’s simply a mix of flavors but it’s actually a lot more crafted than that. The drink doesn’t utilize both flavors, instead it uses the green milk as a base with a swirl of mango fruit sauce topped with a dusting of chili lime seasoning. The flavor is akin to sprinkling Tajín on a tropical mango raspado and drinking the syrupy ice at the bottom. I got mango, coconut, lime and orange citrus, and a subtle and spicy aftertaste that lingered brilliantly between brain-freeze inducing sips.
As a drink it has absolutely no connection to Star Wars whatsoever and it’s kind of better for it, even if that does ruin the immersion a bit. To get one last little nerdy rant in, I find it puzzling that Star Wars branded this drink the “Toydaria Swirl.” The most famous Toydarian in all of Star Wars is Watto, you know, the Mos Espa junk dealer that literally owned Anakin Skywalker and his mother before losing the former in a pod race bet with Liam Neeson.
Very weird move, Disney. Why not the Dagobah Swirl? Same planet color, but I digress.
The Bottom Line:
Blue milk in the winter, green in the summer, swirl for the best bang for your buck. Ultimately, the legendary blue milk will forever taste best in our imaginations (or as a milk tea with food coloring). If you’re really going to shell out close to $10 for what is essentially a 12oz coconut slushie, go all out and get the Toydaria Swirl. It won’t feel like you’re drinking something from the Star Wars universe, but look around you, you’re in Galaxy’s Edge and it’s inarguably one of Disneyland’s best creations and absolutely chock full of other references for you to nerd out on.