Salem Saberhagen, the wisecracking talking cat voiced by Nick Bakay on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, has come out of retirement to help launch Halloween treats at Starbucks. The sitcom, which starred Melissa Joan Hart and ran from 1996 to 2003, is back in the spotlight as the Black Cat Frappuccino and the Venti Black Night Cookie arrived at participating U.S. coffeehouses yesterday.
Starbucks says the Black Cat Frappuccino pairs a Crème Frappuccino beverage with rich cocoa flavor and brownie-like notes, topped with whipped cream and chocolatey cat ears, and it is sold exclusively in a grande size. The Venti Black Night Cookie is a large, shareable dark chocolate cookie packed with caramel fudge pieces and chunks of caramelized white chocolate. Both items are available for a limited time through Halloween.
Salem, who is owned by Archie Comics, is also turning up across Starbucks social channels, with more to say in the coming days. In the launch spot below, he talks himself into a first sip of the Black Cat Frappuccino, and a counter full of empty cups later, the verdict is written all over his face.
An early taste test from Food Network compared the drink to a Brooklyn blackout cake in liquid form, the kind of indulgence Salem rarely turned down on the show.
Fans who want the full reunion can stream full seasons of Sabrina the Teenage Witch on Paramount+ and Pluto TV, Salem’s one-liners included.