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All the amazing Japanese Starbucks Frappuccinos SoraNews24 tried in 2018【Taste tests】

Casey Baseel Dec 29, 2018
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The year in review for Starbucks’ blended ice dessert drinks is a delicious trip down memory lane.

As the year comes to a close, it’s natural to think back on the year that was. Some choose to reminisce about the joys and adventures they experienced, while others’ minds are drawn towards lamentable regrets and missteps.

Being the optimists we are at SoraNews24, we’re in the former group, and as we recall the events of 2018, we’re reminded again of how awesome Starbucks Japan’s Frappuccinos are. So join us for a retrospective of 10 delicious Frappuccinos from the past 12 months.

1. Sakura Strawberry Pink Mochi Frappuccino

Japan’s sakura cherry blossoms usually don’t bloom until April, but the traditional confectionery known as sakura mochi is a February treat, and the Frappuccino it inspired was our taste tester Meg’s all-time favorites.

2. Kaga Bo Hojicha Frappuccino

A stems-only green tea Frappuccino? Unusual as it may sound, this hojicha (roasted green tea) drink, the first in Starbucks’ Japan Wonder Project, is based on a much-loved variety of tea from Ishikawa Prefecture, and was definitely crazy enough to work.

3. Matcha S’more Frappuccino

Look, we always want more S’mores (that’s where the name comes from, after all). But what really made this drink stand out was that it uses 50 percent more matcha powder than the standard Japanese-spec green tea Frappuccino, giving it a deeply beautiful color and immensely satisfying flavor.

4. Crispy Sweet Potato Frappuccino

A crispy Frappuccino? Yep. While the blended ice drinks are usually slushy in consistency, this autumn offering was topped with imo kempi sweet potato cookie bits, creating an unprecedented and thoroughly enjoyable texture.

5. Creamy Pumpkin Frappuccino

Going from crispy to creamy, this actually isn’t Starbucks Japan’s take on pumpkin spice. The star ingredient here is kabocha, often called “Japanese pumpkin” but sweeter and moister than the Western pumpkin used for carving Jack-o’-lanterns.

6. Halloween Witch Frappuccino

Starbucks Japan didn’t forget about Halloween, though, as it released two special Frappuccinos ahead of October 31. Here we see the Halloween Witch, with a red apple compote sitting at the bottom of the cup, tempting us like the poison apple in a fairy tale.

7. Halloween Princess Frappuccino

Those who like their Halloween more fancy than spooky could also opt for the pretty-in-pink Halloween Princess, adorned with silver dragée confectioneries.

8. White Chocolate Snow Frappuccino

There may not be any major holidays in Japan in November, but Starbucks made up for it with a burst of seasonal cheer for Christmas, like this mixture of marshmallow, white chocolate sauce, and whipped cream.

9. Pistachio Christmas Tree Frappuccino

A change in color and flavor next brought us this festively nutty Frappuccino, trimmed with raspberry sauce.

10. Goma Goma Goma Frappuccino

And finally, there’s the Frappuccino so nice, Starbucks named it thrice, figuring no less would do justice to how much goma (sesame) makes up the cookie topping and striking black sesame sauce.

Sadly, all of the special Frappuccinos shown here are limited-time flavors, and so entries 1 through 9 are no longer available, On the bright side, the Goma Goma Goma Frappuccino is still being served at Starbucks branches all across Japan, and since its appearance is inspired by Japanese New Year’s traditions, it’ll be around until at least early January. But even if you don’t get a chance to try the Goma Goma Goma, you can count on Starbucks to dream up even more amazing Frappuccino flavors in 2019, which we think is going to be another great year to be a sweets fan in Japan.

Follow Casey on Twitter for continuing coverage of important developments in the matcha sweets world.