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We try the new Chocolate Marron Frappuccino and Latte from Starbucks Japan 【Taste Test】

Oona McGee Sep 2, 2020
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Like drinking a Japanese autumn.

As we transition into September the summer temperatures are finally dipping, turning our thoughts to autumn and all the scrumptious delights that promise to come with it.

Starbucks is one of the first places to kick off the autumn flavour festivities, with a couple of new drinks featuring fall’s star ingredient: chestnut, or “marron” as it’s commonly known in Japan.

Our Japanese-language reporter and Starbucks-drink-tester-extraordinaire K. Masami was one of the first in line to try the new drinks when they were released today. And when she arrived at her local Starbucks, she felt her mouth begin to water before she even entered the store, thanks to this promotional poster out the front.

Masami ordered the Chocolate Marron Frappuccino and as she watched the staff member make it, she was pleasantly surprised to see them add real crushed chestnuts to the drink.

▼ The beverage is topped with cream, bitter chocolate flakes, candied cacao nibs and a drizzling of marron cacao sauce.

The use of real chestnuts instead of artificial chestnut flavouring was a real plus, and as Masami dipped her spoon into the creamy drink, she was happy to find the crushed pieces were generously distributed throughout. She tried a spoonful and instantly nodded her head in approval as the crunch of chestnuts delivered all the hearty, familiar flavours of autumn she had hoped for.

▼ Starbucks says every Chocolate Marron Frappuccino contains two whole chestnuts worth of crushed pieces.

Blended into the drink with the chestnuts is a creamy coffee base mixed with chocolate, adding sweetness and a slight bitterness that melds the different ingredients together perfectly, delivering delightfully moreish flavours in every mouthful.

Next up, Masami tried the Chocolate Marron Latte, which uses a regular Starbucks latte as the base and adds marron cacao sauce and chocolate flakes with candied cacao nibs on top. This warming beverage has a slight sweetness and a gentle, subdued taste that makes you want to sit back and relax with a good book as the leaves change colour outside.

The winner for Masami, however, was the Chocolate Marron Frappuccino, as the crunchy, creamy texture of the beverage and the use of real chestnuts had her sipping the drink again and again. Before she knew it, she’d finished the tasty Frappuccino and instantly wondered if it would be too early to order another one again.

The Chocolate Marron Frappuccino is available in a Tall size only for 590 yen (US$5.60), while the Chocolate Marron Latte is available in the standard four sizes (Short 450 yen, Tall 490 yen, Grande 530 yen, Venti 570 yen).

The Frappuccino will only be on the menu until 22 September and the Latte will be available until 31 October. Now excuse us while we continue the autumn flavour festival at KFC and McDonald’s with a taste of their delectable “moon-viewing” burgers!

Photos © SoraNews24
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[ Read in Japanese ]