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Starbucks celebrates 25 years in Japan by adding four new limited-time coffee drinks to the menu

Oona McGee Apr 15, 2021
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A sublime Coffee Tiramisu Frappuccino is just one of the tasty new offerings.

This year marks 25 years since U.S. coffeehouse chain Starbucks branched out overseas for the first time, with the opening of a store in Tokyo’s upmarket Ginza district.

To celebrate, Starbucks is giving its Japanese customers a heap of special promotions, starting with a specially marked drinkware collection that was just released this month. Now they’re following up with another treat, by adding four new coffee-flavoured drinks to the menu for a limited time.

The four drinks on offer are: the Coffee Tiramisu Frappuccino (682 yen [US$6.26] plus tax), the Tea Tiramisu Frappuccino (682 yen) the Cold Brew Coffee Frappuccino (from 495 yen) and the Double Tall Latte Shekelato (506 yen).

Our resident Starbucks expert, K. Masami, chose two of the above for a taste test, starting with the incredibly good-looking Coffee Tiramisu Frappuccino.

This is a gorgeous tribute to a classic Italian dessert, combining coffee with chocolate for a decadent drinking experience, and presenting it with a very generous sprinkling of dark chocolate powder on top.

Beneath the chocolate and whipped cream topping is a custard base mixed with vanilla-flavoured sponge cake pieces that have been soaked in coffee to create a tiramisu-like taste.

Masami scooped up a spoonful of the drink and placed it delicately on her tongue. The aroma of coffee was strong, and it tasted absolutely delicious! The well-balanced combination of chocolate and coffee was an absolute winner, and the soft, cakey texture of the sponge pieces made her feel as if she was drinking a freshly made tiramisu.

This was a fantastic Frappuccino, and worthy of its place as a special anniversary drink. According to staff, the Tea Tiramisu Frappuccino also uses the same ingredients as this one, only with sponge pieces soaked in tea instead of coffee for a fresh take on the Italian dessert.

Next up, Masami ordered the Double Tall Latte Shekelato. The Double Tall Latte is said to be one of the drinks that was on the original menu back when Starbucks first opened in Japan in 1996, and the way it’s served is pretty fancy, as the barista shakes the espresso with vanilla and Valencia syrup in front of you.

▼ The shaken-not-stirred espresso shot is then topped with steamed milk, followed by foamed milk.

The layers on display here are absolutely beautiful, and while Masami was a little concerned that the taste of milk and coffee might jar with the vanilla and orange-flavoured syrup, it turned out to be an insanely delicious combination!

The slight sweetness of vanilla and the sour citrus flavour of the Valencia syrup played against the bitterness of the coffee perfectly. After a while, when all the layers inside had completely mixed together, the flavours blended together even more harmoniously, creating a truly addictive coffee drink.

Masami was truly impressed by the two drinks she tried, and as a coffee lover, she’s happy to see the chain celebrating their quarter-century anniversary with the drink that started it all for them in the first place.

The new Frappuccinos will be on the menu at Starbucks stores around Japan for a limited time, until 25 May, while the Double Tall Latte Shakelato will be around for a little longer, until 15 June.

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