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Is Starbucks Japan’s new Valentine’s Day Frappuccino worthy of your love?

Oona McGee Jan 15, 2026
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With three drinks vying for our attention, we pick our favourites for your consideration.

With New Year’s done and dusted, Starbucks Japan has just released its first new limited-edition drinks of the year, in honour of Valentine’s Day. Available from 14 January, there are three beverages to choose from, and we made sure to try them all as soon as they were released, to find out which ones, if any, deserve your love this year.

Starting with the “Cacao & Strawberry Mousse Frappuccino” (sold in a tall size only, from 717 yen [US$4.50] for takeout), we were instantly struck by the bright red berry glaze sauce and strawberry flavoured candy pieces on the chocolate mousse topping, but would things prove to be as impressive beneath the surface?

Dipping in for a scoop, we pulled out an icy blend of hazelnut syrup and strawberry pulp, mixed with a creamy cacao base. Upon tasting it, we immediately noticed the very elegant taste of cacao, with the base imparting a surprisingly refined flavour and the mousse providing a smooth and luxurious mouthfeel. It was so rich that a blind tasting could’ve fooled us into thinking this was a collaboration with luxury chocolatier Godiva, which is high praise for a humble Frappuccino.

The cacao was perfectly matched for the sweet and sour, juicy strawberry notes throughout the beverage, and the red berry sauce added a fruity zing that surprised the taste buds. The crunchy strawberry candy pieces provided an interesting textural contrast so that whenever the mix felt smooth, the palate was awakened by a little something extra, making us fall deeper in love with the drink after every sip. By the time we got to the bottom of the Frappuccino, we truly felt as if we’d found love, but there was another drink waiting in the wings for our approval.

▼ Those looking for a winter warmer will want to try the Cacao Mousse Latte (priced from 599 yen).

Made by dissolving cacao sauce in espresso and pouring over a generous amount of hot, frothy milk, this latte is finished with chocolate mousse and shavings of cacao. Customers are able to choose from a variety of milk options if desired, giving you the ability to tweak the flavours to your liking.

With standard milk, the coffee and cocoa sauce are in perfect harmony, tipping the flavour profile slightly towards the bitter side of things, which will appeal to a lot of coffee lovers. As the shaved cacao gradually dissolves into the drink, the flavour gradually changes so the beverage holds your attention right to the end, and it’s so good that we would love to see it become a mainstay on the menu.

▼ While most of the attention is on the mousse beverages, the Earl Grey & Creamy Tea Latte (540 yen) is also worth a look-in.

The idea of drinking tea with an overload of rich, fresh cream was an exciting prospect so our expectations were high for this tasting. When we tried it, it was just as delicious as we expected it to be, with our first point of praise being the way the aroma of the Earl Grey bouquet tea sang on the palate, without being overpowered by the fresh cream. As an added bonus, the aftertaste was sweet yet refreshing, making it the perfect afternoon pick-me-up, regardless of whether or not you’re being picked up this Valentine’s Day.

▼ For us, though, the mousse latte drinks seduced us with their moussy richness and flavour.

Despite wanting to play hard-to-get with the new collection, we ended up falling head over heels for all the drinks, although we do recommend the Frappuccino as the leading lover in this saucy affair.

As always, these are limited-time products, so you’ll want to get in quick to ensure you get to enjoy a dalliance with them before they disappear on Valentine’s Day. If you do want to keep the romance going, then you can pick up a forever item from the chain’s exclusive merchandise collection, although you’ll want to be careful of the rhinestone tumbler – that one will end up costing you a pretty penny.

Source, images: Press release
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