Starbucks Japan's Limited-Edition Sunshine Pineapple and Matcha Frappuccinos Delight Taste Buds

Starbucks Japan introduces the Sunshine Pineapple Frappuccino and Matcha Ichigo Frappuccino. These limited-edition drinks offer unique flavor combinations for the summer season.

Starbucks Introduces Limited-Edition Sunshine Pineapple Frappuccino, Balancing Salty Jelly with Sweet Pineapple

As the summer heat makes everyone sweat and yearn for days at the seaside, Starbucks serves up a taste of the beach in a unique limited-edition beverage called the Sunshine Pineapple Frappuccino, according to SoraNews24.

While the drink goes on sale for a limited time starting 7 August, Starbucks Rewards members can purchase it two days before the official release. Reporter K. Masami was able to do just that, lining up to order it at her local Starbucks on 6 August.

Pineapple and salt may sound like a refreshing combination, but the real question was how salty the jelly would be. Taking a sip, Masami braced herself for a wave of salt, but thankfully, it didn’t crash down on her taste buds. Instead, it gently washed over them, creating a slight saltiness that allowed the pineapple juice to shine beautifully. The seasoning was enough to leave a refreshing salty tang on the tongue, reminiscent of catching a splash from the sea while paddling in shallow waters.

The salty jelly added such an addictive flavor to the deliciously sweet and tart pineapple that Masami found herself finishing the drink in no time. When her day at the beach was over, she promised her taste buds another visit—over and over through the summer, while the drink remained on the menu until 3 September.

Starbucks Japan Debuts Limited-Edition Matcha Ichigo Frappuccino Alongside Seasonal Strawberry Favorite

Strawberries are the toast of the season around this time of year at Starbucks in Japan, as the chain releases its popular strawberries-and-cream-flavored Frappuccino for summer. What began as a nod to the tradition of eating strawberries with cream at Wimbledon has grown to become a returning limited-edition Frappuccino. This year, Starbucks has served up a curveball by adding another beverage alongside it, called the Matcha Ichigo Frappuccino.

“Ichigo” is the Japanese word for “strawberry,” but it can also be read as “one” (“ichi”) and “five” (“go”). This double meaning inspired Starbucks to release the drink on 15 May, and reporter K. Masami was among the first to try it.

Priced at 678 yen (US$4.35) for takeout and 690 yen for dine-in, Masami was curious to know if the staff behind the counter had a recommended customization for the new drink. When they suggested she add a hit of chocolate sauce at no extra charge “to make it look like kuromitsu (Japanese black sugar syrup),” she took them up on their suggestion.

For some strange reason, the green-and-red hues made Masami think of apples instead of matcha and berries, so she didn’t know what to expect when she took a sip. Strawberries and green tea can be hard to perfect, given that they both sit heavily on the bitter and tart sides of the flavor spectrum. But when she tasted her first spoonful, she was surprised it was a harmonious blend.

The mixture was tart and sweet, thanks to vanilla syrup and cream, which added enough sweetness to counteract the acidity of the strawberries and the earthy notes of the powdered green tea. While the new drink would’ve tasted great, adding chocolate sauce added another layer of flavor and beauty, balancing the sweetness, aroma, and acidity even further, making for a delicious combination.

The only downside to this drink is its availability. It’ll be on the menu for two weeks, until 28 May. The regular Strawberry Frappuccino, however, will be around a while longer, until 3 September. For the record, that drink tastes just as good with a chocolate customization!