We try the new matcha McFlurry from McDonald’s Japan【Taste Test】

The green tea-flavoured sweet dessert is filled with traditional Japanese flavours.

When we heard that McDonald’s Japan would be adding a matcha dessert to their menus, we couldn’t wait to stop by to taste the sweet treat for ourselves. And at our local outlet, we could see what was in store for us with a poster for the “Uji Matcha Adzuki McFlurry” on display beneath the brightly lit golden arches.

On sale from 29 March for 280 yen (US$2.51), the McFlurry is part of a new “By McSweets” range, which includes another sweet item for a limited time: the Hokkaido Milk Pie.

What we’re here for, however, is the taste of Japanese green tea. And the promise of a beautiful matcha dessert lies behind some pretty packaging, which features the well-known fast food logo on a green background.

One thing that hasn’t changed is the McFlurry spoon with the hollow handle, which is designed to clip on to the mixing machine to stir the drink when it’s being made. Only this time the drink that’s been McFlurried has a rich green colour.

Made using matcha from Uji, highly regarded as the country’s premier tea-growing region, the dessert also includes adzuki red beans sourced from Hokkaido.

Thick and creamy, the powdered green tea mixes well with the ice cream, creating luscious pale green hues, while the plump red beans contain very minimal sweet syrup.

The first mouthful is icy cold and delicious. The distinctive McDonald’s McFlurry flavour is there in the sweet ice cream, which melts in the mouth with a lingering matcha finish. While there’s only a mild bitterness to the dessert, the taste of green tea is abundantly present, and when combined with one or two of the red beans, the delightful flavour of a traditional Japanese dessert comes to the fore.

As it melts, the sweeter, creamier elements become more pronounced, while the soft, chewy beans provide a light, nutty flavour, which is a great accompaniment to the matcha ice cream.

Bundled up in distinct McFlurry flavours, this is a unique take on a traditional Japanese dessert. On sale at McDonald’s locations around the country until mid-May, be sure to stop by and try one if you can!

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