Starbucks Japan brings out Shaken Apple Green Tea for a limited time

Oona McGee

Mar 24, 2017

We try the delectable new drink that’s so exclusive it’s only available in four of the country’s prefectures.

Starbucks Japan often makes news around the country for its awesome lineup of amazing Frappuccino releases, but every now and then they like to shake up the menu with a brand new surprise that nobody expects, and that’s exactly what they did this week with the Shaken Apple Green Tea.

As soon as we heard about the new beverage, we dropped everything and headed out the door to our nearest Starbucks. Over the years, our Japanese-language reporters had often talked about a legendary Shaken Lemon Green Tea that Starbucks brought out ten years ago, so the news of an apple version had everyone’s tastebuds salivating in the office.

▼ As soon as we arrived at Starbucks, we saw what lay in store for us as the delectable green drink was proudly advertised at the counter as their star original beverage.

While ordering the drink, we asked the store clerk whether this was in fact a revival of the Shaken Lemon Green Tea from the Starbucks 2006 summer menu, but they seemed to have no idea about what we were talking about, saying they had no recollection of such a drink. Luckily, we had one of our trusty Japanese-language reporters on hand to help us get to the bottom of this tantalising drink mystery.

We sat down to taste the good-looking green drink, which is simply made with apple juice and a spoonful of powdered green tea. Each drink is individually shaken by hand before serving, to allow the ingredients to combine evenly, creating a smooth, icy beverage ideal for quenching the thirst on a hot day. Despite there still being a chill in the air at this time of the year, we were happy to discover that the drink was surprisingly delicious! Each sip filled our mouths with the sweet flavour of fresh apple, before rounding off with the refreshing aftertaste of good-quality green tea.

According to our Japanese-language reporter, the drink was on par with the legendary Shaken Lemon Green Tea from ten years ago. While that one had a tart, tangy flavour ideal for summer, the apple version was well-suited to the transitional months between a cold winter and warm spring, thanks to its sweeter, mellower flavour. Unlike the previous version, however, which was available around the country, this beverage has a much more exclusive run, as it’s only available at Starbucks outlets in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, and Saitama Prefectures.

The drink is available in a tall size for 432 yen (US$3.88), including tax, and will be available for a limited, though unspecified time, so be sure to pop by a participating outlet to try one before they disappear into the ranks of longed-for legendary Starbucks beverages!