Fruit and cheese is a heavenly combination.

Our tastebuds jump for joy every time McDonald’s releases a new seasonal beverage in Japan. In the past, we’ve been given sakura-flavoured delights, melon McShakes, and creamy matcha treats, and now it’s time for us to enjoy the heavenly taste of a drink made from cheese, with the Fluffy Cheese Mousse and Mixed Berry Grape Smoothie.

The new beverage, designed to mark the change of season from summer to autumn, takes its inspiration from the popular limited-edition Grape Smoothie released by McDonald’s last year. This time, though, the fruity smoothie has been given a creamy boost with the addition of a light and fluffy mousse made from mascarpone cheese.

The smoothie contains a base layer of sweet, rich whipped cream, which is topped with a generous serving of grape juice and pureed grapes, blended with a mixed berry sauce. On top is a handful of cranberries and blackcurrants, scattered around a mound of cheese mousse and finished off with a berry syrup.

The combination of sweet cream and rich mousse is said to add an exquisite harmony to the tart freshness of berries, creating a luxurious autumn dessert drink that melts in the mouth.

While the mascarpone cheese mousse might seem like an unusual addition to the drink, the combination is reminiscent of cheese platters and berry cheesecakes, making it a delicious addition to this autumn’s growing collection of limited-edition offerings.

Available in a medium size for 490 yen (US$4.40) or a large for 530 yen, the Fluffy Cheese and Mixed Berry Grape Smoothie will be sold at McCafé by Barista outlets around Japan for a limited time from 20 September until the end of October.

Source, images: McDonald’s Japan