Nothing’s more confusing than drinking a Caramel S’more on a hot summer’s day.

Japan is currently in the midst of summer, and the sweltering humidity has water and beer at the top of everyone’s wishlist of drinks right now. At Starbucks Japan, though, they’ve chosen to wet everyone’s whistle with a more creamy beverage, based on an American summertime favourite, toasted marshmallowy S’mores.

The new beverage was released today, just a few days before National S’mores Day on 10 August, and our Frappuccino-loving reporter Masami was one of the first in line to get a taste of the new limited-edition drink.

▼ Sold in a tall size only, the new Frappuccino retails for 590 yen (US$5.41) plus tax.

Like many Japanese customers, Masami wouldn’t usually go for a drink like this in summer, as thick, creamy Frappuccinos are seen as more of a winter treat. However, there was something appealing about the thought of drinking marshmallows that Masami couldn’t resist, especially when they promised to conjure up images of camping in the great outdoors.

When she first caught sight of the drink in real life, its combination of green and brown immediately reminded her of a lush forest scene. But would the creamy beverage leave her feeling bogged down on a steaming hot day like today?

She was dubious, especially when she saw that it was topped with a mound of whipped cream and the three main components of a S’more: chocolate, marshmallows, and crunchy graham cracker pieces.

The milky base of the drink also contained the same ingredients, promising to pack a double-punch of S’mores goodness in every mouthful.

Dipping her spoon in, Masami took her first taste and was immediately taken aback. She was surprised at how refreshing it was. Sure, it looked like a heavy, creamy winter beverage, but the flavour was much lighter than she expected, with the taste of bittersweet caramel shining through. What she really couldn’t get enough of, though, was the delightful crunch of the graham cracker pieces, which added a fantastic texture to the drink and made it taste like a real S’more.

Her initial confusion melted away, and Masami understood the true meaning of the summer S’more. She ended up falling in love with the drink, and next time she plans to make it even more refreshing by customising it with fat-free milk and an espresso shot to help perk her up on a hot afternoon.

The Caramel S’mores Frappuccino will only be available for a very limited time, though, until 29 August, or while stocks last, so she’ll be heading back soon, and she might sneak in another taste of the Peach on the Beach Frappuccino while she’s there as well.

Photos © SoraNews24
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[ Read in Japanese ]