We get a surprising taste of America at Starbucks this Valentine’s Day.
With Valentine’s Day now less than a fortnight away, women of all ages are gearing up to mark the occasion according to Japanese custom, which involves gifting chocolate to practically everyone they know. One person they tend to forget in the process, however, is themselves, but Starbucks is here to change all that, with an especially chocolatey Valentine’s Day Frappuccino that no one will be able to resist indulging in.
Cutely called Chocolate on the Chocolate, this double-choc extravaganza certainly appealed to our resident Frappuccino expert, K. Masami, who was quick to pick one up as soon as they were released on 27 January.
▼ The new Frappuccino is available in a tall size only, for 590 yen (US$5.69).
It looked seductive on the poster, and in real life it was darker and even more beautiful than she expected. It was the darkest Frappuccino Masami had ever seen, with a black-like tinge that reminded her of the colour of Oreos.
Looking at the ingredients, Masami found that the drink was actually topped with not one, not two, but three types of chocolate toppings: black cocoa crumbs, black cocoa biscuits, and chocolate cubes.
▼ Starbucks calls the textural trio the “black chocolate topping“.
Blended into the creamy Frappuccino base are two types of cocoa powder which, when combined with the chocolate topping, makes this more of a chocolate-on-chocolate-on-chocolatex3 celebration. However, when Masami took a sip, she was surprised to find it reminded her of something else entirely as well.
▼ It reminded her of…the U.S.!
The dark chocolate cookie pieces throughout the drink really reminded Masami of Oreos, which in turn reminded her of the chocolate she’d eaten in the States. She had to muster all her strength in order to stop herself from bopping up and down and chanting “U.S.A. U.S.A.” with every mouthful.
▼ That’s what a chocolatey sugar rush will do to you.
The chocolate flavour was fantastic, but what really elevated the drink to pure perfection was the trio of different textures, which made every sip feel like a truly decadent experience. Then, as she made her way through the drink, she was reminded of another similar treat: a McDonald’s Oreo McFlurry.
Unlike an Oreo McFlurry, however, this was much more refreshing and easier to drink. It was also far superior in terms of flavour and textural details, and Masami thinks it would go perfectly with an added espresso shot, which she might do next time for an extra kick.
She won’t have long to do that, though, as the Chocolate on the Chocolate Frappuccino will only be on Starbucks menus around Japan until 14 February. It’s the perfect gift for yourself this Valentine’s Day, but if you prefer your chocolate on the lighter side, you might want to give yourself the gift of the Melty Chocolate Ganache Frappuccino, which is also at stores for a limited time until Valentine’s Day.
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
Photos © SoraNews24
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[ Read in Japanese ]