How does the earthy taste of oolong tea pair with fruity flavors?

Starbucks always has the most unique drinks, and wherever we go, we just can’t help but want to try whatever they have to offer. That’s why our Taiwan-based reporter Yui Imai was excited to see that Starbucks Taiwan is already diving headfirst into summer with a new fruity tea drink: Strawberry Mango Oolong Tea.

With a combination of oolong tea, strawberry jam, and mango jelly cubes, the resulting product has a pretty, cloudy, red-orange gradient, and of course, is topped with fluffy whipped cream. But does the crisp, earthy taste of oolong tea actually pair well with something like strawberry jam? And if so…what’s the result? A super sweet drink? Something more refreshing?

Yui could not help but wonder, so as soon as she had the chance, she stopped at a Starbucks and ordered it.

The drink certainly looked refreshing. The strawberry jam on the bottom, mixed with the mango jelly, made a really beautiful color transition when the oolong tea was poured in. The orange and red brought to mind an image of a bright, warm summer day. The pure white whipped cream, contrasted against the orange, looked like a cloud in a sunset sky. It was so pretty!

Given that Starbucks Taiwan’s previous limited-edition drinks have never disappointed, she couldn’t help but be excited to try it.

With one sip, both the crisp flavor of the oolong tea and the fruity sweetness of strawberry jam burst in Yui’s mouth. Yui would never have expected such a combination to be so compatible. When mixed well, the refreshing earthiness of the oolong tea and the sweetness of the fruit flavors counteracted each other in the perfect way.

The mango jelly, with its soft and fluffy cloud-like texture, added a great accent to the drink. The jelly is made with mango juice, and the result was a sticky, sweet flavor that also complements the oolong tea really well.

The drink is available in three sizes: Tall for 125 yuan (roughly 538 yen/US$4.27), Grande for 140 yuan (602 yen), and Venti for 155 yuan (667 yen). Yui ordered the Grande size, which comes with a calorie count of 210. Compared to many other Starbucks drinks at that size, that’s pretty low, so Yui was pretty happy.

All in all, with a faint sweetness and a bright refreshing flavor, this seasonal drink is perfect for when the hot weather starts to set in, as it is now in Taiwan. It’s a Taiwan-only drink that’s available for the summer, so if you have the chance to visit Taiwan this summer, Yui highly recommends it.

By the way, Starbucks Taiwan also accepts EasyCard as a payment method, so if you happened to pick up that beautiful Sailor Moon Moon Stick EasyCard that came out earlier this year, you can use it to pay for Strawberry Mango Oolong Tea!

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