Can our Frappuccino-loving reporter find something to love about summer?

As someone who doesn’t really like hot weather, our Japanese-language reporter K. Masami doesn’t usually feel like she has much to look forward to in July, but this year there’s a silver/pink lining to midsummer. That’s because Masami’s dislike of summer heat is outstripped by her love of seasonal Frappuccinos, and this week Starbucks Japan rolled out one she was especially eager to try.

It’s called the Peach More Frappuccino, but if you want the full effect, you’ve got to use the Japanese word for “peach,” which makes it the Momo More Frappuccino. Starbucks says its goal was to turn the sensation of “biting into a chilled peach” into a dessert drink, and with peaches being a fruit that’s usually only eaten in slices in Japan, that description made it sound irresistibly decadent to Masami.

Served in a classy glass tumbler, the 690-yen (US$5.05) tall-size Peach More Frappuccino couldn’t look any more peachy. In addition to the peach puree cream base, you get chunks of peach at the bottom of the glass. Completing the top-to-bottom peachiness is the whipped cream, which is also infused with peach flavor, in a move similar to what Starbucks Japan did with its Melon of Melon Frappuccino back in the spring.

▼ It’s a smart choice, because it’s a pretty safe bet that anyone who orders something called the “More Peach” isn’t going to complain about an extra swirl of peach flavor.

Masami did have one concern, though. Yes, the More Peach Frappuccino looked pretty, but sometimes in the sweets sphere bright colors translate to super-sweet flavors. Sure, peaches themselves are sweet, but would this drink end up tasting more like a fistful of peach candy than the refreshing bite of a chilled peach that Starbucks had promised?

Hesitantly, Masami took a sip…

…and all worries vanished. There was plenty of peach flavor, but no sticky, cloying sensation. Instead, there was a nice, clean finish to the flavor profile, and the subtle crunch of the ice crystals in the drink’s base really did make it feel like she was enjoying a nice, juicy peach. Even the whipped cream, which she slowly stirred in as she sipped the beverage, contributed to the refreshing feeling, adding a smooth creaminess free of any oily unpleasantness.

So maybe July won’t be so bad for Masami this year after all, especially since the More Peach Frappuccino is sticking around until August 2, a leisurely stay for a Starbucks Japan seasonal drink but a fitting match for a relaxing summer.

Photos © SoraNews24
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
[ Read in Japanese ]