New drinks and cakes centred around the Coffee Tree.
It’s hard to believe that we’re coming up towards the end of the year, but that’s clearly where we are at the moment because Starbucks has just unveiled its first Christmas lineup, giving us a peek at what’s coming our way at the Reserve Roastery in Tokyo from November.
This exclusive holiday lineup is based around the theme of “Coffee Tree Wonder” with “Christmas happiness brought to you by coffee” bringing us a variety of surprising installations and seasonal items to stimulate all five senses.
The centrepiece of the holiday installation is a 3.5-metre (11.5-foot) tall “Holiday Coffee Tree” and a “laser illumination” that projects images of Santa Claus and animals from coffee-producing regions enjoying coffee on Christmas night.
▼ The laser illumination can be seen on the ground floor from 2-10 p.m. daily from 1 November to 25 December.
While you admire the eye-catching decorations, you’ll be able to sip on some seasonal beverages, with one limited-edition menu item on each of the three different floors.
▼ Winter Rum Raisin Irish Coffee (1,100 yen for dine-in, 1,080 yen for takeout)
Served up at the Main Bar on the first floor, this beverage is inspired by an Irish coffee, although it doesn’t contain alcohol. Developed by Nobuyoshi Shimoda, the 18th “Coffee Ambassador” who won the top spot among 60,000 Starbucks baristas nationwide in the “Coffee Ambassador Cup 2023”, an in-house competition, the new drink contains espresso, rum raisin sauce, and allspice to create the impression of an Irish coffee. The rum raisin mousse foam acts as the finishing touch, used to capture the image of falling snow in Sapporo, where Shimode works.
▼ Kyoto Japanese Tea Tea Latte (1,100 yen for dine-in, 1,080 yen for takeout)
Served up at the second floor Teavana Bar, this drink puts a new twist on an Earl Grey tea latte with domestic ingredients such as Japanese black tea from Kyoto and “Tosa Bergamot” from Kochi Prefecture. The gentle aroma and soft sweetness of Japanese black tea is paired with a honey mousse for a sweet accent, creating a rich yet refreshing flavour profile.
▼ Arriviamo Frozen Espresso Custard (2,200 yen; dine-in only)
This cold dessert cocktail awaits you at the third-floor Arriviamo Bar, and it contains egg liqueur, an essential ingredient in Bombadino, a classic Italian hot cocktail commonly enjoyed in winter. By combining brandy and custard cream with espresso, a rich aroma and bitterness spreads pleasantly throughout the palate, delivering a sweet and gentle mouthfeel. It’s also topped with whipped cream flavoured with corn potage as an unexpected secret ingredient, and served with a playful cookie straw. Those who don’t drink alcohol will be happy to know it’s also available without the spirit, as a mocktail.
Joining the drinks will be a couple of sweet holiday cakes sold at the Princi bakery, starting with the Panettone Chocolato Marrone, which measures 20 centimetres (7.9 inches) in diameter and is priced at 7,810 yen. While this version contains a bitter chocolate dough kneaded with chestnuts and hazelnuts, there’s also a Panettone Classico, which has a sweet fruit flavour and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Also measuring 20 centimetres in diameter, it’s slightly cheaper, at 7,090 yen, with both available for takeout only.
▼ This year, however, the Panettone Classico will also be available for purchase at the Starbucks official online store.
The Christmas decorations and panettone will only be available from 1 November until 25 December, while the new beverages will be on sale from 1 November to 14 February so you’ll have ample time to try them throughout winter.
Source, images: Starbucks Japan
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