New Uji matcha drinks you can only get at this location, but are they worth the high price tag?

On 17 February, Starbucks opened a new Teavana branch at its Ginza Maronnier Street location, marking the chain’s 2,000th store in Japan. With a Starbucks Reserve Roastery already on the first and second floors of the premises, this new opening on the basement level led the chain to rename the location “Starbucks Ginza House“, acting as something of a flagship store in the high-end neighbourhood.

Teavana specialises in tea, and this branch, located down the stairs (marked by an arrow below), serves up some exclusive matcha drinks you won’t find anywhere else.

▼ The entrance to Teavana is a little out of the way so it can be hard to find for first-timers.

▼ Once you make your way down the stairs, you’ll be greeted by a warm and inviting interior.

What makes this Teavana particularly special is the fact that it has a stone mill, which is used to grind the powdered green tea — sourced from Uji, Japan’s premier matcha-producing region — for the store’s exclusive matcha drinks.

▼ The millstone rotates automatically, spreading the aromas of freshly ground green tea throughout the store.

There are three matcha beverages in the lineup: the Ginza Stone Ground Matcha Mousse Tea & Strawberry, the Ginza Stone Ground Matcha Frappuccino, and the Ginza Stone Ground Matcha Tea Latte (pictured left to right below), priced from 1,100-1,480 yen (US$7.26-$9.77).

With regular Frappuccinos priced in the 700-yen range, the one served here is the most expensive in Japan. The other matcha exclusives are equally pricey, and the Mousse Tea & Strawberry is only available in limited quantities each day.

▼ We couldn’t resist trying the Mousse Tea and the Frappuccino, to see if they were worth the high price.

The first thing that stands out about these drinks is their rich matcha colour, which makes them look incredibly thick and creamy.

▼ Let’s begin the tasting with the Ginza Stone Ground Matcha Mousse Tea & Strawberry.

The staff member who made this drink for us suggested we start by scooping out a spoonful of the mousse to try on its own. This turned out to be a wonderful introduction to the drink, as it delivered a strong and delectably intense matcha flavour straight to the taste buds.

▼ The mousse contains all the bitterness, flavour, and deliciousness of matcha that fans have come to know and love, but on a whole new level.

The powdered green tea in this drink is rich and authentic — a cut above the standard “matcha flavour” that exists all over the world. It’s an elegant, refined taste you can only get from freshly ground green tea, and it’s surprisingly well matched for the sweet-and-sour strawberry sauce, fresh cream, and white chocolate syrup in the base layer.

The fluffiness of the matcha mousse, however, is a standout, as it tastes very similar to the freshly whisked matcha you get at a formal Japanese tea ceremony. The wasanbon (refined Japanese sugar) within the drink helps to enhance the traditional flavours, as this type of sugar is commonly used to make sweets served with matcha at tea ceremonies, creating a very sophisticated and unique beverage.

▼ Now it’s time to find out how the Ginza Stone Ground Matcha Frappuccino compares.

The matcha layer here appears slightly darker, and upon trying a spoonful, it was less light and fluffy, but still strong on green tea aroma and flavour.

Unlike the Mousse Tea, the Frappuccino contains a whole lot of crushed ice, so it has a much lighter matcha flavour. With only two main ingredients — matcha and milk — in the mix, it has less variety in texture and taste, but the simplicity of ingredients will appeal to matcha purists.

For us, the Mousse Tea wins hands down in terms of value for money and uniqueness, and as the only place in the world where you can try it, we have a feeling that Starbucks Ginza House will soon become a hotspot for local and international tourists.

▼ There are other treasures to try at the attached Reserve Roastery as well, including a wide variety of baked goods at the Princi Bakery.

So next time you find yourself in the busy hub of Ginza, you might want to seek solace in this quiet basement at Starbucks. It’s a great place to get a taste of some very exclusive drinks, and there’s even a caramel macchiato and a matcha sweet on the menu that you won’t find anywhere else as well.

Store information
Starbucks Teavana Store Ginza Marronnier Street / スターバックス ティバーナストア 銀座マロニエ通り
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Ginza 3-7-3 , Ginza Omi Building
東京都 中央区 銀座3-7-3 銀座オーミビル B1F
Open: 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Irregular holidays

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 ]