With Halloween yet to come, Starbucks is already serving up festive cheer.

There’s a lot of competition out there in the world of sweet dessert drinks, so one way to stay ahead of the curve is by beating everyone to the punch with seasonal releases. Nobody beats Starbucks at this game, because on 27 October, four full days ahead of Halloween, the chain revealed its limited-edition drinks for the holiday season. 

The theme for this year is “Joyful Medley – Connected by Joy”, with the notion being that through Starbucks, joy is created, connecting people and feelings while spreading smiles throughout the holidays. As Starbucks’ signature winter tea, the Joyful Medley is a popular blend of strong black tea that many customers look forward to each year, and this time the refreshing oolong and fragrant jasmine and apricot components will be enhanced with mirabelle plum for a gorgeous yet deep and rich flavour.

▼ This year’s box of 12 Joyful Medley tea bags costs 1,680 yen (US$11.03).

To celebrate the season of joy, Starbucks will be featuring the Joyful Medley in a limited-edition Frappuccino and Latte, with the addition of strawberry for a special red-hued treat.

The Strawberry & Joyful Medley Tea Frappuccino is a vibrant drink that contains chunks of strawberry pulp in the base and a creamy milk tea blend on top, with the components served in a diagonally layered style that’s pleasing to the eye. The chunky texture of the sweet and tart strawberry pulp is said to pair perfectly with the gorgeous aroma of the Joyful Medley, filling the palate with a gentle sweetness. The mound of whipped cream is finished with freeze-dried strawberries to complete the festive look.

As an extra special treat, four types of holiday-themed mini cookies, in the shape of a ribbon, snowman, bear, and doll, will be sold separately for customers to add a sweet dash of holiday flair to their Frappuccino, or any other cream-topped iced beverage on the menu. The cookies are selected randomly by the barista to give you the same sense of excitement as receiving a Christmas gift, albeit one you’ve paid for.

While the Frappuccino is only available iced, and in a Tall size only, from 687 yen, the Strawberry Mousse & Joyful Medley Tea Latte is available iced or hot, and in a variety of sizes, from Short through to Venti, with prices ranging from 570-710 yen. The latte version combines smooth, tart strawberry mousse with a rich tea latte that showcases the robust flavours of a milky Joyful Medley.

The holiday cheer isn’t over yet, though, as two other festive favourites are making their return to the menu.

▼ The Joyful Medley Tea Latte (from 520 yen)…

▼ …and the Gingerbread Latte, inspired by the spicy flavour of gingerbread cookies.

The festivities kick off on 1 November, when all the items above will become available, replacing the Halloween Frappuccino and spooky black cat goods and drinkware for yet another year.

Source, images: Press release
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