Why go to Starbucks when you can find hidden gems like this at a locally born chain?

Are you a Chokomintou supporter? If you are, then you will be gearing up for a very busy, and refreshing, summer in Japan, because Chokomintou means “Choco Mint Tou”, where “tou” (“political party”) humorously refers to the chocolate mint party, a faction despised by some and strongly supported by others.

Choc mint is certainly a divisive flavour combination, but here in Japan, where summers can be excruciatingly hot and brutal, it’s become immensely popular, so much so that “Chokomintou” quickly became a common term, with people proudly declaring their support for it.

This summer, those supporters are being treated to a whole slew of new treats, and one that’s currently causing a stir is the Chocolate Mint Shake from Japanese coffeehouse chain Tully’s.

This beverage is so thick it’s more like a drinkable ice cream than a shake, but what makes it even more special is the fact that you can request extra mint, making it one of the strongest mint-to-chocolate drinks on the market.

▼ The Chocolate Mint Shake retails for 790 yen (US$4.98).

The blue-green hues will immediately refresh your mind when you lay your eyes on the shake, and the pop of contrasting colour with the bright orange straw is another nice visual touch. The topping of chocolate shavings adds another accent in colour and, as it turns out, texture.

We ordered our shake with extra mint, and the resulting flavour was super minty, hitting the taste buds with an invigorating freshness. Thankfully, there was no “toothpaste-like” taste that’s sometimes evident in chocolate mint products – it was purely a fresh mint zing that paired beautifully with the chocolate, all wrapped up in a rich and creamy, ice cream-like texture. It was a delightful sensation, and the occasional crunch of the chocolate shavings added a nice surprise in between mouthfuls.

It was such an exquisite balance between mint and chocolate that we’d describe it as the golden ratio of choc mint. It’s by far the best chocolate mint product we’ve ever tasted, and so good it has the power to move a chocomintou fan to tears.

As a home-grown coffeehouse that tends to sit in the shadow of Starbucks, Tully’s is often coming out with unusual releases to stay in the competition. The Chocolate Mint Shake is a great example of that, and a good reminder that sometimes the best finds can be found in the shadows.

Photos ©SoraNews24
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