Green Apple Jelly v Baked Pink Apple: The Starbucks Frappuccino showdown we’ve been waiting for

We taste the tart and sweet flavours taking over Starbucks Japan this autumn.

There’s never a dull moment at Starbucks in Japan, with treats like the Peach on the Beach Frappuccino and the Caramel S’Mores Frappuccino being just some of the new offerings at stores around the country this summer.

Never wanting to be out of the spotlight, the global coffeehouse chain is in the news yet again, this time for their fall release, which gives us two tastes of apple, with the Green Apple Jelly Frappuccino and the Baked Apple Pink Frappuccino.

▼ The Frappuccinos retail for 580 yen (US$5.46) each (tall size only).

We headed down to Starbucks when they were released to size the pair up against each other, and when we saw them in real life, they looked just as good as we’d hoped they would.

We wanted to know which one would win our hearts and reign supreme, so we started our taste test showdown with the Green Apple Jelly Frappuccino.

This one looked absolutely gorgeous, with green apple candy bits sprinkled into the whipped cream topping.

The green drink was off to a good start, as these crunchy little candy pieces popped in the mouth, releasing a tart yet surprisingly juicy taste of fresh apple.

Dipping the straw in for a full mouthful of ingredients really showcased what this drink had to offer. The mix of sweet, tart and creamy notes blended together perfectly, while the chunky apple jelly pieces at the base of the drink were like little parcels of fruit, delivering a bittersweet, refreshing hit that was truly delicious.

▼ Next, it was time to try the Baked Apple Pink Frappuccino.

This topping wasn’t shy about what it had to offer, with cute and colourful bright red crunchy apple bits interspersed with a smattering of cookie pieces.

The cookie pieces here were actually crumbled pastry bits seasoned with a hint of cinnamon, creating a cream-cinnamon-cookie-apple combination that made our toes curl.

The crumbled pastry pieces are blended through the entire drink, along with a pink apple compote that contains both apple fruit and syrup. The finely-cut compote added a beautiful sweetness to the mixture, while the cinnamon brought everything together to create the homely flavour of a delicious baked apple.

The one thing we noticed about the Baked Apple Pink Frappuccino was the fact that, although it was tasty, it was lacking the apple punch that we were looking for. That was probably due to the addition of cinnamon, which subdued the true fruitiness of the drink somewhat.

The Green Apple Jelly Frappuccino, on the other hand, really showcased the flavour of apple, with an enticing, well-balanced mix of sweetness and tartness that made it irresistible to our taste buds, and for that reason, Green Apple Jelly is the winner for us.

If you’re more of a tea fan, though, Starbucks has you covered on that front as well, with an Apple Jelly and Baked Apple Iced Tea on the menu for a limited time, priced at 440 yen for a short.

▼ The blend of black tea and juicy apple pieces makes for a wonderful partnership.

All items are available at Starbucks outlets around Japan for a limited time from 30 August until 19 September, or until stocks sell out.

Photos: ©SoraNews24
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