Starbucks Japan’s newest Frappuccino is the only date we need this Valentine’s Day

A cool beverage that knows how to treat you right.

Although it feels like the year has only just begun, we’re already past the middle of January now and well on our way to Valentine’s Day. For Starbucks, that means it’s time to kick off the celebrations with some brand new limited-edition beverages, and this year, they’re appealing to the taste buds with the pure, decadent taste of chocolate.

This isn’t just any old chocolate, though, as it’s the “nama” kind, which literally means “raw” or “fresh” in Japanese, but in the chocolate world, it’s used to describe a soft, rich ganache.

There’s no skimping on the chocolate for Valentine’s Day, as the two new beverages are called the “Double Nama-Chocolate Mocha” and the “Triple Nama-Chocolate Frappuccino“.

Our resident Starbucks expert K. Masami was on the scene as soon as the new beverages were released on 19 January, and she decided to treat herself to a taste of both, starting with the Triple Nama-Chocolate Frappuccino, which comes in a Tall size only, for 680 yen (US$5.93).

This one uses creamy nama chocolate in the base of the drink, which is topped with a mound of nama chocolate whipped cream. There’s plenty of rich nama chocolate sauce inside as well, and in Masami’s cup, it had trickled down the sides and welled into a pool at the bottom, creating a rich, saucy chocolate puddle.

Dipping her spoon in for a first mouthful, Masami found the chocolate and cream had blended beautifully together to create dreamy chocolate hues. When she took a sip, she immediately leaned back and closed her eyes in delight, as this drink was everything she’d been looking for.

The texture was smooth, the chocolate was rich and powerful, and the aftertaste left her taste buds pulsating with the sensation of sweet cream. Despite its richness, it wasn’t cloying at all — it had an elegant flavour profile that indicated it was made with high quality chocolate.

After polishing off the Frappuccino, Masami got cosy with the warm Double Nama-Chocolate Mocha, priced from 510 yen. This handsome suitor was equally delicious, containing the same rich ganache chocolate, only with the addition of coffee, which added a slight bitterness to the romance.

▼ This was one of the richest-tasting mochas Masami has ever had, and it was utterly delicious.

Both these drinks won over Masami’s affections when she tried them, and the thing that most impressed her was how they were able to remain light and flirtatious on her palate despite being so rich and flavourful.

▼ A decadent fling you won’t feel guilty about afterwards.

If you don’t want to go all the way with the new beverages, Starbucks is offering customers the chance to flirt with them, as the nama chocolate whipped cream used in the Frappuccino can be added to any drink on the menu for an additional 55 yen. 

And if you’d like to add a beary cute friend to the mix, this Valentine’s Day version of the bear plug we fell in love with last year is also available for a limited time.

The ganache-filled drinks are a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but you’ll want to get in quick to try them, as this is a very fleeting encounter that’s only on offer until 14 February.

Photos: ©SoraNews24
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