We get a taste of Starbucks Japan’s new coffees and sweets, including one that’s here to stay

From moussed lattes to matcha mochi balls, this collection is filled with surprising flavours.

It’s now finally beginning to feel like autumn has arrived in Japan, and this year, the season comes with a new selection of coffees and sweets over at Starbucks. While most of the new range will only be around for a limited time, what makes this release particularly exciting is that one of the coffees, the Iced Cappuccino, is here to stay on as a permanent menu item.

▼ The new range arrived in stores on 27 September.

Our resident Starbucks expert K. Masami was on the scene to try the new drinks, as well as one of the sweets and a savoury item, on the day they were released, and she started with the Chocolate Moussed Latte, priced at 579 yen (US$3.86) for takeout and 590 yen for dine-in, which is available in both iced and hot versions.

Masami chose to order the hot version, as it was a cool morning when she visited, and it turned out to be a great choice as the heat brought the almond and hazelnut sauce flavour to the fore. The chain’s Blonde Espresso Roast is used for the espresso shot in this drink, giving it a slightly lighter flavour that pairs well with the airy chocolate mousse and cocoa powder topping.

▼ A deliciously warming drink for autumn.

When staff handed her the latte, they told her, “There’s a lot of powder on top, so please be careful not to choke on it”, so that’s something to bear in mind when sipping on this one. As she enjoyed it, she began to sense a familiar taste, and after thinking about it for a while, she eventually realised what it was — it tasted like a Chocolate Monaka Jumbo ice cream.

Admittedly, she’d switched from dairy milk to almond milk for her latte, so that could’ve contributed to its similarity to the ice cream, which comes encased in a layer of chocolate and a monaka wafer. If you love the iconic ice cream as much as she does, then this is an added bonus for the already delicious drink.

▼ Next up, it was time to try the Iced Cappuccino (available in Short through to Venti sizes, priced from 441-580 yen.)

This icy beverage was reportedly created in response to customer requests to add ice cream to their cappuccinos. While it doesn’t actually contain any ice cream, it does simulate the flavour by adding a larger-than-usual amount of whipped milk foam to an icy cappuccino base. Taking a sip, Masami found the foam to be smooth, airy, and incredibly delicious, combining with the cappuccino for a simple yet flavourful tasting drink.

Masami thinks this simplicity makes it a prime candidate for customisations, and next time she’s keen to add cinnamon powder and honey to it for an autumnal twist. As Starbucks only made hot cappuccinos previously, this is an exciting new beverage for the chain, and Masami is glad it’s sticking around as a permanent drink.

▼ Another must-try on the menu right now is the Matcha and Pumpkin Milk Mocchiri Balls, sold in mixed tubs for 363 yen (takeout) or 370 yen (dine-in).

“Mocchiri” means “springy”and that’s exactly what these balls of dough feel like as you sink your teeth into them, just before the sweet cream centres pop with a burst of flavour on the tongue. They were surprisingly delicious, especially when you consider that the matcha and pumpkin used to create them were grown with fertiliser containing used coffee grounds from Starbucks branches. This is part of Starbucks’ new “Recycling Loop” initiative to extend the coffee bean journey beyond the in-store grounds, creating an endless loop between the making and selling of their products.

▼ To finish off her Starbucks feast, Masami ordered her favourite Ham & Mozzarella cheese salad wrap, which is available at this time of year for 525 yen.

All these items, except the Iced Cappuccino, will be around for a limited time, with the Moussed Latte disappearing from menus on 31 October, and the others following suit at an undisclosed time around this date as well.

So if you’re a coffee lover looking for a special autumn treat that isn’t quite as decadent as the buttery sweet Osatsu Butter Frappuccino, you might want to stop by Starbucks and peruse the coffee menu. And if you’re looking for more unique Starbucks beverages, Japan’s exclusive Tea & Cafe branches have some surprises awaiting you in store as well.

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