Is the Grimace shake worth the hype?

We find out if this limited-edition beverage is as good as everyone says it is.

While McDonald’s customers around the world have been raving about the Grimace Shake since it appeared last year, customers in Japan have been left out in the cold, waiting for the purple monster’s arrival.

At the end of last month, the wait was finally over, as the shake was added to the menu for a limited time. That meant we were able to get a taste of the drink and find out if it was worthy of all the hype surrounding it.

According to McDonald’s Japan, this version of the Grimace Shake uses blueberry juice to express the purple color of the character, with blueberry yoghurt adding a tartness to the mix. When we got a sip of it, we instantly got the  impression that it tasted more like vanilla than yoghurt, but the blueberry was definitely there, with a junky flavour reminiscent of American bubble gum.

After taking a few sips, we finally got a faint sensation of yoghurt in the aftertaste, and it was so subtle it roused the curiosity of our taste buds, adding a sense of mystery to every mouthful. However, what we really loved about the drink was its vibrant purple colour, which actually made us think of purple sweet potato sweets, adding a dissonance in look and flavour that made our head spin.

It was a fun drink, and while we wouldn’t really say it’s worth the hype in terms of flavour, it’s a good-looking beverage that you won’t regret trying. One thing to note is it’s incredibly sweet, but lovers of salty sweet combinations will see that as a bonus, as it’ll pair well with a side of fries for dunking.

Either way, it’s nice to see Grimace making a return to the chain, especially here in Japan, where he was spotted riding a train. The drink won’t be around for long, though, as it’s only on the menu until late November, but hopefully we’ll see the purple guy pop up again!

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