It may be summer all year-round in Malaysia, but that doesn’t mean we can’t sip on some cool beverages and imagine we’re somewhere nice and frosty (while we melt in the blazing heat)!

Enter Starbucks’ latest winter offerings – The Pure Matcha series – which is inspired by Japanese tea culture. Made from premium micro-ground matcha sourced from first-harvest green tea leaves grown in Japan, there is an emphasis on preparation of ingredients and balance of flavours, to produce a cup of pure green tea goodness. Expect a subtly sweet aftertaste, fresh green notes and a silky finish – perfect for tea lovers!

Marrying three distinctive flavours from Japanese cuisine is the Black Sesame Pure Matcha Latte with Taro Foam. Fun, indulgent and colourful, the beverage blends Starbucks pure matcha with a velvety black sesame sauce, topped with a frothy layer of aromatic purple taro foam – for a nutty, earthy and rich flavour explosion.

The Caramel Pure Matcha Chocolate Chip Frappuccino will appeal to fans of kakigori, as it was inspired by the Japanese shaved ice dessert. Pairing matcha with chocolate and caramel, no-sugar green tea powder is blended with milk, bits of chocolatey java chips, before being topped with whipped cream and a decadent drizzle of caramel sauce.

Another one to try is the Okinawa Brown Sugar Latte, a comforting and indulgent seasonal favourite. A signature of the Okinawa region in Japan, Okinawa brown sugar has a deep and complex flavour that lends a hint of mellow sweetness to Starbucks’ signature espresso. The drink is then topped with an airy milk foam and swirl of brown sugar drizzle.

Coffee lovers are not left out, as the brand’s latest Winter Coffee Beans, produced in the volcanic Atitlan region in Latin America are used for the the Starbucks Guatemala Atitlan – carrying a bright citrus acidity, elegant aromas of orange blossom, and deep notes of sweet caramel and milk chocolate.

To usher in spring and the Lunar New Year, there will be Starbucks exclusive Year of the Rat merchandise, with cute, rat-inspired mugs, tumblers, water bottles, cold cups and an adorable Rat Bearista Bear. Food offerings also abound, with items such as the spicy and creamy Baked Tuna Pasta, Apple Multiseed Bread, Orange Muffin with Cranberry and Cream Cheese, Classic Walnut Cookies and Golden Treasure Cupcake.

All of the above offerings are available at all Starbucks Malaysia stores from 7 January 2020 for a limited time only.

 

*Photos courtesy of Starbucks Malaysia and GO Communications