We try Starbucks Japan’s grand finale for the year: The triple-sesame Frappuccino【Taste test】

http://bit.ly/2SlcZw7 Casey Baseel

Delicious drink is packed with all the goma we never knew we wanted.

December 26 is usually a bit of a low-point in terms of excitement. After the anticipation of Christmas Eve and the fun of Christmas Day, the 26th is a ho-hum dash of normality in the doldrums before New Year’s.

This year, though, we had something to look forward to on December 26 with the launch of Starbucks’ all-new Goma Goma Goma Frappuccino.

By this point, you’ve obviously deduced that the Goma Goma Goma Frappuccino is loaded with goma goodness. Of course, you might still be in the dark as to what “goma” is, so allow us to fill you in: it’s the Japanese word for “sesame,” and its triple billing isn’t just Starbucks getting extra-excited at its own innovation. The Goma Goma Goma Frappuccino is topped with crumbled white, gold, and black sesame cookies, tossed over a crown of whipped cream and seasoned with drizzled honey.

But the real beauty of the Goma Goma Goma Frappuccino (which starts at 580 yen [US$5.15]) comes when you look at it from the side.

The mixture of white mocha and black sesame sauce is meant to bring to mind the contrast of ink brush calligraphy on white paper, and the dessert drink’s late-December release is a salute to the Japanese custom of kakizome, writing auspicious kanji characters for good luck in the new year.

▼ The Goma Goma Goma Frappuccino is the second in Starbucks’ Japan Wonder Project series, following last summer’s Kaga Bo Hojicha Frappuccino.

▼ SoraNews24’s Frappuccino fanatic K. Masami poses with her latest love.

But even if you’re not captivated by the Goma Goma Goma Frappuccino’s cultural or aesthetic merits, it’s delicious enough to win you over with its flavor alone. The sesame notes are ever-present but perfectly blended with the milky mocha, with the honey tying them together without overpowering either.

However, with a cold snap scheduled to hit Japan this weekend, you might not be in the mood for a blended ice beverage. In that case, there’s also the 440-yen Goma Goma Goma Latte, a black sesame sauce-fortified espresso with whipped cream and black sesame cookie pieces. Strong-flavored and richly relaxing, the espresso and sesame make such a great team we’re surprised no one ever thought to put them together before.

But while we liked them both, our favorite is the Goma Goma Goma Frappuccino. Despite being brand-new to the Starbucks menu, the use of old-school flavorings like sesame and honey make it feel like a nostalgic, almost throwback-style dessert, and we highly recommend picking one up as either your last Frappuccino of 2018, or your first of 2019.

Photos ©SoraNews24