No matter what you think of millennial pink, the new millennial pink drinks at Starbucks Japan are not only undisputedly beautiful, but they look and taste like spring. Let's be honest, with Punxsutawney Phil delivering the Groundhog's Day forecast of six more weeks of winter, everyone could use a drink that tastes like spring. However, get ready to have major FOMO, because these precious pink drinks are only available in Japan. Sigh.
Starbucks Japan recently debuted a drink called the Pink Medley Tea Latté that is described as both gorgeous and gentle. Because it makes total sense that your tea should provide you with a little TLC. Infused with fruit and three kinds of blended black, jasmine, and oolong tea, Starbucks Japan claims this tea is equal parts pink and pretty. The millennial pink drinks coincide with Japan's cherry blossom season when trees begin sprouting beautiful pink flowers as the weather gets warmer, and people come of hygge and lagom hibernations to start shedding their winter doldrums like a snake shrugs off its old skin.
And, obviously, the best way to combat cold-weather blues is by surrounding yourself with everything pretty and pink. Even Starbucks employees agree that this pink drink is pleasing. "I’ve worked at Starbucks for two years and today is the first day I’ve ever tried the PINK drink and boy let me tell you it’s BOMB AF," Brittany Garcia tweeted.
According to Rocket News 24, the Pink Medley Tea Latte isn't the only pink pleasure that lucky people in Japan are enjoying this cherry blossom season. If tea is not your jam, fear not my FOMO friendlies. If you happen to be in Japan, you can also enjoy the Sakura Strawberry Pink Mochi Frappuccino. "The highlight of this drink is its unusual glutinous texture, which comes from its star ingredient: Domyoji-ko, a dried powder made from steamed sticky rice," Oona McGee reported for Rocket News 24. "This sticky rice powder originates from Domyoji, a temple in Osaka where the rice was once said to cure illnesses, and is used mostly in sakura-flavored Japanese confectionery today."
Starbucks Asia also introduced the Sakura Blossom pink drink on its website, and it sounds downright decadent. "Celebrated for centuries as an iconic symbol of spring, renewal and simplicity, 'Sakura' means cherry blossoms in Japanese. Starbucks Sakura Blossom beverages honor the season with flavors from traditional Japanese ingredients and are served in special pink-cherry blossom cups," the Starbucks Asia newsroom noted.
This beautiful beverage features a "crispy swirl," a Sakura sauce made with cherry petals, condensed milk, and white bean paste. The Sakura Blossom is topped off with "pink shaved chocolate inspired by cherry petals and bright pink rice crackers scattered on maple-flavored whipped cream."
But, that's not all. Rocket News 24 reported that you're also going to want to try the Sakura Strawberry Pink Milk Latté. A treat for the tastebuds, this pink drink is both sweet and sour with notes of strawberry. "Hot milk is added to the sakura-strawberry sauce base, along with finely chopped pieces of sakura leaf and sake lees, an umami-filled non-alcoholic by-product from the Japanese rice wine-making process," McGee wrote.
If you're upset you can't get your hands on these Instagram-worthy millennial pink drinks, you're far from alone. One Twitter user had so much FOMO that she took matters into her own hands. "I wanted to try a Starbucks pink drink, but they don’t do them in New Zealand but they took my phone and googled instructions and [they] made one for me the best they could, bless," Riana Angeline tweeted. So, if you have a friendly barista, perhaps they'll do the same. Hey, it never hurts to ask.
Aside from majestic millennial pink drinks, Starbucks Japan also unveiled a line of pink drink are so you can drink your pink pleasure out of a pink cup, as it should be. Available in multiple styles and designs — like coffee mugs, stainless steel travel mugs, and cold beverage bottles — Rocket News 24 reported that this collection has two themes: Looking Forward and Looking Back. The Looking Forward collection is made up of modern sleek designs, which Looking Back is retro.
And, the best part of this Starbucks cherry blossom pink bonanza is that you can take home limited edition flavors of coffee and tea so you can wake up to you favorite cherry-blossom inspired drink and pour it into your pretty pink mug in the comfort of your own home. So, if you just can't take it, and you're searching for flights to Japan right freakin' now, hurry. These Sakura seasonal drinks are only available through March 14.
