Limited-edition “gyugyutto” beverage features a fruit combo rarely seen at Starbucks.

After a succesion of brutally hot days in Japan, this summer is already testing our limits, even though the season has barely begun. Thankfully, there’s now some much-needed respite to be had, in the form of a new Starbucks Frappuccino to help keep us cool and calm as we enter the hottest days of the year.

Called the “Gyugyutto Orange & Mango Frappuccino” (“gyugyutto” means to be “packed full”), this icy beverage is the crowning glory of a new three-piece range that includes the “Chillax Soda Orange & Mango” (from 590 yen) and the “Craft Juicy Orange & Mango Tea” (630 yen).

While orange and mango have long been a popular flavour combination, it’s rare for them to partner up in a Starbucks Frappuccino, so our reporter K. Masami was especially excited to try the new drink when it was released on 22 July.

▼ It certainly looked beautiful when she received it, with its bright orange hues immediately lifting her spirit.

Lying in wait for her in the base was a mixture of mango juice, orange pieces – four different varieties with different levels of sweetness, acidity and aroma – and blood orange jelly.

▼ Up top, the drink was finished with honey blood orange sauce and whipped cream.

With no milk component in the main body of the drink, the Frappuccino looked like it would be extra icy and refreshing, so Masami braced herself for brain freeze and took a big slurp of the drink.

Thankfully there was no sudden brain freeze, so Masami was able to enjoy the delicious flavour of orange, which the drink was definitely “packed full” of. It was sweet and fruity, but with a refreshing acidity that Masami absolutely loved – so much so that she was quick to declare it her favourite new Frappuccino out of all the ones released this year.

At first, the orange flavour came through strong, but then the mango gradually appeared, adding extra sweetness. The juicy, smooth texture of the jelly provided a beautiful mouthfeel, helping to highlight the pulpiness of the oranges, making Masami feel as if she was drinking a whole piece of fruit.

The orange flavour was even more refreshing than she’d expected, and it went down incredibly easily, making it the perfect drink for a hot summer’s day. Mixing the whipped cream into the drink also worked well to transform it, giving it a slightly richer and smoother flavour.

The new Frappuccino proves yet again that Starbucks knows what it’s doing when it comes to summer refreshment. After already giving us peaches, pineapple, and muscat this season, the new Orange & Mango Frappuccino is perfectly timed for the hottest days of summer, and Masami says she’ll be returning for more before it disappears from the menu like a summer sunset.

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