I know you can get green tea lattes at Starbucks in the US these days, but somehow I doubt that this special winter version, the Azuki Matcha Latte, will be making it’s way across the Pacific any time soon.

The green tea is mixed with a lovely red bean syrup, which reminds me of the Sakura Latte from last year. Sakura time is just around the corner, and I can’t wait for a pretty pink Sakura Frappuccino. This will happily hold me over in the mean time!

In addition to the red bean syrup both in and on the drink, there’s also a sprinkle of kinako, or soy bean powder on top. Kinako is a very Japanese flavor, often used in traditional sweets.

Overall I prefer the frappuccino, as I think the flavors blended better. With the hot latte, mine separated a bit and I was left with a bitter flavor at the end. The beginning was delicious, though!

The current desserts are really nice too. On the left is a chocolate banana tartlet, which had a lovely creamy flavor and a tender crust. On the right is the Berry Heart Cake Pop, which was rich and fruity. My only complaint about these minis is that they’re so small! I could easily eat 4 or 5 of these berry heart things! They’re a bit pricey, but I enjoy them when I feel like splurging a little.

Have you tried any of the Azuki Matcha Line at Starbucks here in Japan? What did you think?