This is the Suntory Craft Boss Salty Lychee Tea, introduced during a summer trend in Japan to address the rising demand for an easily accessible ‘anti-heat stroke’ beverage. The bottle was designed using soft plastic ideal for freezing.
It had a clear golden appearance with a fragrant lychee aroma. Upon tasting, the floral lychee notes harmonised with the black tea base with both consistent from the beginning to the end of each sip. At the outset, the sweetness of grape juice was noticeable as a prominent undertone to the lychee, followed by a subtle salty essence akin to electrolyte drinks, and a touch of grapefruit acidity, resulting in a bright finish and invigorating aftertaste. The combination of grape, grapefruit, and lychee in this drink resulted in a delightful fruity flavour that harmonized well with the black tea base, without any hint of astringency or bitterness. Overall, this beverage surpassed the similar Kirin Sekai no Kitchen Kara Salty Lychee beverage due to the absence of the cooling mint note found in the latter.
This Suntory Craft Boss Salty Lychee Tea contained 600 mL. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2023.