This is the Ito En Butterfly Pea Tea, made with butterfly pea extract and green tea, and accompanied by colour-changing granules designed to alter both the hue and flavour balance of the drink.
In its original form, the beverage displayed a clear blue-green hue. The aroma was distinctly fruity and floral, strongly reminiscent of lychee. Sipped to the indicated fill line, the base drink was notably—almost overwhelmingly—sweet, while maintaining its delicate floral character and lychee-like profile.
After adding the pH-activated colour-changing granules and shaking well, the liquid transformed into a clear mauve shade. The added acidity noticeably tempered the sweetness, allowing the butterfly pea’s lychee-like notes to emerge more vividly. On tasting, there was an initial hit of sweetness at the front of the palate, which transitioned into a juicy, floral acidity through the mid-palate. A light sweetness lingered briefly before clearing surprisingly quickly, despite the absence of carbonation, leaving the overall impression clean and refreshing.
Overall, it was an enjoyable and refreshing drink, though the colour shift was less dramatic than in other butterfly pea preparations—resulting in a bruised mauve tone rather than a vibrant purple.
This Ito En Butterfly Pea Tea contained 500 mL. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2025.