Japan companies like to launch special once off products (mostly food and drink) so that we can rush to the local Life or Familymart salivating and throwing old people out of the way until we reach the aisle of our longing.

And so Calpis have released this week Calpis Soda Shifuku no Jikan (which is just a new product in their line up and not a once off, I think) or otherwise known as “Blissful Time” lemon drink. Thing. Calpis is an old Japanese beverage company founded in 1919 and they are known for their milky flavored soft drinks. I’ve drank Calpis Soda a lot which is a carbonated and milky drink.

So what’s the deal with this special Calpis Soda Shifuku no Jikan?

Calpis are marketing it as such “You can spend a blissful time as you can enjoy the mellow milky carbonic acid and the refreshing aroma and sourness of lemon.”

Well I drank it today and I didn’t quite reach blissful levels, it is a very nice drink and I like it a lot more than the original Calpis Soda. It has got a desserty vibe to it with the lemon and milk flavours swishing around with each swig. But it’s not a heavy drink, it’s quite light and quite refreshing. But I’m a sucker for citrus.

It’s going for ¥140 (Before Tax) and I got it in a Life branch.

Enjoy. I’ll be downing a few of these over the foreseeable future.