I tried the super rare US McDonald’s drink that’s coming to the UK menu and was surprised by the taste
A RARE McDonald’s drink usually only seen in the US is making its UK debut today – and The Sun got an exclusive taste before anyone else.
The Shamrock Shake is being launched at restaurants for a two-week period only, from March 12 until March 25.
Thirsty customers can get their hands on small, medium and large sizes, with prices £2.19, £2.69 and £3.09, respectively.
Bear in mind, though, that prices might vary from restaurant to restaurant.
The launch of the mint-flavoured beverage comes after Maccie’s trialled the blueberry-flavoured Grimace shake last summer.
I got an exclusive try of the new Shamrock Shake, unveiled to mark St Patrick’s Day, before it hits menus today (March 12).
But how did it actually fare flavour-wise? Put simply, this was not one for my taste buds.
I love a McDonald’s strawberry milkshake, so I was keen to see if the Shamrock could knock it off its pedestal. But, overall, I found it to be a bit of a disappointment.
The first rush of flavour was far too sweet for me. Given most McDonald’s milkshakes are like this, though, I was willing to let this pass me by.
But then the mint flavour hit… and for me, it was far too chemically.
My taste buds did adjust and the drink became more bearable after a few sips, but I was still left with a synthetic taste in my mouth.
The vanilla ice cream was creamy and smooth, but overall, the Shamrock doesn’t beat a classic strawberry shake for me.
If you’re someone who usually goes for a mint milkshake, this might be one for you though.
McDonald’s said it will donate 20p from each sale of the drink at selected restaurants to the Ronald McDonald House Charity.
OTHER MCDONALD’S MENU CHANGES
McDonald’s regularly shakes up its menu to keep customers on their toes – and it added four new items in February.
The fast food chain brought back the Philly Cheese Stack, Raspberry and White Chocolate Pie and Mars McFlurry.
History of the Shamrock Shake
The Shamrock Shake was created in 1967 by Hal Rosen, a McDonald’s restaurant owner from Connecticut in the USA.
The shake was first whipped up to mark St Patrick’s Day – the annual event that celebrates Ireland’s patron saint St. Patrick.
The shake was rolled out more widely across selected locations in the US in 1970.
In 1974, sales from the shake helped to build the first Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia, USA.
Six years later, McDonald’s introduced the “Shamrock Sundae” for the first time – combining vanilla soft serve ice cream and mint-green Shamrock syrup.
To mark the 50-year anniversary of the creation of the shake, in 2020 McDonald’s launched a twist on the drink – the OREO Shamrock McFlurry.
Plus, Tropicana apple juice was added to menus for the first time, and will be staying as a permanent addition.
The Philly Cheese Stack is on sale until May 6, combining two beef patties with cheese sauce, cheese slices, grilled and crispy onions and pickles served in a toasted bun, from £5.29.
The burger was last on sale in October before being dropped from menus.
The Raspberry and White Chocolate Pie, which first launched early last year, is also on menus until May 6, for £1.99.
The crispy pink pastry is filled with a smooth white chocolate ganache and raspberry compote.
Senior consumer reporter Ellie Smitherman got to try the sweet treat when it first launched and was a big fan.
Also hitting menus last month was the Mars McFlurry, consisting of soft dairy ice cream swirled with crunchy chocolate-covered nougat pieces and topped with caramel sauce, from £1.69.
The pudding will be available until March 25.
Customers can also still get their hands on the Katsu chicken wrap and McCrispy BBQ Smokehouse until May 6 and the Mozzarella Dippers until March 25.
The Ronald McDonald House Charities was founded in the UK in 1989 and currently operates 14 houses.
The houses are partnered with NHS hospitals, providing families with free accommodation to support them while their child is in hospital.
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