The Starbucks Relief Bangkok Blue was released some time ago, but it appears to have been an overlooked addition at the time. Three other color variations of the same mug were issued around the same period, roughly a decade earlier, each presenting a different take on the design. This blue version stands out in particular, as it is uncommon within the Relief collection, where Starbucks typically favored much darker shades of blue.… Read more
Here is another release from Portugal for a series that I thought was long discontinued. The Starbucks Relief Lisboa mug features Castelo de São Jorge, one of Lisbon’s most distinctive monuments. The oldest known fortification at this spot dates from the 2nd century BC, with archaeological evidence revealing traces of Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, and Muslims, confirming human occupation of the area since very ancient times. In 1147, King Afonso Henriques captured the castle from the Moors during the Siege of Lisbon, marking a turning point in Portuguese history.… Read more
The Starbucks Relief Athens mug is one of those I had no idea existed. Thanks to a recent revision of the Relief mugs database, I discovered that I am missing quite a few of them.
Athens is famous for many things, but one of the most important is being the home of the Academy of Athens. You can see its building on the front of the mug. This was the world’s first school of higher learning, founded by the philosopher Plato around 387 BC.… Read more
Relief Manila Rose is a nice colour variation of the mug we reviewed recently. Judging by the date on the bottom of the mug, it was released in 2025. Apart from the colour, I can see that the Kalesa (with the horse) was replaced by a Jeepney.
Jeepneys are among the most recognizable symbols of the Philippines and an enduring part of daily life across the country. Created from surplus military jeeps left behind after World War II, they evolved into colourful, uniquely decorated vehicles used for public transportation.… Read more
It seems that Relief Manila Red is a revised design of the previously released Manila Relief Black and Manila Relief Green versions.
Fort Santiago is depicted on the front of the mug and is one of Manila’s most important historical landmarks, located within the walled district of Intramuros along the Pasig River. Originally built by the Spanish in the late 16th century, the fortress served as a military stronghold, defensive structure, and later a prison during different periods of Philippine history.… Read more
Starbucks Relief Madrid is another mug that was not added to the site at the time of its release, so I am correcting that now.
Featured on the front of the mug is Almudena Cathedral, the principal Catholic cathedral of Madrid and one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. Located opposite the Royal Palace, the cathedral blends neoclassical, neo-Gothic, and neo-Romanesque architectural styles, reflecting the long period over which it was constructed. Its richly decorated interior, colorful ceiling paintings, and impressive dome make it a remarkable cultural and religious site in the Spanish capital.… Read more
While revisiting some of the older Starbucks collections, I realized that a few Relief Series mugs are still missing from the site. One of them is the Relief Hong Kong 2 (Dragon) mug, and as the name immediately suggests, the dragon is the defining visual element of the design. The artwork places strong emphasis on the creature, giving the mug a bold and unmistakably Hong Kong identity that differs quite a bit from the more skyline-focused releases.
In Hong Kong and broader Chinese culture, the dragon holds deep symbolic importance and is traditionally associated with power, prosperity, wisdom, and good fortune.… Read more
A reader contacted me to share that, surprisingly, Starbucks has released an updated version of a mug from a long-discontinued series. After doing a bit of research, I realized that not only am I missing this mug here, but there is also another version I overlooked – see this post.
As you can see, the design matches the two other versions (Red and Gold), except for the colours. The easiest way to tell the Bronze and Gold apart is the colour of the shells on the back of the mug: green shells for the 2025 (Bronze) mug and red shells for the 2020 (Gold) mug.… Read more
Looks like I missed adding this one to the site. Relief – Philippines Gold is a copy of the Philippines Red mug, but has a different colour scheme.
Here are the symbols and points of interest of Philippines that made it to the design of this mug:
– Tubbataha Reef is one of the world’s most spectacular marine sanctuaries. Located in the Sulu Sea, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site teeming with diverse marine life, including over 600 species of fish and 360 species of coral.… Read more
