Meiji Petit-assort – 明治 プチアソート

Having recently reviewed a Meiji assortment, it seemed appropriate to follow up with this second installment, a further introduction to some of the popular confectionery giant’s most well-known creations. Aimed specifically at young children, Petit-assort is a selection of five matchbox-sized packets of candy which feature cute characters and simple counting/picture spotting puzzles on the back. The varieties included in the selection are, from left to right: Marble (strawberry), Coffeebeat, Choco Baby, Apollo and Marble (milk chocolate). All these products are also available in various other forms, for example, Marble can be purchased in a small tube the size of a Smarties packet, Choco Baby comes in a rectangular plastic container similar to that of Tic-tacs, and Apollo is usually packaged in a larger box, about the size of a pack of aspirin.

All five lines are also to be found in large tubes of the kind that chocolate companies often release around Christmas in England, and there are even novelty jumbo versions too.

But enough about the various packaging options and on with the review, beginning with Marble:

I reviewed the standard milk chocolate Marble previously when writing about Meiji’s eight variety selection pack, so here I’ll only cover the strawberry version. Brightly coloured and with a nice shiny smooth shell, these fragrant morsels look very appealing. They both smell and taste strongly of strawberry milk, though there is a faint hint of acidity somewhere in the background that gives them a genuinely fruity note. The white chocolate centers are a little on the waxy side (as opposed to being creamy) but have a good dairy flavour. I have bought Petit-assort numerous times and I’m pleased to say that there is always a good mixture in the two Marble packets, with usually at least one piece of each colour.

Next, Coffeebeat. This is one of my favourite Meiji lines and without a doubt my favourite item in this assortment. Similar to Marble, Coffeebeat consists of milk chocolate in a crisp sugar shell, but due to their rounder and more compact coffee bean shape they feel denser and there is more resistance to the bite. Furthermore, the coating has a more lustrous finish, so that each tiny piece looks almost look polished. The shell has a refined sugariness to it, yet the chocolate inside, although sweet, is redolent of rich ground coffee. Here sugar and coffee coexist, which is not the case in many such candies, where the mild milkiness of the dairy dilutes the complex coffee notes. That is not to say that they are particularly bitter or acidic; there is just the right blend of coffee in this chocolate.

Following on with Choco Baby, perhaps the most interesting candy in the mix, as I’ve never seen anything like it elsewhere. I’ve always found the shape rather odd, as the sweets resemble the little pellets of pet food I used to give my hamster (both before and after the hamster ate them…), yet the glossy surface and milky cocoa scent are very appetising. Eating Choco Baby is an enjoyable experience, as you can savour two or three grains at a time, or eat a small handful and allow them to coalesce into a sticky, milky-sweet mass. Unlike Marble and Coffeebeat, these candies don’t have an outer shell; the whole piece is made up of the same chocolatey substance, which has a firm, fudgey consistency.

Lastly, Apollo, whose adorable hat-wearing bunny wins the award for cutest mascot. The conical chocolates depicted in the box-art are a vibrant bubblegum pink, whereas in reality the colour is a paler milky pink. The flavour of the strawberry chocolate is like that of the Marble, except that there are no overtones of tartness, making Apollo the sweeter of the two. The milk chocolate base is sugary, with only faint notes of cocoa, and somewhat oily, meaning that the melt is not as silky as it could be. With no hard shell to protect them, the Apollo tend to get the most tarnished, and there are also a few visible air pockets around the seam between the milk and strawberry chocolate, though of course none of this affects the flavour.

I’d say that I prefer this to the other Meiji selection, even though it contains fewer varieties, because some of the biscuit-based snacks in the eight variety pack were somewhat bland and dry, and the mixture was too heavy on milk chocolate. I should state that this is a relatively cheap product and as such is made with accordingly low-cost ingredients, so the chocolate isn’t always great. However, I feel it offers a good range of textures, shapes and flavours to keep things interesting, and has the advantage of being a single-serving pack, which can be an important factor for consumers living alone who don’t want to buy their candy in bulk.

If by any chance you’re put off by the Coffeebeat, as it seems many people have an aversion to coffee chocolates, you can always look out for the individual miniature boxes from Petit-assort, which are sold separately at Daiso, allowing you to pick and choose to suit your tastes.

7/10

Meiji Petit-assort 5pcs  274kcal

Kamakuragoro Hangetsu Matcha – 鎌倉五郎 半月 抹茶風味

I don’t often get the chance to venture down south of chilly Hokkaido but luckily I have a jet-setting group of acquaintances who are constantly hopping across the sea to Japan’s main island of Honshuu, and usually don’t return empty-handed. It was one such friend who recently brought me some Hangetsu senbei (crackers), a popular souvenir item produced by Kamakura-based confectioner Kamakuragoro.

Hangetsu means ‘half moon’, which, as you can see, is reflected in the semicircular shape of this sweet cracker. Japanese folklore has it that a rabbit lives on the moon, hence the charming little bunny illustrations and the design in relief on the biscuit which also depicts a rabbit (sadly mine got broken in transit).

The senbei, which is matcha-flavoured – although azuki and black sesame versions are also available – has a rich, warm aroma of cinnamon infused with herbal green tea. Despite several days having passed between receiving this gift  and eating it, when I opened the wrapper it was still fresh and incredibly crisp. The dark golden colour, hint of burnt caramel flavour, and brittle texture reminds me strongly of the Pompadour fan wafers that you often find atop ice cream sundaes, although I’d venture to say that Hangetsu is even lighter and crisper.

While the senbei has a robust matcha flavour, the taste of the fluffy cream filling is much more watered-down and has a delicate, light sweetness like a pinch of powdered sugar. Some green tea notes are present, but more reminiscent of a milky matcha latte than an unadulterated cup of the real stuff.

Hangetsu being a traditional-style confection, for me the center was unexpected, as I felt that Kamakuragoro could have opted for a higher concentration of matcha in the filling, which would have produced a more recognisable earthy green tea hue, instead of the pale pastel colour you see here – I’m certain that the cracker itself would be sufficiently sweet to support the grassy flavour. However, the creamy paste is spread thinly and the airiness compliments the light crispness of the crackers nicely, making for a delicious snack overall, even if it is a little on the sugary side.

I was slightly disappointed to discover that a fair amount of artificial ingredients go into making these, but if that’s what it takes to preserve the excellent degree of freshness then I’m willing to overlook it and would definitely eat Hangetsu again.

7/10

Kamakuragoro Hangetsu (Matcha)  150kcal/pc

7-eleven Ichigo to Purin no Crepe Parfait – セブンイレブン 苺とプリンのクレープパフェ

Usually I visit cafés at the weekend, but the winter snowfall in Hakodate makes the prospect of venturing outdoors rather daunting. Nevertheless, this need not be a drawback to the cold season, as there are plenty of delicious cakes and desserts available at the nearby convenience store, such as this fruity number: Ichigo to Purin no Crepe Parfait (strawberry and pudding crêpe parfait)

This snack-sized parfait comes in a sturdy clear plastic cup that could be reused if desired. Extra packaging is limited to a narrow sticker, so you can see through to the neatly arranged layers of crêpe, cream and strawberry within.

The internal structure is more complex than it looks from the outside, so there are lots of hidden surprises as you work your way to the bottom; one of the factors that constitute an excellent parfait in my opinion. Perched atop the crêpe layer is a charming miniature pudding crowned with caramelised sugar syrup. The pudding has the texture of firm blancmange and a mild scent of vanilla, although the flavour is rather weak, and the syrup offers a slightly bitter, burnt sugar note.

The strawberries are fresh, juicy and sweet with just a hint of sharpness. The crêpe is literally paper thin and beautifully cooked so that it has a marbled appearance. Also, having absorbed some of the liquid from the fruit and cream around which it is delicately wrapped, the crêpe is extremely moist without being soggy.

Fluffy, sweet whipped cream surrounds the strawberries and hidden beneath this is a layer of golden sponge, which seems to have been soaked in fruit juice or possibly syrup, in the manner of a trifle. Under the cake another surprise awaits: more whip and then a spoonful of custard cream which has a wonderful vanilla flavour. All the above is contained within the crêpe parcel, which makes up the top half of the parfait.

The base of the dessert is composed of a tart fruity jelly that tastes of raspberry and cranberry, yet more whipped cream and finally another little pocket of berry jelly. There is also a second piece of sponge cake concealed within the white cream, but this cake is drier, light and airy. Where the cream meets the fruit jelly the flavours have infused to create a thin layer of a rose-pink concoction that resembles strawberry mousse, which is an added bonus.

I loved this product. In spite of the small size there are so many different layers and textures to keep your mouth watering right down to the last bite. In addition, it is reasonably priced and nicely presented, so that you don’t feel like you’ve lost out by swapping a café  meal for conbini take-away. I hadn’t eaten 7-eleven own-brand desserts for a while before trying this, but it’s reminded me of how good they are and left me wanting more.

8/10

7-eleven Ichigo to Purin no Crepe Parfait  ￥350   263kcal

Otona mo Chocoball Cafe Mocha – 大人もチョコボール カフェモカ味

I’ve always been a big fan of Morinaga, from their chewy buttery caramel to their indulgent creamy pudding, and I’ve enjoyed Chocoball in the past, including the Shiratma Anmitsu I reviewed previously. Recently Chocoball has branched out from the original colourful, child-oriented boxes to a new line of toned-down grown-up products with flavours to suit a more mature palate. Cafe Mocha is one such item, which is part of the ‘Otona mo Chocoball’ (~Chocoball for adults too) range.

Drawn in by the quirky wrapper illustrations and the promise of mocha and cinnamon, I bought this to have with afternoon coffee.

Initially I was pleased with my choice; the bag contained a generous number of chickpea-sized balls (I’d say between 15 and 20) and emitted a sweet aroma reminiscent of the coffee candy in Revels. The smell was promising, so it was with great anticipation that I took the first bite.

And…it was totally underwhelming. I could barely taste anything. The supposedly mocha-flavoured chocolate is waxy and bland and the biscuit center, mostly hollow, is no more than a crisp puff of air. The fluffy-looking center depicted in the package art is highly deceptive.

I tried allowing these to melt in my mouth in the hope that it would release more flavour, but it was like sucking on plastic, it feels as though the whole ball has been coated with oily, tasteless floor varnish which you have to dissolve to reach the vaguely milky, sweet substance underneath – I don’t think you can call it chocolate.

The dry, crisp biscuit core is equally devoid of flavour; there is not even a hint of malted milk or coffee or vanilla or anything that might perhaps have made Chocoball Cafe Mocha a little more palatable. Cocoa powder, coffee and cinnamon are all listed in the ingredients, but the fact that they place lower than powdered milk, dextrin and lactose is not very encouraging.

I felt cheated that I had used up both money and my daily sugar allowance on this awful product. Only my aversion to wasting food prevented me from simply throwing these straight in the bin and it’s certainly made me wary of sampling any more Chocoball. However, in light of my extensive positive experience of Morinaga products in the past, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt and chalk this down to being simply one miss after a long succession of hits. So don’t feel that you should avoid Morinaga, or even Chocoball, just steer well clear of this particular item.

2/10

Otona mo Chocoball Cafe Mocha 32g  172kcal

Oreo Chocolate Bar Strawberry Chocolat & Big Block Bonobon – オレオ チョコレートバー ストロベリーショコラ・ビッグ ブロック ボノボン

For times when you’re in need of just a little sugar hit, there’s nothing better than a mini chocolate bar, and the convenience stores have all kinds on offer at the moment, with strawberry being a notably prominent theme. Stopping by 7-eleven the other day, my eye was caught by the shiny ruby red, royal blue and hot magenta wrapper of this teeny 13g Oreo bar, made by Nabisco.

About the size of a typical piece of shortbread, this bar consists of a crumbly, slightly salted, bitter cocoa biscuit base (aka Oreo) topped with a pale pink strawberry-flavoured, pink-speckled white chocolate concoction, all drizzled with more baby pink chocolate. I’m gonna take a wild guess and say that this isn’t targeted at men…

Despite the packet’s claim that this is an ‘adult taste’, I can’t see that children wouldn’t appreciate it. The chocolate layer is super sweet and creamy but with a good tang of fruity sharpness that goes really well with the saltiness of the biscuit, and the center is shot through with syrupy strawberry sauce that contains real fruit concentrate (unfortunately difficult to make out in the picture) Strawberry powder produces the attractive speckled appearance.

I really loved this bar. While I don’t usually go in for such a girly palate when it comes to clothing, stationery etc, I found the pastel pink colours of this treat very appealing and there were positive connotations of strawberry milkshake and bubblegum. I loved the hint of acidity in the berry flavour and the Oreo cookie tasted excellent, as always. Also, at just 71kcal this needn’t be a guilty pleasure, even though it tastes like one.

8/10

I’d never tried Bonobon before, although I often come across it in its usual form, that of a large spherical candy (about the size and weight of a Lindor) filled with layers of wafer and chocolate cream. This chunky treat however is much simpler: Big. Block. Peanut. Choco – it does exactly what it says on the tin.

Given the simple packaging, I felt that this product was embracing the notion of cheap and cheerful, and I lowered my expectations accordingly, assuming that it would be the usual sticky-sweet, overly milky yet delicious, low-quality chocolate that you sometimes just crave.

The wrapper illustration makes the block appear rectangular, but in reality it is much shorter, almost square. The rich cocoa aroma that issued from within the plastic wrapper as soon I tore it open, left me pleasantly surprised, and the taste was similarly unexpected. It is nowhere near as sugary as I had supposed, and there is a mellow bitter-sweetness to it, that reminds me of Cadbury Bourneville.

Unfortunately, the peanuts let this product down, as they lack a good, toasty crunch and are in fact rather waxy and somewhat on the stale side. On the plus side, there is at least a generous distribution of nuts, which helps to keep the textures varied and provides an injection of salt to offset the sweeter chocolate.

I thought the thickness of the chunk was great – it’s something you can really get your teeth into – but it’s an average product on the whole. I might be tempted to buy it again though, just for the wonderful cocoa scent.

6/10

Big Block Bonobon  107kcal

Meiji Selection 8 Varieties – 明治セレクション おいしい定番８種類

Last week I decided to replenish my chocolate stocks with this Meiji selection bag that contains 8 of the most popular and simple Meiji products in single-serving packs.

Takenoko no Sato

Of all the candies in this selection, Takenoko no Sato is probably the only one that conveys any sense of ‘Japaneseness’, as the small, bullet-shaped bites resemble takenoko (bamboo shoots) – a popular ingredient in traditional cuisine.

A nugget of crumbly biscuit with a dense and buttery consistency is partially covered with milk chocolate molded into a layered design similar to a pine cone.

The biscuit is slightly salted, with helps to offset the sweetness of the chocolate. The chocolate is fairly thick in parts, so each bite feels substantial and fulfilling.

Kinoko no Yama

These charming mushroom-shaped snacks are similar in concept to the takenoko, but the ratios are rather different, with one solid piece of chocolate balanced atop a thin biscuit stem.

Also, the biscuit is drier and less salty, with a light malted flavour and the chocolate has a smoother exterior. Both Kinoko no Yama and Takenoko no Sato are available in a wide range of seasonal flavours, most recently including pumpkin, chestnut and strawberry.

Marble

Marble is basically Smarties by another name: sweet milk chocolate in a sugar shell. There are seven different colours although there is no actual variation of flavours, but the crunch of the shell is nice and crisp. Marble is also available in strawberry.

Meiji Bar

The most basic item in the assortment, this is a milky and sweet bar with a good creaminess.

The sweetness could be a little cloying in a larger portion, but the tiny serving – three or four bites at the most without resorting to rodent-style nibbling – is not too sickly. A very ordinary and admittedly rather cheap-feeling bar.

Strawberry

This miniature bar consisting of two squares, is made with the same milky sweet chocolate as in the Meiji bar.

The bubblegum-pink filling tastes like strawberry yoghurt, with a distinctive note of sour cream, and is a little grainy, as it contains some freeze-dried strawberry.

McVities Milk Chocolate Digestive

I was interested to try this pack, of which the selection contains only one, to see if it varies from the digestives available in England. Although it says milk chocolate it was less sweet than I was expecting, the kind of odd twilight zone between milk and plain that you normally find in cooking chocolate. The biscuit was a little drier and less grainy than usual digestives.

Pucca

I’ve never tried these before but I can see that they are a close relative of Koala no March: cute-shaped crispy wafer shells, which house a thimbleful of chocolate cream.

For me, this was the most disappointing item in the selection; the biscuit was very dry and the filling was oily and sickly.

Almond

Roasted almonds covered in sweet milk chocolate, what could be simpler?

The nut could have been more thoroughly toasted, I found it a little soft and oily. The serving size of three pieces seemed a little stingy, I think four of five would have been just right.

I liked that there were so many different varieties in this assortment, most selection packs I’ve come across contain only two or three different items. The strawberry bars and marble candies were good but on the whole the chocolate was a little too sweet for me. This would be great for a children’s party but it’s worth investing in something a little pricier for yourself.

6/10

Meiji Selection Bag

Daiso X Tirol Choco Fukkoku Tirol: Blue Cheese Choco – ダイソーXチロルチョコ 復刻チロル ブルーチーズチョコ

If you’re like me, and have a meaningless obsession with hunting down and trying every kind of Tirol, then you’ll know that it’s virtually impossible, as region-specific limited edition products are constantly being released, meaning that you’d either need to keep visiting every major city in Japan in continuous rotation to check for new items, or else establish a vast network of underlings across the nation to do the job for you. And even then, what about all those chocolates released before I even knew about Tirol, and now no longer available? Well, luckily from time to time an old classic is revived, giving people who missed it the first time around a chance to catch up.

Hundred yen shop giant Daiso collaborated with Tirol Choco to poll consumers and find the top three out-of-production flavours that they wanted brought back. Blue cheese came in at number one, followed by peanut crunch and chocolate tart, and as a result Daiso produced this small 8 piece bag.

The small chunks are a pale creamy colour, dotted with minute green flecks of dried parsley, with a distinctive cheesy scent, that is strong but not overbearing, like a freshly opened packet of Parmesan.

The primary flavour is very odd – there’s no other word for it: it’s cheesy. Not a mellow, matured flavour like cheddar, but an unapologetically bold sour milk flavour, like that of a curd cheese. As the initial tang of cheesiness subsides, salt and a herby hint of parsley quickly make their way to the foreground, followed lastly by the oily uber-sweetness of low-grade white chocolate.

Now this may all sound horrific, and I’ll admit that on my first tasting I wasn’t sure what to make of this bizarre melange of flavours, but by the time I came to the third pale white chocolate square I was hooked. The contrast and progression of tastes is complex but it works; the saltiness counters the fermented dairy notes, and is in turn countered by the sweet chocolate, and thus everything balances out.

Adversely, when it comes to texture Blue Cheese is relatively simple. Each square looks like a solid block of chocolate but the cross-section of a chunk reveals that within the thick outer layer of white chocolate is a center with a crumbly texture, similar to a hard cheese like Parmesan.

While my writing may not have done much to entice you, I seriously recommend trying this unusual product for yourself, before it disappears all over again.

8/10

Daiso X Tirol Choco Fukkoku Tirol Blue Cheese Choco 8 pcs   ￥108  39kcals/piece

KitKat Yawatayaisogorou Ichimi – 八幡屋礒五郎 一味 （信州限定）

After my disappointment with KitKat Rum Raisin, expectations were low for this novelty bar, the result of a collaboration with reknowned tougarashi (chilli pepper) producer Yawatayaisogorou. While the concept of chocolate and chilli is fairly well established, it is usually only attempted, or at least only pulled off with any degree of success, by chocolatiers capable of ensuring a good, authentic, high-cocoa bar, as sub-par chocolate will simply ruin the pepper and vice versa. However, the adult-oriented bitter bar available in Japan is proof that KitKat is no stranger to grown-up dark chocolate, so I couldn’t help feeling optimistic the more I considered it.

The wrapper designs are more flashy than usual, with bold, stimulating pops of blue and yellow against shiny red and gold, which is especially eye-catching against the black interior of the box that houses them. Already this felt like something special, and I was even more convinced upon opening one.

The scent alone is exciting; earthy and spicy in a way that conjures up images of a Moroccan souk. The ebony-coloured chocolate is aromatic and bitter but with a silky, creamy melt. The excellent rich dark taste is achieved with the inclusion of cocoa mass, cocoa butter and cocoa powder, and reassuringly few artificial ingredients. The crisp wafer center has a peanutty smell, the light toastiness of which offsets the intense chocolate notes perfectly.

As for the all-important chilli: there’s certainly no missing it. Its heat is not the pungent kind that brings a sudden sting to your nose, like wasabi, but a slight burn on the roof of your mouth and in the back of your throat. It takes a few seconds before you get the full sensation and at first it threatens to intensify but fortunately remains at a manageable level, although it does linger after the chocolate taste has faded. I doubt this would really be too hot, even for someone with a fairly delicate palate, however I can see that it could alienate consumers who are used to milder, sweeter bars. For me though, this has to be one of the best chocolate products I’ve ever eaten: KitKat has more than redeemed itself for the rum-rasisin fiasco.

The complex combination of bitterness and spiciness is addictive and yet so immensely satisfying that one bar is easily enough. Sadly I expect that this unique product will have disappeared within the year, in the inevitable turnover of new varieites, but it will be a real shame. Recently I feel I’ve been too generous in handing out scores of eight for products that weren’t so far above average in retrospect, so just to make a clear distinction KitKat Yawataisogorou Ichimi (try saying that five times fast) earns:

9/10

KitKat Yawataisogorou Ichimi (Shinshuu area limited edition)  64kcals per bar

Hakodate Amanatto Irodori – はこだて甘納豆 彩

When it comes to the spreading popularity of traditional Japanese confectionery abroad, I feel that amanatto has been somewhat neglected. Admittedly, the idea of sweet ‘natto’ – a dish of fermented soybeans considered by many Westerners to be something of an acquired taste – is rather off-putting, and even without that knowledge, if someone were to ask you whether you’d like some sweetened peas and kidney beans for dessert, you probably wouldn’t be too eager to take them up on the offer. However, despite the slightly misleading name, this treat is not so different from more familiar confections, such as sugar plums or marrons glaces.

Amanatto simply consists of various pulses preserved in granulated sugar. Typical selections often include a mixture of smallish beans and peas but may also contain a few larger beans. I bought my ‘Irodori’ assortment of kidney beans, green peas, black soy beans, broad beans and white ‘hanamame’ from Hakodate Amanatto, but amanatto is available in all supermarkets and most 100 yen shops too.

With its pretty jewel colours and glittering frosting of sugar, this amanatto is sure to set your sweet-tooth tingling. The coarse saccarine coating creates a thin, crunchy shell around the bean, which has a firm and fudgey texture, becoming a little powdery as you chew it, in the case of the kidney beans and hanamame. They are slightly denser than ordinary boiled beans due to some of the moisture being drawn out by the sugar.

The hanamame and kidney beans have no initial smell, but once you bite into a piece there is a light, savoury scent like a butter bean. The refined sweetness of the sugar dominates but the bean flavour comes through gradually, though it is only subtle.

The peas are much moister, and the thin skin houses a minute drop of mushy green puree. Being so tiny, there is a high ratio of sugar to legume, yet the distinctive pea flavour is still detectable. As peas are naturally a little sweet, the vegetable taste is not unpleasant or strange.

The large black beans have the most interesting texture. The degree of moistness varies with each piece but the least dry resemble dates, with thicker and tougher skins than the other beans, which provide a little resistance and chewiness, and moist, almost fruity flesh inside. True to their dark colour they have just a hint of bitterness, so are the least sweet of the selection.

I find the dense, chewy texture of amanatto very moreish yet also satisfyingly filling, and, although sugary, they are not too sickly, thanks to the savoury background notes. The best feature of the Irodori selection was the diversity of textures in the pack; it was a pleasant surprise to come across some moister morsels, as some amanatto consists of only firmer, drier pieces.

Hakodate Amantto sells 100g bags of individual varieties, or you can pick and mix and purchase by the gram, and they even offer tasting selections, so there is something to suit everybody. Well worth a visit.

8/10

KitKat Tokyo Rum Raisin – ＫｉｔＫａｔ 東京ラムレーズン

Another thing I picked up en route to England, along with cookie crunch Pocky, was this box of mini Rum Raisin KitKats, which seemed an appropriately warm and indulgent concept for the boozy festive period ahead. I’m not sure what defines these typical bite-size bars as ‘Tokyo’ KitKats, beside the fact that they’re on sale at Haneda airport; no doubt it’s simply to encourage tourists to buy them as souvenirs. Well it worked anyway, as my curiosity was piqued and I didn’t hesitate to grab a pack.

Despite it being one of the most common combinations in the realm of confectionery, I realised that I’d never tried a rum and raisin product with white chocolate before, with the exception of Tirol’s Raisin Sando, which was a rum-butter-based candy, so a little different. The fruity alcoholic flavour of rum and raisin, simultaneously heady and warming and tart and tangy, is one of my favourites when it comes to ice cream, so I was looking forward to seeing what Nestlé made of it.

I was a little suspicious when I caught the scent of the first buttery yellow bar I unwrapped. While faint dairy notes of milky white chocolate did filter through, the aroma was unmistakably rum and raisin, yet almost too rummy and raisiny – a bold and exaggerated fragrance, like a perfume. I withheld judgement until the first bite, but unfortunately my suspicions were confirmed; what I got was a mouthful of a sickly sweet, perfumed confection with no hint of mellow spirit or fruity sharpness, except perhaps for a slight sourness in the aftertaste. KitKat have produced some great innovative flavours over the years, but it seems that when it came to turning their hand to an old favourite they got everything wrong. There was no caramelised sugarcane hit from the rum and I’m not convinced that a grape had ever even been in the same room as one of these. I’ll acknowledge that it’s difficult to add something like fruit flesh, which would need to be in fairly large chunks to be noticeable, to a biscuit with such a thin chocolate coating as a KitKat Mini, yet I think a raisin paste could have been sandwiched between the wafer layers, or perhaps Nestlé could have produced this as a Chunky instead, giving them a larger volume to work with. (Although the box and empty wrappers were whisked away before I had the chance to check the ingredients, I’ve confirmed that they contain a mere 0.056% alcohol, so I’m fairly certain that what constitutes the ‘rum’ here is primarily synthetic) Possibly the use or milk or even dark chocolate in place of white could have worked to offset the perfumey rum flavour, rather than enhance its cloying sweetness.

Don’t get me wrong, these were far from inedible, and the texture was spot-on as usual: the chocolate had a clean snap to it, a nice sheen and a good degree of creaminess, and the wafer was light and crisp, in pleasant contrast to the moist layers of cream in between. However, these are the selling points of any KitKat so I have to rate Tokyo Rum Raisin based primarily on flavour, which earns them:

5/10

Tokyo Rum Raisin KitKat Mini 12 pack    63kcals per bar