December 8th: Cadbury Brunchbar Hazelnut

Kcal 160 Fat 7.5g Fat(sats) 2.9g Carbs 21.2g

Cadbury really have got themselves in a bit of a pickle with the branding of their cereal bars. Back in July I reviewed the Cadbury Snack Raisin Cereal Bar ... a product that looks absolutely no different to the Raisin variant of this Cadbury Brunchbar range (see HERE). That Raisin variant seems to be the most readily available - I see multi packs in the supermarkets all the time, though today I found this Hazelnut variant accommodating a vending machine on my university campus.

Comprising of 'oats, bran flakes, hazelnuts, crispies & honey in a bed of Cadbury's milk chocolate' it seemed like the perfect option for breakfast on the run. Although weighing in at 35.0g it was a pretty fulfilling option and certainly did the job of tieing my hunger over till mid-morning. The product was presented well in a fresh keeping and well designed foil wrapper. It was nice to finally come across a cereal bar/flapjack product that wasn't all half stuck to the insides when I opened it. The bar didn't have much of a forthcoming smell, there was a sweet honey and nut type aroma, though this was very subtle.

In comparison to the quite bland Cadbury Snack Raisin Cereal Bar, I enjoyed this product a little more, however it was still lacking real defining flavours. Much like in the Snack Bar, the milk chocolate tasted fantastic - it had a lovely sweet milky flavour that wasn't to dissimilar from Dairy Milk. Unfortunately it just wasn't generously portioned enough, it was just way too thin to leave a lasting impact against the denser cereal mix. The cereal mix itself had a sweet chewy consistency thanks to the added honey. The cereal mix was noticeably more nutty than in the Snack Bar, the presence of the hazelnut was definitely a welcome addition to the mix. This was a relatively fulfilling snack given the size, though the aftertaste was very short lived and the product failed to really leave me with a lasting flavour impression.  

Overall this bar did its job in providing me with a quick fix breakfast, but there is still room for improvement. In comparison to the Snack Raisin Cereal Bar the added hazelnut gave the cereal mix a bit more flavour, though the coating of milk chocolate was equally as thin and lacking the desired chocolaty hit. I am not a huge fan or cereal bars and the such, but I did get a reasonable amount of satisfaction from this product, for that reason if your looking for a quick, fulfilling solution I would recommend this bar.

7.4 out of 10  

December 8th: Green & Black's Maya Gold

Kcal 184 Fat 11.8g Carbs 16.9g (per 35.0g)

I must admit that I have been largely ignoring the Green & Black's brand, mostly due to the mediocre experiences I had with both the Butterscotch and White Chocolate variants earlier in the year. I have received many an e-mail since then from readers informing me how good the range is. Taking this into consideration I decided to give Green & Black's another go, and today sampled the Maya Gold, which was comprised of 'dark chocolate with orange & spices'.

The first thing I looked at on the back of the bar was what spices were included - a detail I came to find wasn't listed. I do quite like the packaging with Green & Black's, it isn't quite near the standard of Lindt, Hotel Chocolat etc, but the design is generally nice and I like the colour coding used for the flavours. I also thought the design work on the bar was good - the G&B logos displayed on the surface of each block aesthetically offered a bit of interest. A nice fruity orange scent became very evident once the bar was released from the foil layer. The smell also offered evidence of the spices, I could detect an underlying nutmeg type influence.

The orange and spice elements didn't just leave their impact on the product in the smell, they also had a rather big say in the taste. The product had a reasonably nice melt, with the flavours growing in intensity as it progressed. The dark chocolate on its own was not the most flavoursome, offering quite little in the way of strong cocoa flavours. Thankfully the influence of the orange was in particular quite strong and made for a very long fruity taste. Elements of cinnamon and peppery type flavours noted the aftertaste ... in regards to flavour progression this bar was really quite strong. As you can see from the picture above I sampled this bar in a 35.0g format, this proved a very satisfying amount to eat with my afternoon coffee. 

Overall my belief in the Green & Black's brand has somewhat been rekindled with this offering. Personally I don't think the quality of dark chocolate was that high, it just seemed to lack a real defining flavour base. Thankfully, as the smell suggested the added orange and spice elements were quite impactful and made for quite a strong overall taste. As far as chocolate orange combinations go this wasn't my favourite, but this is still a reasonably good bar of chocolate. I shall be dipping into the Green & Black's brand again soon. 

8.0 out of 10

December 7th: Clark Bar

Kcal 220 Fat 8.0g Fat(sats) 4.0g Carbs 37.0g

CandyPirate have recently got hold of a load of New England Confectionery Co. (Necco) goodies, and have been kind enough to send me across a few samples. Included in their latest package was this Clark bar, which consisted of 'honeycomb peanut butter crisp, with a chocolatey covering'. Yes indeed this bar as Cybele at Candyblog would put it, incorporated the famous mockolate (no cocoa butter!!). Anyway I wasn't going to let that put me off - especially where theres peanut butter involved.

The bar came in a 49.6g serving - this proved to be a sufficient snack. I wasn't all that sure about the presentation of the product. The packaging looked a little plain to me, a little stuck in between retro and just old fashioned. Though not setting the world alight with its looks, the plastic wrapper maintained a degree of freshness. The bar like the wrapper was a bit plain looking, but once cross-sectioned I thought the middle looked pretty appetising. I enjoyed the smell of the peanut butter that emanated once the wrapper was opened, however was a bit surprised at the lack of aromas from the chocolate.

Now even though my expectations of the 'mockolate' were really rather low, I couldn't help but be surprised at the pretty poor quality. The outer coating felt extremely greasy to touch, and just didn't feel altogether that nice in the mouth. Even with the extra oils that were obviously present, the melt of the outer chocolate was quite lazy, and had a slightly granular texture. The flavours weren't much better either, it had a very sweet taste with an element of smokiness in its aftertaste. Though smokey flavours can be quite appropriate in some bars, it seemed largely out of context here. At this point this bar seemed destined for sheer disaster, however the rather good peanut butter centre rescued some credibility. The centre was likeable to the Cadbury Crispy Crunch and the Nestle Butterfinger, though was not quite as crispy and had a softer chewier consistency. The nut flavours were forthcoming and luckily dominated the taste of the chocolate. The extra sweetness of the honey brought an extra dimension to the buttery nut flavours, though as you can imagine it did make the overall taste very sweet indeed, and it did get a little sickly towards the end of the bar.

Overall the degree to which you enjoy this bar will purely be dependant on your prior expectations . If your expecting an all round good chocolate bar with a peanut butter flavoured centre your going to be disappointed - simply put, the coating is pretty terrible and among the worst chocolate I have tasted. However, if your looking for a nicely flavoured peanut butter bar, and aren't too fussed about the rest of it , then there's probably some enjoyment you can get out of this product.

6.8 out of 10

Want to try the Clark Bar for yourself!? Head over to CandyPirate for all your AmericanCandy & Sweet needs all right here in the UK

December 7th: Milka Feuer

Kcal 550 Fat 35.5g Fat(sats) 20.5g Carbs 49.5g (per 100.0g)

This Milka Feuer (Fire) review rounds up my look at the limited edition Milka 'Elements' range. You may recall in the past few weeks me looking at the Milka Wasser (Water), Luft (Air) & Erde (Earth), all of which have offered some interesting flavour variants, though hardly set the Chocolate Mission rating system alight. Excuse the pun, but I was hoping this final variant that Dean-German-Grocery sent me - 'Feuer' would change all that. Comprised of 'Alpine Milk chocolate with a cocoa creme chili flavoured filling', this bar really suggested it could light some fires .... ok ok I will stop now :D

The bar came in the standard 100.0g Milka form and provided me with two reasonably satisfying servings. The packaging looked nice with the usual purple Milka theme, I thought the fire and the chili image displayed on the front communicated the essence of the product well. The chocolate nicely incorporated the usual Milka logo on each block and the cocoa cream looked well portioned when the bar was cross-sectioned. The chili element wasn't apparent in either the presentation or smell of the bar. The aroma on offer was no different to the usual pleasantness of the Alpine Milk Chocolate.

The outer Alpine Milk chocolate carried the inner cocoa creme nicely. The initial milky flavours of the chocolate nicely preceded the more intense flavours of the centre, and revealed the filling at a nice rate. The transition of the creamy outer chocolate to the stronger tasting centre was an enjoyable contrast. I am firmly of the belief that Milka Alpine Milk is one of the better milk chocolate 'flavour carriers'. The cocoa creme was just as smooth as the solid chocolate, though had a lighter, whipped density. The actual cocoa flavours were not that amplified, though the chili element was very evident during the aftertaste. The taste and warmth of the chili was more forthcoming than I was expecting, though it must be said it didn't take long for these effects to leave the mouth due to the exceptionally fast melt of both the outer chocolate and the creme. Though the chili was highly detectable I would have have liked it to have been a bit stronger - I guess this was Milka understandably playing on the safe side.

Overall this was a reasonably good offering from Milka, though it didn't quite live up to the levels of some of the other bars from the range. The milkiness of the chocolate on the whole rather toned down the effect of the chili - it was a nice contrast but just meant the chili needed a little bit more strength to the make the taste last that little bit longer. If you are interested in trying chili flavoured chocolate, but are normally put off by the fact most chili containing bars are dark chocolate, this would be a bar I recommend.

7.8 out of 10

Fancy trying the Milka Fever for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

December 6th: Ritter Sport Raisins & Hazelnuts

Kcal 513 Fat 29.1g Fat(sats) 16.6g Carbs 55.9g (per 100.0g)

I really am wondering If I will ever see the end of the Ritter Sport range? Don't get me wrong I hope I don't ... it just seems that whenever I think I must be nearing the end of all their offerings, Dean-German-Grocery manage to magic up another ten or so variants I haven't tried. Today's bar of choice was the Ritter Sport Raisins & Hazelnuts, formed of 'milk chocolate with raisins and hazelnuts. Fruit and nut mixes are one of faves (when done properly!!), and I was pretty optimistic that Ritter Sport could pull it off given their impressive portfolio.

This bar came in the usual 100.0g, 16 block format. I was pleased to see Hazelnuts on the packaging rather than almonds ... one look at my Ritter Sport Whole Almonds review will tell you why. Speaking of the nuts, I must comment on how well portioned they looked in the bar - every single block seemed to have a healthy dosage of hazelnuts poking out every which way. The wrapper claimed that the raisins were far more heavily portioned (17%), than the hazelnuts (7%), though one look at the bar suggested otherwise ... whatever it looked well presented. The bar had a remarkably strong nutty aroma. It smelt absolutely fantastic and really set my expectations of what was to come.

The milk chocolate once again delivered another instance of fine flavours. Despite the fruit and nut ingredients taking up a lot of space in the bar, the chocolate was still very prevalent in the grand scheme of the taste, and provided a delicious milky, chocolaty base. Although the hazelnuts were not implemented whole as in the Whole Hazelnuts bars, they still provided a strong nutty, earthy taste. They didn't quite provide the same sort of crunch to the texture, though this was partially atoned for by the Raisins that added an extra degree of interest with their soft chewiness. As well as adding to the texture, the raisins contributed some sweet, fruity flavours to the taste that contrasted nicely with the more savoury flavours of the hazelnuts. 50.0g of this provided a very enjoyable and fulfilling snack.

Overall just as I was hoping, Ritter Sport delivered a very high standard fruit and nut bar. I would go as far as saying that this one is up there with the best of them, including the Hotel Chocolat Crostini Fruit & Nut and the Toblerone Fruit & Nut. The mix of the hazelnuts and raisins was near perfection, with just about the right amount of each superbly complimenting the milk chocolate. If the bar included whole hazelnuts and a slightly better standard milk chocolate, it would be really putting pressure on the upper end of the Chocolate Mission spectrum. For the minute though this is yet another from the Ritter Sport range I would recommend.

8.7 out of 10

Fancy trying the Ritter Sport Raisins & Hazelnuts for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

December 5th: Bounty Dark

Kcal 134 Fat 7.2g Carbs 17.9g (per 28.5g / half bar)

It seems like forever since I reviewed the original milk chocolate Bounty all the way back in July. I don't know how this dark chocolate variant has evaded me since then, but it caught my eye on the shelf today. The bar follows much the same premise as the original, billed as 'moist tender coconut covered in rich dark chocolate' - the packet had no indication how strong the dark chocolate was formulated, which was of slight annoyance.

The bar came in a 57.0g format that was split into two smaller bars. The quality of the packaging was good and ticked both major boxes - it looked good and kept the product fresh. The only variation in the look of the bar was obviously the darker appearance of the chocolate, if anything it highlighted the pale inner coconut even more. The smell of the bar wasn't quite as strong as the original - I could still detect the coconut, however it didn't offer the same sweet dairy scents.

I am going to tell you right away that I found the taste neither better nor worse than the milk chocolate Bounty. Despite this, the flavours offered were fundamentally different - on the chocolate side of things anyway. The dark chocolate was of a mass consumer friendly type nature - the cocoa wasn't necessarily amplified, but the sweetness of the bar was removed. This had two knock on effects - firstly it meant the chocolate wasn't quite as flavoursome, but secondly it meant that the coconut innards featured more heavily in the overall taste ... to be honest they rather cancelled each other out. The nature of the chocolate meant the melt was slightly slower, meaning the milky, nutty, buttery flavours of the coconut could be savoured for longer in the mouth. I ate this as an afternoon snack and by the time I finished the second bar I found it largely fulfilling experience.

Overall I am going to sit majorly on the fence with this one as I can't pick a preference between this or the milk chocolate version. Which one I would choose would solely depend on the mood I am in and what I fancy at the time. If I was looking for a sweeter, milkier bar I would happily have the original Bounty. If I fancied a richer, nuttier bar I would go for this dark version. Despite not being able to pick a favourite I would very much recommend both as a means of getting a chocolate and coconut fix - its lucky really as its hardly like there are any other readily available alternatives.

8.3 out of 10 

December 5th: Scho-Ka-Kola

Kcal 32 Fat 2.2g Carbs 2.6g (per piece)

I had very little knowledge of this brand before Dean-German-Grocery sent me this product. According to wiki the Scho-ka-Kola brand dates all the way back to 1935, and is a chocolate that contains additional caffeine from cocoa, roasted coffee and cola-nut. The back of the pack told me that eating this chocolate provides 'sustained energy for more power and concentration' and that 'four pieces contain as much caffeine as a strong espresso' .... I smell a gimmick, but what the hell, I am always one for chocolate and coffee combinations!!

The product came in a 100.0g tin that contained 16 triangular pieces. The tin format was very welcome, I can't think of many (if any!?) other chocolates that are packaged in such a way - definitely points there for originality. The actual pieces were nicely designed as well; they were just about the right size to fit in the mouth and had a nice clean cut ribbed design. The pieces had a musty, nutty sort of fruity smell - I didn't find it all that appealing, it didn't seem fitting for the actual product.

The type of chocolate used was plain chocolate, and it had a really middle ground taste. It had more of an emphasis on its cocoa flavours rather than its milk, however neither were really that forceful on the overall taste. The coffee was very much the dominating aspect; but still wasn't quite the intensity of other coffee products I have tried recently (see Ferrero Espresso Pocket Coffee etc!), the flavours were quite forgettable once the product left the mouth. The textures of the pieces were quite nice - the melt was fast but smooth. I can't say I was all to crazy about the slightly bitter aftertaste that was left in the mouth, though it was no where near the levels of bitterness experienced with the Snickers Charged, I guess it was just a bi product of the additional caffeine. I ate all these pieces in three servings (six at a time), aside from providing a fairly fulfilling snack they also noticeably improved my alertness for a short period ... basically they had the same effect as a cup of coffee.

Overall these are not the greatest coffee and chocolate combination currently going, but as a whole product they aren't half bad either. The chocolate wasn't the greatest - to be honest in the grand scheme of things its taste was probably a little sub par, it just lacked a real flavour base. The coffee flavouring was a little better, and on the whole delivered an okish taste. These are a highly gimmicky offering, though the unique presentation and genuine short-term energy boosts these deliver make them a pretty fun product. I wouldn't recommend them on taste alone but as a whole product they offer something a little different - if you like the sound of Scho-Ka-Kola I see no reason why not to give it a try.

7.3 out of 10
Fancy trying Scho-Ka-Kola for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

December 4th: Conscious Chocolate Choca Mocha Magic

Kcal ??? Fat ??? Fat(sats) ??? Carbs ???

Having seen this range recently featured on ChocoaBlog to rave reviews, I was especially looking forward to getting my hands on this locally produced Sussex made chocolate. Conscious are a small company based in the UK and describe their chocolate as: 'hand made, sugar free, vegan, raw chocolate sourced from the finest ingredients' - for more information check out their website (HERE!). I will be sampling a number of bars from the Conscious range in the near future - today I started with the 'Chocoa Mocha Magic' bar.

This bar came in a 40.0g serving that proved more than sufficient - it was a very rich chocolate. As you may have noticed by the picture it was really no frills presentation - the packaging format is entirely consistent across the range. According t0 the website it is packaging for the 'conscious' minded, personally I would have preffered some form of differentiation for each flavour variant. I am all for the recyclable credentials and the lack of marketing blurb, but I just would have liked to have seen a little more care and attention given here. Saying this I quickly forgot the aesthetic appeal of the product when I opened the inner foil layer. I was met with a utterly fantastic mixture of cocoa and coffee scents - probably the strongest I have ever smelt. I could literally smell the coffee beans, it was masivelly enticing.

The first thing I noticed about the chocolate was its supple nature. Just the slightest touch left a lasting impression on the surface - it was far softer than your average chocolate bar. Unfortunately this did mean it was a bit on the messy side, though it still made for a nicely paced, thick melt. The chocolate didn't have the smoothest texture ever but I guess this was to be expected given its 'raw' nature. The ingredients list made for some interesting reading, it included some things I had never even heard of before - 'agave nectar' and 'carob' (See HERE for more details!). One thing that I was sure of was the quality of the taste - it was superb. The cocoa flavours immediately exerted their influence as soon as the first piece entered my mouth. The chocolate tasted fresh, clean and incredibly rich - on the whole hugely enjoyable. As the melt progressed the coffee element grew in its intensity - in coffee terms it was more of a filter black coffee taste, rather than a creamy mocha. The coffee had an element of bitterness to it, making the chocolate seem all the richer. The roasted flavours of the coffee beans and dark chocolate made for a hugely satisfying and richly flavoured chocolate.

Overall this is the perfect example of why you shouldn't judge a chocolate completely by its wrapper. It's exterior look really didn't inspire much confidence - after unwrapping the bar though I encountered an entirely different prospect. The chocolate was utterly fantastic and was complimented superbly by the roasted coffee beans - the bar was crammed full of flavour. I am sure you are all aware of my love for chocolate coffee combinations and I can say this one is up there with the best of them. I really can't wait to try some of the other variants from the Conscious range - for a unique chocolate coffee experience, this bar is definitely worth a look at.

8.3 out of 10

December 3rd: Milka Amavel Mousse au Praline

Kcal 565 Fat 37.0g Carbs 51.5g (per 100.0g)

After the successes of both the Milka Amavel Mousse au Chocolat & Mousse au Creme Caramel, my hopes for this Mousse au Praline bar were pretty high. Once again Dean-German-Grocery supplied me with this bar - it is such a shame this range is not widely available in the UK ... I am sure many a person would be enticed by the promise of 'Alpine Milk chocolate filled with a hazelnut nougat creme filling'.

As with the Chocolat & Creme Caramel offerings, this bar came in a 160g size that was split into ten separately filled pods. Unlike the Creme Caramel version, a different coloured filling wasn't promised on the front of the packaging. The mousse was as displayed - a lighter brown colour. As with the other variants, I liked the overall presentation. The box was nicely designed, and the podded look of the bar was as ever unique looking, with each nicely decorated with a Milka logo. The smell of the chocolate wasn't as forthcoming as the other variants from the range. It offered the usual pleasant milky aromas, but offered very little indicating the Praline content of the bar.

The outer Alpine Milk further provided evidence of its credentials of a being a great flavour hosting chocolate. The creamy, sweet flavours of the chocolate were forceful enough to impose themselves, yet were subtle enough to let the flavours of the praline take precedence once encountered. Normally Milka chocolate has an undertone of hazelnut, so the hazelnut praline filling tasted entirely fitting. The filling had a delicious creamy nutty taste - it reminded me of the Ritter Sport Praline bar I reviewed back in November. The texture of the mousse was light and contrasted nicely against the denser outer chocolate. Despite its lighter nature, the flavours were still very long lasting, this was both an enjoyable and fulfilling chocolate.

Overall this was yet another delightful offering from the Milka Amavel range. I wouldn't say the praline filling was any better or worse than the Chocolat or Creme Caramel fillings - it was just equally as fantastically flavoured, and offered a delicious nutty alternative. One of the finest things about this range is the way in which the mousse fillings are light in texture, yet so full of flavour - it is a real art. I would highly recommend this bar, especially if your a fan of praline - another highly enjoyable Milka offering.

8.8 out of 10

Fancy trying the Milka Amavel Mousse au Praline for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

December 2nd: Necco Sky Bar

Kcal 200 Fat 9.0g Fat(sats) 5.0g Carbs 30.0g

The Sky Bar has been in production since 1938 and forms another part of the New England Confectionary Co's portfolio. Why is it called the Sky Bar? well way back when it first launched in the 30's Necco used a 'dramatic skywriting campaign' in order to advertise the bar ... that's pretty sweet marketing for the 30's huh!? This bar is a bit of a rarity nowadays but CandyPirate have managed to get hold of some and were kind enough to send me one to review. Constituting of four different fillings: caramel, vanilla, peanut and fudge - this bar reminded me a lot of the Cadbury Snack they have in South Africa ... obviously with vastly different flavoured centres.

The wrapper of this bar is the definition of retro! I would love to know what it looked like when it was first launched, though I doubt it would look all that different. I thought it had a real classic appeal, and really gave the product a lot of character. The actual bar was also protected by a cardboard sleeve, and included some nice detailed pattern work integrated into the top of the four pieces. The product didn't have the most intricate of smells, it offered little more than I can describe as a sweet smell .... to be honest I was too busy looking at the wrapper to take too much notice.

The milk chocolate that coated the bar really wasn't all that good. The rate of the melt was ok but it had a slightly grainy texture. The taste was very sweet, with the flavours quite milky but all very sugar rooted. The aftertaste left a creamy taste in the mouth, though in truth I would say it was quite a cheap tasting milk chocolate. The 'star attraction' so to speak with this bar were the four different fillings. Each of them delivered their intended flavours relatively well. The fudge centre was more chocolaty than the rest, the caramel was by far the sweetest, the vanilla was creamier and the peanut had a nice nutty appeal. I must admit I was more expecting creme type fillings, and was initially surprised by their fondant type sugary consistancy. I did feel a little short changed with the peanut filling, as I was expecting a centre that took more of a peanut butter form, though the peanut fondant still delivered a satisfactory taste. This bar was on the whole was very sweet, but provided a fairly fulfilling snack and was a relatively enjoyable one at that.

Overall this was not the greatest tasting bar of chocolate in the world, though it still does have an element of appeal with the uniqueness of its design. Despite the bar being made in 1938 there are very few like it on the market - there's the aforementioned Cadbury Snack and the now discontinued Fry's 5 centres, but at present there are not many imitators. For this reason, in my book, this makes this a rather interesting a unique proposition. The flavours of the bar are by no means exceptional, but there is an element of appeal in the anticipation of seeing what centre you are actually consuming. If you have an interest in trying diversified products than this bar will be of interest to you, if your simply just looking for a great tasting chocolate bar then you should probably look elsewhere.

7.5 out of 10

Interested in trying Necco Sky Bar for yourself? Find this bar and many more American candy & foods delivered directly from the UK at CandyPirate!!

December 2nd: Caley's Plain Chocolate

Kcal 527 Fat 35.3g Carbs 46.6g (per 100.0g)

Excuse me if this review is a little short tempered, though to be honest this bar doesn't deserve much else. Caley's are a company based in Norwich, England - and according to their wrapper have been making chocolate since 1883 ... now that is a long time. Ever since buying this bar a few weeks ago (in Tesco!!), I have been putting off eating it, and just choosing to review other more appetising looking bars first - why have i been doing this??? ... well to be honest I think on my mission to finding the 'best chocolate bar in the world', I have stumbled across potentially the 'most boring chocolate bar in the world' - the Caley's Plain Chocolate bar.

Let me substantiate the reasoning behind this all. I don't know if the wrapper was intended to look retro, but in my opinion it just looked dull. The product lacked any description or marketing gumpf to bring the product to life. I am not a massive fan of over-the-top claims , but still giving your bar selling point is straight forward marketing. Looking more closely at the chocolate itself ... well as you can see above it lacked any sort of character - no branding, no design work whatsoever ... this could have been a value brand supermarket chocolate. Just to top off the lacking presentation, despite coming in a foil layer the bar lacked any sort of forthcoming aroma. A slight cocoa smell was detectable, but with a bar with 58% cocoa solids you would really expect more.

What the bar lacked in smell, it certainly didn't make up for in taste. The taste was hardly poor, but was just lacking in any sort of longevity or real impact. When in the mouth a buttery, friendly cocoa taste was evident, though this was largely forgettable as soon as the piece melted into a thin liquid. The flavours did not sustain themselves to any degree, which meant this was a pretty uneventful and unfulfilling experience.

Overall there is nothing more to say about this product other than it is just a lazy bar of chocolate. It lacked quality in pretty much all dimensions including both its presentation of packaging and bar, textures, taste ... this list could go on - but why bother? For a company that has been making chocolate since 1883 surely they should know something about a) basic marketing b) making good chocolate .... obviously not! Avoid!

5.7 out of 10

 

December 1st: Niederegger Lubeck Marzipan Classic Dark Chocolate

Kcal ??? Fat ??? Fat(sats) ??? Carbs ???

A really quite scary thing happened when I sat down to write this review. Midway through my second helping of this product I opened my inbox to find an e-mail from Chocolate Mission reader Justyna suggesting I review this bar .... what are the chances of that!? Anyway, Dean-German-Grocery were kind enough to send me across this dark chocolate variant from the Niederegger Marzipan range - those keen eyed chocolate-spotters amongst you may well have spotted the milk chocolate variant in Tesco recently!

Comprising of plain chocolate and marzipan (52%), this bar weighed in at 100.0g - this provided me with two plentiful servings. I liked the distinctive look of the red wrapping, its classy exterior look was replicated inside with the bar contained within a beautifully branded gold foil layer. The chocolate itself also looked fantastic. The chocolate had a slightly dusty looking surface, though a nice intricate logo was printed on each piece - the marzipan filling also appeared very generously portioned and very appetising. The product didn't have the most forthcoming of aromas, there were slight indicative hints of almond and dark chocolate, though they were not the most pronounced of scents.

I am not going to beat around the bush here - this was simply the greatest tasting marzipan I have ever had. To be honest the chocolate wasn't the greatest - although the 50% min solids indicated a strong chocolate in reality it was actually quite reserved. It had a nice smooth melt, but just really lacked defining flavours. It by no means ruined my overall enjoyment of the product whatsoever, though it would have been nice for the cocoa to have been more pronounced and forthcoming. The marzipan on the other hand was in a league of its own. I am no massive fan of the stuff, but this was exquisite. It avoided the crumbly, grainy texture of most, and actually had a nice moist smooth feel. The flavours were far less sugar based than other alternatives (Thorntons etc), and had an absolutely divine tasting buttery, almond taste. This bar was incredibly moreish, though 50.0g proved to be a highly satisfactory amount.

Overall despite the shortcomings of the plain chocolate, the marzipan filling made for an incredibly luxurious and enjoyable product. First things first - it looked the part!! Everything from wrapper to bar looked fantastic. The taste didn't let it down either; the plain chocolate wasn't up to much but the marzipan filling was absolutely outstanding. For marzipan fans I simply can't recommend this bar enough - it is the best I have ever tasted in this field. Even if your not a big fan of Marzipan I would really urge to give this a go ... it could well change your mind.

8.5 out of 10

Fancy trying the Niedereger Lubeck Marzipan Classic Dark Chocolate for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

December 1st: Lindt Excellence 99% Cocoa

Kcal 270 Fat 25.0g Fat(sats) 15.0g Carbs 4.0g (per 50.0g bar)

According to the Lindt website this bar took three years of development in-order to fine tune the taste. Formulated of 99% cocoa, with less than 1% sugar I presumed this bar would offer a very similar experience to the one offered by the Hotel Chocolat 100% bar I reviewed a few months back. Thanks to Dean-German-Grocery I was allowed to put these presumptions to the test.

I normally really hand it to the Lindt on their Excellence range, and really commend them on their standard of presentation, well this bar took those already sky high standards and raised the bar once more. Although the chocolate only weighed in at 50.0g, the packaging was the same size as the 100.0g bars from the range; this was for reasons two fold. Firstly due to the intensity of the chocolate, the bar was made thinner - this was a course of action I came to appreciate when tasting the bar. Secondly the packaging was larger as the actual bar itself was contained within a neat foil sealed plastic tray (see picture top right!). Not only did this look utterly fantastic and stylish, but it also kept the product wonderfully fresh. This was truly presentation of the highest standards. Inside the foil tray, the chocolate both smelt and looked utterly fantastic. Its dark alluring colour was matched by fantastically aromatic cocoa scents - I literally couldn't wait to sample this chocolate.

As with the Hotel Chocolat 100% my taste buds did need a little time to adapt to the intensity of the flavours. The flavours were raw, powerful and at first undeniably quite bitter, but then the beauty of the bar kicked in. As early as the mid-melt of the first block, the bitter notes seemed to transform into a wonderfully smokey, smooth cocoa taste. Just one small block provided a stunning amount of rich and intensive cocoa flavours that seemed to last forever in the mouth. Much like the Hotel Chocolat 100% bar the texture was not completely to my liking. As my mouth became more accustom to the type of chocolate it got progressively more tolerable, though the initial dry, chalky texture was hardly ideal. To be honest in a trade off though I could certainly put up with the poor texture to be able to savour the high end quality of the taste.

Overall this is a complete an utter Marmite bar, solely dependant on your degree of appreciation (or non-appreciation) of true cocoa flavours. Like the Hotel Chocolat 100%, this bar sits on the opposite end of the spectrum to your grab-n-go Double Decker bar. This is a chocolate that demands time and commitment to really savour its pleasantries. Is it my favourite chocolate ever?? ... no ... is this a wonderfully presented, full flavoured, high standard dark chocolate?? ... YES!!! I know a lot of people will be put off by the 99%, but this bar provides a surprisingly wonderful and friendly experience if you have the palette to appreciate it. Not a bar for everyone, but for those that appreciate the finer chocolate bars I can't recommend this bar enough.

8.6 out of 10

Fancy trying the Lindt Excellence 99% Cocoa for yourself!? Fancy any another Ritter Sport / Milka / Lindt / Storck or German Grocery ... head over to Dean-German-Grocery!!

November 30th: Hotel Chocolat Christmas Fusion

Kcal ??? Fat ??? Fat(sats) ??? Carbs ???

This review of the 'Christmas Fusion' slab wraps up my look at the Hotel Chocolat 'Christmas Peepster Box'. What with the success of the 'Christmas Bauble', 'Christmas Chimes' and 'Heavenly Holly' variants I was pretty confident that this slab would offer a similarly pleasurable experience. Described as 'creamy cinnamon spiced white chocolate swirled with 40% cocoa milk chocolate', this was the first product outside of Germany I have seen to include cinnamon as an explicitly stated ingredient. 

As with the others from the range, this slab came in a 100.0g form that provided me with two plentiful servings. I liked the looked of this slab, unlike the 'Christmas Bauble' the mixture of the two different chocolates included the fantastic swirl pattern, which just made it look that little bit better. The Christmas tree decorative piece wasn't the greatest looking, though the snowdrop pieces further added to the spectacle of the slab aesthetically. As well as looking well presented the bar smelt fantastic. As soon as I opened the plastic packaging I was met with a glorious combination of nutty, spicy, dairy scents - this didn't fail in furthering my already high expectations. 

The contrast in flavours between the milk chocolate and enhanced white chocolate was absolutely superb. On one hand the milk chocolate offered a clean and crisp, pure cocoa taste that as I have referred to so many times really is milk chocolate at its finest. The other white chocolate had a wonderfully creamy, buttery taste. The added hazelnut and cinnamon elements were most noticeable during the absolutely divine aftertaste, which was heavily influenced by the nutty, spicy flavours. Aside from the taste, the textures of the two chocolates were also very distinguishable. The white chocolate was noticeabley softer than the milk chocolate. Although the melt was still as incredibly smooth and thick as the milk chocolate, the white chocolate did melt the faster of the two meaning that it didn't last quite as long in the mouth. This wasn't too much of an issue though, as aforementioned the aftertaste of the white chocolate left a long impression in the mouth. The pieces of the slab I most enjoyed were the 'swirled' pieces that combined both the different chocolates - the milk chocolate tree printed on the white chocolate part of the slab in particular provided a delicious finale.

Overall this was an absolutely fantastic and innovative slab from Hotel Chocolat. This was definitely my favourite from the 'Christmas Peepster Box', and thankfully lived up to all expectations - I left it till last for the reason it looked the most interesting of the lot. The mixture of the as ever superb 40% milk chocolate and the spiced, nutty white chocolate was one of the most unique combinations I have ever tasted - especially for chocolate made by a UK based company. The only slight fault I could find with the chocolate was the slightly softer nature of the white chocolate - as mentioned though this really was of no great concern given the lengthy flavour longevity. I would seriously recommend this as a great Christmas chocolate. Having also now reviewed the whole 'Christmas Peepster Box', I would also whole heartily recommend the product - it has a classic range of both classic and innovative chocolate combinations. If you want to ensure putting a smile on someones face this Christmas, Hotel Chocolat in my opinion is the way to go.

8.9 out of 10 

November 29th: Matchmakers Cool Mint / Zingy Orange

Matchmakers are one of those brands that seem to have been around since the beginning of time. Well looking at the Nestle website that doesn't seem to be an entirely accurate statement - they were in fact first launched in 1968. Their name was derived around the premise that these were meant to be given as a 'token of love' .... hence ...'match making' .... hence Matchmakers. They also used to be about a third of the size they are today - that was back in the day when they resembled matches far more closely.  

Today the brand sits under the Quality Street umbrella and is available in two different variants - Cool Mint and Zingy Orange. On pack the products were described as 'mint/orange flavoured chocolates with skimmed milk chocolate, plain chocolate and boiled sugar pieces'. Hmmm boiled sugar pieces?? ... not the most appetising sounding thing ever eh!? 

I was reasonably impressed by the presentation of both the variants. Both came packaged in small cardboard boxes, which as you can see by the pictures adopted the Quality Street purple colour scheme. Inside the product was contained within a plastic tray, with extra protection offered by a cushioned paper layer. The only thing that I thought could really have been improved was that the Matchmakers could have been contained within plastic/foil packets for freshness .... they were just loosely rolling around which meant that after a few days of being left opened they were not all that fresh looking or tasting. 

Cool Mint:

Kcal 81 Fat 3.5g Fat(sats) 2.3g Carbs 11.6g (per 4 sticks)

A sweet, minty smell was instantly striking once the box was opened - it was quite enticing and provided a very indicative insight to the taste of the product.

As the smell so strongly suggested the mint was very much the dominant flavour. Each stick had a very strong peppermint taste - for me this had its upside and its downside. On one hand I enjoyed the fresh and intense flavouring, though on the flipside it truly diminished the presence of the chocolate. To be honest I could hardly taste the chocolate at all, the mint element was just so amplified and dominant. The sugar pieces did bring a pleasant enough crunchy element to the texture, however they did unnecessarily further sweeten the product. Due to the nature of the very sweet and intense flavours I could only eat a few of these at a time - they were not the most fulfilling of products ever.

Overall the influence of the chocolate on the taste was very minimal, this definitely isn't a product for chocolate connoisseurs. Saying that if your a fan of mint products it is a pretty safe assumption you will get some enjoyment from these.  

7.4 out of 10  

Zingy Orange:
Kcal 81 Fat 3.5g Fat(sats) 2.2g Carbs 11.7g (per 4 sticks)

Much like the mint variant these had a very forthcoming aroma. The orange flavouring was very evident, with the product radiating a pretty nice fruity smell. 

The flavour progression of this variant was more developed than the mint version. The chocolate had far more of a bearing on the initial taste - it was not until the aftertaste where the orange flavouring was truly dominant. The chocolate quality was not the highest, but was passable - it had a largely milky taste that was made increasingly sweet by the added sugar pieces.  The flavouring of the orange was a welcome addition, it reminded me a lot of Terry's chocolate orange in that it had a nice long fruity taste. As with the mint variant I found the added sugar pieces an unwelcome addition to the taste, though I again could note their added benefits to the texture.  

Overall these were the variant I marginally preferred mainly due to the slightly less intense, sweet taste delivered by the orange flavour. This meant that not only was the chocolate more prevalent in the taste, but I was also able to enjoy more of these at a time, making them a more fulfilling product. 

7.6 out of 10

I think it is a fair conclusion that Matchmakers are pretty far from being a high quality chocolate offering, though saying that I don't think they have ever claimed to be. Matchmakers certainly deliver one thing - and that is flavour! Both mint and orange variants deliver in respect to their stated flavours, although their prominence does come at detriment to the actual bearing of the chocolate on the overall taste.  Matchmakers aren't a product I would say you should go out your way to try, but at the same time I definitely wouldn't say avoid them ...  after all they must be doing something right to have stood the test of time!