May 18th: Hotel Chocolat Puddles Citrus / Salted Caramel

Following on from my reviews of the Hotel Chocolat Puddles Rhubarb & Custard and Raspberry Ripple I today got round to casting my eye over the other two variants that Hotel Chocolat so kindly sent me. Just as with the previous two these Citrus and Salted Caramel flavours came in 140.0g bags. Although both were devilishly moreish I was surprised at the length of time that they both lasted despite me frequently consuming handfuls at a time. Below are my thoughts of each of the two flavours below:

Hotel Chocolat Puddles Citrus:

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

I have recently been writing about how there is a shocking lack of citrus fruit and chocolate combinations but it seems that at least a few brands are starting to cotton on to this. Described as 'white chocolate with tangerine flakes and essential oil of Mexican lime' I was rather hoping this was going to be more along the lines of the better quality Raspberry Ripple than the poorer Rhubarb & Custard.

As soon as I opened the bag it was evident that this was going to be a very fruity chocolate as the lime made itself immediately evident with its delightful scents. I am glad to say that when it came to the taste the white chocolate was akin to the Raspberry Ripple and displayed the same cream led vanilla noted flavours. What really made this product stand out to me though was the way the citrus fruits were implemented. They could easily have been overly strong and sour but Hotel Chocolat managed to find an extremely good balance here. Both the tangerine and lime elements were distinguishable with the lime having a more constant tangy presence throughout the duration of the taste. The orangey flavours of the tangerine came through wonderfully when the flakes were encountered and made for a delightful progressive set of flavours.

Overall these were absolutely fantastic and combined a luxuriously creamy chocolate with a refreshing set of strong citrus flavours. Despite the threat of the fruits becoming over dominant in the taste the balance for me was absolutely spot on and this culminated in a quite frankly delicious and unique tasting white chocolate. I highly recommend these.

8.8 out of 10

Hotel Chocolat Puddles Salted Caramel:

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

Despite two out of the three white chocolate variants being rather good I was also pleased that Hotel Chocolat sent along these milk chocolate flavoured Puddles as I was nearing white chocolate overload. Described as 'solid discs of salted caramel milk chocolate' my hopes were pretty high due to products like the Caramellow slab etc ... suffice to say I wasn't let down.

Opening the packet I was once again astounded and extremely tempted by the strength of the aromas I was met with. A strong smell of toffee soon overcame my senses and I simply couldn't stop myself digging in right away. Just as with my past experiences of the Caramellow slab the chocolate here was simply divine on every level. The cocoa flavours were evident from the outset, though the progressive nature of the taste meant that they ebbed and flowed with several other key flavour notes that dominated the taste. The caramel element within the chocolate was absolutely superb - as the thick melting nature of the chocolate progressed there were hints of brown sugar, toffee and butterscotch. The aftertaste was also splendid and was noted with a delightful lick of salt that had me reaching back into the packet frequently.

Overall these were exactly what I expected and that was nothing short of excellent. The flavours of the chocolate progressed so fantastically as the Puddles were consumed and just made for an experience that was as enjoyable as it was satisfying. The contrasting sweet and salt flavour notes made for a chocolate that was ever so moreish in every sense and again leads to me highly recommend these.

8.8 out of 10

May 17th: Thorntons Dark Chocolate Balsamic

Kcal 558 Fat 46.6g Fat(sats) 29.3g (per 100.0g)

Not even in the world of Japanese Kit Kats have I ever seen a Balsamic Vinegar flavoured chocolate!? I guess there is a first for everything though, and directly out of Thorntons' square bars range I today sampled their 'Balsamic Vinegar flavoured 75% Tanzania dark chocolate'. To be honest I was pretty pessimistic about the likelihood of me liking this bar ... and that pessimism proved correct.

I ate about half of the 90.0g bar in order to write for this review, the other half is currently sitting in the bin next to my desk. As with the rest of the range the presentation was nothing to turn any noses up at. The dark rouge colour and nice fonts established quite a sophisticated look, whilst the flavour of the bar was quite subdued in communicating its uniqueness. The bar itself had some nice patterns printed into its surface, though it must be said that even from the smell I could detect something with this product wasn't quite right. Behind some standard cocoa scents there was an earthy kind of smell that just didn't resonate well with the context of the chocolate. 

I have already given the game away so I will be upfront and quickly tell you that I did not like this bar at all. Placing the first block in my mouth I was surprised to find the flavours of the dark chocolate were quite restrained, something that wasn't helped by the thin melt that was produced. The mild cocoa flavours turned out to be the least of the bars worries however, as mid melt the Balsamic element reared its ugly head. The Balsamic influence was delivered through a 'Balsamic Vinegar Powder', which ultimately not only managed to establish a benign feeling lumpy texture, but also a sour set of flavours. The Balsamic element added a cheap red wine like set flavours in that they were imposing, tart and truly horrible. Half of this bar was frankly more than I could handle, hence why I had no desire to finish the other 45.0g.

Overall this was one of the worst chocolates I have reviewed this year. I remarked that I had never seen a Balsamic flavoured chocolate before ... this bar is evidence enough to why this was the case. The flavours simply just didn't work - the dark chocolate was bad to begin with, but given the poorness of the Balsamic flavours it was made to look all that bit worse. I am not going to waste anymore time describing how awful I thought this chocolate was ... I think you all will have got the idea already. Suffice to say this is not a bar I would recommend.

4.2 out of 10  

May 16th: Lindt Blueberry-Lavender Fine Mousse

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

No I have not gone crackers ... you are reading the title of this bar correctly!! Dean-German-Grocery sent across another sampling package last week and in and amongst the five years supply of chocolate they sent (lol!) was this rather unique bar. Described as 'dark chocolate with a chocolate mousse centre and blueberry-lavender filling' I really didn't know quite what to expect. Lavender and chocolate!? Surely this couldn't work!??? ... there was of course only one way to find out.

This is the first bar from Lindt's 'Fine Mousse' range that I have reviewed and it came in a 150.0g format. The presentation of the product was pretty flawless with the black coloured background and gold coloured writing cutting a very sophisticated look. The chocolate was also well constructed with each piece very distinct with its three layers and branding placed on top. One slight criticism that I did have was that the whole bar was split into only ten blocks, which made each one a little too big for my liking.

I normally write about the aroma of the product briefly but what I experienced with this bar demanded it be given a substantial mention. The chocolate quite frankly didn't smell like chocolate at all. Had this been a blindfold test I would probably have guessed that the bar was a product from Evelyn & Crabtree and not even chocolate. The flowery smell of the lavender was extremely forthcoming and proved to be a real distraction to the actual good tasting chocolate.

For all its strength in the smell the lavender was thankfully absent from the taste. The 70% dark chocolate was surprisingly friendly in its taste and never reached anything like what could be described as bitter. It delivered some delicious cocoa flavours that were grew in intensity as the thick melt progressed and revealed the softer, smoother yet just as flavoursome chocolate mousse layer. Positioned above the mousse was the blueberry element that had a gooey jam like texture. The blueberry filling delivered some striking wild berry, red fruit flavours that had a nice tartness to it making for some lasting flavours in the mouth. In regards to taste this bar was surprisingly really rather good and I had no complaints whatsoever.

Overall had it not been for the background smell of the lavender I probably would have enjoyed this bar even more than I did. To be honest I think the lavender element was more implemented for a shock factor rather than delivering something actually incremental to the chocolate. I am still a little bemused myself to how someone at Lindt could possibly of thought it could of helped the bar!? Who knows!? Forgetting about the lavender this was a bar that at the heart of it tasted really rather good and combined a good quality dark chocolate with a pleasant blueberry filling. Do I recommend this bar? Probably not based on the fact the lavender serves as too much of a distraction. If your the adventurous type though this could be one to put on the wish list ... its certainly unique I will give it that.

7.5 out of 10

Head to Dean-German-Grocery for all your German Snacks & Food Favourites

May 15th: Marks & Spencer Cranberry & Cashew Bar

Kcal 198 Fat 8.7g Fat(sats) 4.2g Carbs 26.0g

I hope you aren't all getting bored of me reviewing these snack bars as I still have a few left. Although I have already rapped M&S over their blatant disregard for originality with these bars their take of the Apricot, Mango & Almond was actually rather good, with my only displeasure coming in the form of a rather dastardly nut. Regardless, I decided to give their range another chance, today looking at their Cranberry & Cashew bar. This bar didn't just stop at the promised cranberries and cashews contained within its yogurt coating - it also involved additional pieces of dried apricot and almonds.

The product came in a pretty predictable 45.0g size that provided me with a rather fulfilling snack to go with a spot of afternoon tea ... how very English of me! Annoyingly the product only displayed its nutritional information in a 100.0g form, though committed as I am I calculated that all for you above ... good god I am too kind! I liked the presentation of this product, the bar looked rather appetising with its large pieces of fruit and nut nicely dispersed, whilst the wrapper was also coloured relevantly and kept it all rather fresh. The smell was also pretty pleasant with some dairy like scents emanating in and amongst some nutty, sweet honey like aromas.

Much like I found with the M&S Apricot, Almond and Mango bar, the yogurt coating was well implemented, and delivered an ever present creaminess that had the slightest of sour tangs in its aftertaste. As mentioned the cranberries and nuts were well spread out across the bar, which meant that each bite was full of flavour. The cranberries were quite forthcoming with their acidic berry influence, though at the same time still had a nice sweetness that stopped them from being too sour and tart. The cashew nuts were for me the shining stars. I have forever been banging on about how they are under used in the confectionery market, and this bar gave even more evidence to this. The cashews were mild mannered though brought some delicious buttery, crunchy elements to each bite, in my opinion they are far superior to the more commonly used almond nuts. The whole 45.0g proved a satisfying amount, a fact that was largely down to the rather minimal amount of rice cereal needed to fuse the bar together - this was a bar really crammed full of its ingredients.

Overall this is my favourite out of all the Eat Natural, M&S rip-offs I have tried thus far. The blend of the tangy fruit, and subtle flavours of the nuts made for a really quite delicious accompaniment for the creamy yogurt filling. In a perfect world perhaps the dried apricots could have been substituted for additional cranberries, as they rather got lost in and amongst all the other elements. This is probably the best of its kind I have tried to date, though as I have said I still have a few left to try - definitely worth a look at if cereal bars are your thing.

8.2 out of 10

May 14th: Thorntons Fudge Milk Chocolate

Kcal 557 Fat 36.7g Fat(sats) 23.1g Carbs 49.2g (per 100.0g)

Continuing my way through Thorntons' new square bars range I today tried out their 'Fudge Milk Chocolate'. This bar came very simply described as 'milk chocolate with fudge pieces', though closer inspection of the on pack blurb revealed that the milk chocolate was formed of Papua New Guinea cocoa in a 35% recipe. 

Just like the rest of the range the bar came in a 90.0g form that I ate over the course of two separate occasions. There isn't much to say about the presentation of the product. The outer packaging made use of an appropriate beige colour, though despite the bar itself looking nice with some well integrated patterns in to the surface the fudge pieces seemed very lacking aesthetically. Despite being rather anonymous lookswise the fudge element could be heavily detected in the smell, where a heavy vanilla sweetness complimented some standard cocoa scents. 

This was literally bar of two halves in that the second half I ate was a lot better than the first. The first 45.0g offered little more than a standard flavoured milk chocolate with just the smallest of honey type hints in its aftertaste. Every block I ate in my first sitting was devoid of any fudge pieces whatsoever ... a pretty stark contrast to the second 45.0g I ate that contained plenty. In the blocks where the fudge was present the chocolate tasted absolutely superb and had an extra buttery caramel element to its taste - it was absolutely delicious. The texture of the bar was also markedly improved with the fudge as it seemed a lot thicker where present. This chocolate was not the most substantial ever, though 45.0g at a time made for a fair enough snack.

Overall this was a hard bar to rate as my experiences from both servings were very varied. Where the fudge pieces were implemented the chocolate was very enjoyable indeed and provided a type of chocolate that no other brand is currently offering on the market. Frankly though there is no excuse for the lack of consistency with the dispersion of the fudge - there simply needs to be the same amount in each half of the bar, and by that I mean that Thorntons need to double up the fudge content and not just balance out the current 7%. This is certainly a bar with great potential and possibly worth trying if you fancy it.

7.6 out of 10

 

May 13th: Oreo Chocolate Bar Green Tea

Kcal 200 Fat 11.6g Carbs 21.4g

Pete at J-List told me it is getting rather hot in Japan so be sure to order all your chocolate from the J-List website very soon as it will be removed in the coming weeks. A few days ago Pete was so kind to send me along this Oreo Chocolate Bar Green Tea variant which I thought as product was probably about as Japanese as they come. This bar offered the same proposition to the mini size Original and Strawberry mini variants I reviewed a few weeks back but of course had a green tea flavoured centre.

The bar came in a 36.5g size that came in one single piece. I thought the packaging looked petty funky and liked the use of the light green colour to communicate the flavour theme of the bar. Apologies for the level of brightness on the cross-section picture - you will probably be able to make out the very distinct green centre. On one hand I thought it looked pretty unique, though part of me couldn't help but think that my chocolate had gone mouldy :) The aroma that emanated from the chocolate gave a clear indication of the taste of the bar and the tea element was very evident.

When I reviewed the Kit Kat Maccha Tiramisu the green tea element was more in the background of the taste and was not quite the star of the show. In that context I thought it worked rather well but I must admit my perception of the flavour here when it was more of a figurehead wasn't quite as positive. Just as with the mini Original and Strawberry variants the outer milk chocolate was extremely thin and didn't particularly give a chocolate hit of much note. The inner centre for me had both its good and bad points ... the bad mostly associated with the green tea flavours. I did enjoy the crunchy yet soft texture that it had and thought the sweet, buttery bursts of chocolate cookie flavour were very enjoyable indeed. Unfortunately though the aftertaste was really not that pleasant and the green tea flavour came across as very strong and imposing with its herby, almost bitter taste. Due to the lack of cocoa emphasis from the coating and light textured centre the bar really didn't feel like the most substantial of snacks.

Overall I guess the green tea and chocolate combination was one that I just never got to grips with. Just as with Oreo mini variants I reviewed despite the lacking chocolate hit the actual bare constituents of the centre filling provided an enjoyable chocolate cookie based taste. Unfortunately though I just didn't enjoy what the green tea flavours brought to the mix and just felt that they were out of place within the context of the chocolate. I guess this is one of those combinations you either 'get' or you 'don't' ... a bit like Marmite. When it comes to being a lover or a hater though, I guess when it comes to this bar I would have to say I was more the latter.

6.8 out of 10

May 13th: Lindt Cassis Mit Wacholderbeere

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

Before you all go rushing off to Google Translate please let me do the honours - Lindt Blackcurrants and Juniper Berries. As you can probably guess this was another bar sent to me by Dean-German-Grocery from the ever expansive range of Lindt goodies they stock. This bar constituted of a 'milk chocolate mousse filling with a Blackcurrant liqueur and Juniper berry layer, coated in milk chocolate'. I have to say this was one of the more intriguing bars I have tried in a long while so this review is well worth your read .... honest ;)

This product was yet another in the Lindt filled 'Pods' range, and again came in the familiar 100.0g size. As always with this format I was impressed with the presentation - the outer packaging communicated the flavour theme well with some appropriate wild berry pictures. The chocolate pods also looked enticing with the dark coloured jam like substance seemingly very well portioned above the inner truffle filling. The jam not only looked appetising, but also had a large influence on the aroma of the product, which was notably very fruity in its fragrance.

One thing that particularly impressed me about this bar was the way the blackcurrant and Juniper berries were implemented into the taste of the chocolate. The milk chocolate that coated the product and formed the lighter truffle filling was not the most forthcoming in its cocoa flavours, however had a very pleasant dairy creaminess. The transition of the melt from the outer chocolate to the lighter truffle centre was very flowing in its smoothness, and really contrasted nicely with the more solid, almost jelly like texture of the berry filling. Personally I thought that the balance of the berry flavours was absolutely superb - combined they brought very striking, tarty, juicy red fruit flavours yet at the same time had a very complimentary sweetness. The aftertaste had the smallest of alcohol kicks it (due to the 'Creme de Cassis Liqueur!!), which increased the flavour longevity left in the mouth and made for an altogether more satisfying chocolate.

Overall this was a bar I wasn't expecting too much from, however delivered a very progressive flavour experience. The transition from the creamy chocolate to the fruity berry filling was extremely well implemented in each pod, and the smallest of alcohol kicks in the aftertaste ensured that the flavours were left nicely lingering. If your a fan of Lindt milk chocolate then this is yet another bar that I am sure you will enjoy. This is of course dependant on your love for red berries and currants, though I am sure, like me, you will all have been partial to a bit of Ribena in your childhood. Yet another recommended bar from Lindt's fine range.

8.6 out of 10

Visit Dean-German-Grocery for products like this ... and many more!

May 12th: Hotel Chocolat Puddles Rhubarb & Custard / Raspberry Ripple

It has been a while since I last reviewed something from Hotel Chocolat (well a month or so!) but last week brought one of those awesome days when the postmen struggles to my door holding another box of samples. The latest batch of goodies contained Hotel Chocolat's new summer product lines, included in which were four new flavours of their infamous 'Puddles' aka Chocolate Buttons.

As you will see below they came in nice looking plastic packages which held 140.0g of chocolate (plenty!!), although simplistic in looks they did the job nicely and kept the product in a fresh state. The two I chose to review today were of a white chocolate variety and were based on some of my favourite desserts when I was a kid. Hopes were indeed high and this what I thought of both of them:

Hotel Chocolat Puddles Rhubarb & Custard:

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

Described as 'rhubarb swirled in custard flavoured white chocolate' this particular variety had me foaming at the mouth Homer Simpson style. They say a way to a mans heart is through his stomach - sure, I think even Ann Widdecombe would have a good chance getting into my pants if she served me up Rhubarb Crumble and Custard ... I simply love it!

Opening up the packet I was met with a rather mild custard like aroma that neither struck me as amazing or unsatisfactory. Mind you, due to my incredible anticipation it wasn't as if I hung around smelling them long as I immediately dove straight in. Unfortunately I was met with a feeling of disappointment and I thought there were a few glaringly obvious things wrong. Firstly I couldn't detect the rhubarb in any shape or form - it was as if they forgot to put the 'rhubarb crisps' promised on the back of the pack actually in the product. Secondly the white chocolate was nothing like the creamy heaven sent vanilla tastiness of usual but was actually comparable to the truly detestable Cadbury Dream chocolate. Ok ok maybe it wasn't that bad, but the taste was so sugar rooted I got that awful throat burning sensation.

Overall I am left asking the question ... what happened here!? These were hardly inedible but these were truly so far off the usual Hotel Chocolat standard it seemed implausible. I honestly wouldn't recommend these to buy but on the same note I would like to hear from other people who have tried them ... is this me going bonkers!?? The disappointing 140.0g of these I consumed suggests not!

6.2 out of 10

Hotel Chocolat Puddles Raspberry Ripple:

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

Having ranted and raved my way through the first section of this double review I thankfully get to be a lot nicer here. Described as 'nibbles of raspberries in white vanilla chocolate' these were the least I was looking forward to out of the two but were actually far superior.

Unlike with the Rhubarb variant the fruit content of these was made evident from the outset and the sweet wildberry smell was extremely enticing. The all important factor of course was whether this was going to be back up in the taste and I was not left disappointed. Placing the 'Puddles' on the tongue the initial flavours were the strong raspberry tones that were delivered with a wonderful fresh zingy emphasis. As the melt developed the cream based flavours of the chocolate came through and just as the description suggested had some pleasant vanilla notes that made for a multi-dimensional taste. In the later stages of the melt the berry flavours were further enhanced with the small specs of raspberry bringing some added flavour hits to make for a well rounded but emphatic overall taste.

Overall ... PHEW :) I don't like being down on products so I am glad to be able to report that these get a double thumbs up. They were truly delicious and were fruity, creamy and wonderfully moreish with a thick longing melt. Unlike the Rhubarb variant I would really suggest you try these if you like the sound of them. They are truly splendid straight from the fridge or served with vanilla ice cream.

8.5 out of 10

May 11th: Oreo Double Stuff Cool Mint Creme

Kcal 140 Fat 7.0g Fat(sats) 2.0g Carbs 20.0g (per 29.0g - 2 cookies)

I mentioned in my review of the Oreo Limited Edition Candy Cremes that I had also been sent a pack of Double Stuff Mint Creme by *IShop4YouII*. Having now worked may way through the entire 482.0g (it took me a few weeks!!) I can now pass my judgement on these 'mint flavoured chocolate sandwich cookies'.

As you can see in the picture above the packaging contained a resealable pull tab, that sealed back completely air tight. This impressed me as IT ACTUALLY WORKED!! As I said above it took me a few weeks to get through the entire packet, and this seal really did keep the cookies fresh all that time. Despite the day glow green centres I thought the cookies looked really rather appealing. The vibrant coloured creme centres appeared plentiful in their portioning (so they should be for double creme!!), whilst the biscuits had the usual Oreo branding on their surfaces. When opened the cookies emanated a very similar, appetising peppermint smell as with the Candy Creme variant.

As I had over 32 cookies in this packet I experimented with different ways of eating them. I tried them with milk, hot chocolate, ice-cream ... you name it I tried it. In every single eating occasion one thing I noticed each time was the strong, refreshing peppermint flavours. It varied ever so slightly from the Candy Creme variant in that it had more a menthol type minty nature, whereas the Candy Creme was a little more sugar based in its creme. Frankly I couldn't get enough of these. The mint centre was nicely refreshing, yet completely moreish with a fantastic creaminess. Again the biscuit could have had more of a chocolate impetuous, yet the combination of the sugar and salt elements still kept me coming back for more. Despite their moreish nature I still found that two biscuits made for a nice snack and felt that these were more fulfilling than any other Oreo variety I have tried.

Overall these are simply my favourite Oreo biscuit that I have reviewed. The combination of the refreshing minty centres and tasty chocolate biscuits made for a truly addictive taste that worked in a variety of different eating occasions. If you have never tried an Oreo Mint Creme milkshake then you simply haven't lived ... it was truly my favourite way of consuming these. I would be interested to hear from you all about your unique ways of consuming Oreos. If you are yet to try these fine cookies and are an Oreo fan I suggest you really make the effort and do so!

8.5 out of 10

*** EU & UK Readers Attention*** Ever been been browsing Chocolate Mission or any other Candy Site and felt frustrated not being able to get hold of an American bar/item!??? .... well feel frustrated no more!!! 'I SHOP 4 YOU II'!! is a great service that provides a unique "one stop shop" international shopping experience!!! Visit the Ebay shop - if they dont have the item you want instock simply give them a message - there is no harm in asking. This service comes with a Chocolate Mission Seal of Approval!! It is a genuinely great, fast and friendly service... Just say you came from Chocolate Mission.

May 10th: Glico Pocky Chocolate Crush

Kcal 71 Fat 3.4g Carbs 9.0g (per 14.1g)

My foray into the world of Pocky continued today with me trying the 'Chocolate Crush' variant. Of course this was yet again provided to me by J-List who stock all kinds of Japenese goods (See HERE!) and who just so happen to ship worldwide. With the packaging being all in Japanese I obviously couldn't read the product description - from the on pack pictures though it was pretty evident that this 'Chocolate Crush' variant was formed of standard milk chocolate Pocky with pieces of chocolate cookies embedded.

J-List sent me a box that included six packs of four sticks. I thought the packaging looked wonderful and the golden colour theme brought both a stylish and appealing aesthetic appearance. In addition to the nice looks of the packaging etc I thought the Pocky pieces also looked very appetising. They were exactly how they were displayed on the packaging with the knobbly surfaces giving a really distinct and cool look. Although contained within plastic packets and not foil ones the sticks had a very fresh feel about them and this became immediately apparent from the strong chocolaty aroma that emanated once opened.

Thinking back to my review of Glico Mikado last week I remember being astounded at the strength of the chocolate hit that was delivered from the thin coating. To be honest I didn't quite the same impact from the same layer here but it was still relatively strong in its cocoa flavours. The cookie pieces that lined the milk chocolate gave the same sort of flavours that you get from the biscuit of Oreo cookies. They added sweet bursts of wheat flavours and had left just the slightest of buttery notes in the aftertaste. As ever the biscuit sticks held up their end of the bargain and brought some sweet shortbread base flavours to each bite with their fresh crunchiness. These Pocky were a lot larger than many other Pocky variants I have tried so far and I felt that one packet made for a pretty adequate snack.

Overall this was one of the nicest Pocky flavours I have tried so far and would certainly have it again. Although the milk chocolate coating didn't quite have the same strength of Glico Mikado the additional cookie pieces made for a more substantial snack and one that was more variable in its flavours. The more flavours I try from the Pocky brand the more I am starting to understand why it is so popular. The concept of different flavoured biscuit sticks is a simple one but it is one that can still deliver big in terms of flavours if done correctly - like here. If your a fan of Glico Pocky I would really recommend these.

8.2 out of 10

May 10th: Baileys Original Irish Cream Truffle Bar

Kcal 506 Fat 29.0g Fat(sats) 17.5g Carbs 54.2g (per 100.0g)

Back in June last year I reviewed some Baileys Original Irish Cream Truffles that I found in my local Tesco. Well accompanying these truffles on shelf now is this 'Truffle Bar', a product which simply constituted of 'milk chocolate with a Baileys Irish Cream liqueur filling'. A closer inspection of the packaging showed that the bar was produced by Lir Chocolate Ltd, I can't say I have heard of them myself, though they claim to be 'premium Irish chocolatiers'. 

The bar came in a 100.0g size that I ate over two separate sittings. The aesthetics of the product were a bit hit and miss. The outer cardboard wrapping looked very nice indeed and cut a very sophisticated and premium type look with its glossy finish. Inside though things were a bit different, as you can see above the bar lacked any sort of branding and just looked like any old generic bar. Once I split the foil wrapper I was met with some reasonably nice boozy, dairy smells that unfortunately seemed to depart very quickly making the product mostly scentless. 

Despite its very generic look the chocolate was actually quite tasty. It was very sweet and milk based in its flavours and despite getting dominated by the filling whilst in its presence, also managed to establish a nice vanilla note in the aftertaste. The textures and melt of both the chocolate and filling were very smooth, with the Baileys innards particularly having a pleasant softness. In regards to taste the Baileys liqueur centre was certainly forthcoming in its flavours. For my liking the alcohol hit was a little forceful, though once the initial flavour kick was tempered the delicious cream flavours came through. The taste longevity of this bar wasn't all that long, though 50.0g made for a reasonably filling snack.

Overall although I didn't enjoy this bar as much as the truffles it was still a reasonably satisfying product, and will certainly be enjoyed by all fans of Baileys. Personally I would have loved to have seen the Baileys filling implemented in a dark chocolate coating, as I think the unsweetened nature of the chocolate and richer cocoa flavours would make for a greater balance against the sweet, creamy filling. As I have said, fans of Baileys will get a lot of enjoyment from this product - for those people I recommend this bar. 

7.2 out of 10 

May 9th: Meiji Donut Gummy Chocolate Flavour

Kcal 83 Fat 0.6g Carbs 18.4g

J-List have sent me some pretty awesome products from Japan over the last couple of months and some of my favourites have been the Meiji bars that I have reviewed. I must admit though I was pretty surprised to see the Meiji logo displayed on todays product as it was certainly something a little different from their standard chocolate bar range. These chocolate flavoured gummies were a unique looking product - I hadn't had anything really that similar apart from the chocolate flavoured Herhey's Twizzlers I reviewed earlier this year.

J-List sent me across a few 25.0g packs that contained around 15 gummy pieces in each. The outer packaging made use of some fun looking cartoons and bright colours which gave the product a friendly and welcoming looking. The gummy pieces themselves appeared relatively appetising though just like the Hershey's Twizzlers I couldn't help but think that they should have been cola flavoured. Once I had opened the mini packet it was instantly recognisable that all probably wasn't going to be well. I can only describe the aroma as very similar to Chinese five spice - it had elements of pepper, aniseed and herbs .... interesting?? ... yes ... appetising?? ... not really - especially not for a supposed chocolate product!

Instead of beating round the bush I will get straight to the point - I didn't get on with these whatsoever. I ate these one at a time and was struck by how they tasted absolutely nothing like chocolate. The initial flavours I got when sucking on the pieces were very dull and uninteresting sweet malt like flavours. The texture of the sweets very really what you would expect and had a slightest resistance in their chewy jelly like softness. When chewed the dull sweet flavours became a little stronger but still yielded the same confusing malty tea herb like flavours. Although sweet they left a quite horrible bitter note in the mouth - one packet was really all I willing to eat.

Overall this was probably the first product that I have had from Japan that I felt was pretty damn bad. I am always pessimistic at chocolate flavoured sweets though these managed to prove my pessimism right and brought things to a whole new level. They not only tasted nothing like chocolate but were really just quite disgusting with a confusing herby malt tinge. Frankly I think the only real reason you guys should try these is to see if you think they are really as bad as I am making out. Japan sure do have some weird and wonderful snacks ... these just unfortunately weren't one of them.

4.6 out of 10

May 9th: Nestle Treasures Revive Cappuccino Truffle

Kcal 240 Fat 15.0g Fat(sats) 9.0g Carbs 25.0g (per 43.0g - half bar)

I am delighted to say this is the last of the Nestle Treasures range, which was kindly provided to me by *IShop4YouII*. If you have been reading the site over the last week or so you would have seen my reviews of the other 'Dark' & 'Caramel' variants. Well today's 'Cappuccino' bar came billed as 'milk chocolate with a creamy filling with crunchy cocoa bits' ... the marketing guys at Nestle sure played up the coffee aspect of this bar didn't they!?

As per the other variants this came in a 85.0g size - I must admit I ate less than half ... I think we know where this is all going. I thought the presentation again was pretty decent, with the dual layered paper and foil wrappers ensuring the chocolate was kept in a reasonably nice looking manner. Curiously the smell of the bar lacked any sort of coffee element, though that's not to say the aroma was poor it actually had a relatively sound sweet, chocolaty smell.

So where did this one go wrong!? Maybe it would be easier to start off where it went right ... ... ... ok done!! From the outset both the taste and textures to the bar were poor. Placing the chocolate in my mouth for the first time I was met the same waxy melting chocolate that I came across with the rest of the range. Sitting in the middle of the blocks were small flavourless pieces of what were supposedly chips of cocoa beans. Unfortunately the only contribution they made to the product was a rough feel to the chocolate, which combined with the meagre coffee taste made them actually come across as coffee granules. As I have just mentioned the coffee taste was weak to say the least ... in fact the bar was pretty flavourless on the whole, with only a poor sweet, offish soured milk taste being substantiated upon the full melt of the chocolate.

Overall you can probably tell that this was my least favourite out of the range. In regards to its flavours, textures and subsequent sustenance it was poor in almost every sense. The cappuccino element was near enough non-existent, though the flavourless cocoa beans certainly made for a truly horrible coffee granule like experience. It seems these are pretty rare chocolate bars to come across; to be honest If you ever do come across this range I would make a sharpish dash in the other direction ... the whole lot are best left alone completely.

4.1 out of 10

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