June 11th: Cadbury Moro Gold

Kcal 310 Fat 16.9g Fat(sats) 11.8g Carbs 35.6g

Thanks again to my friends at Shopenzed I today got to try another one of the Southern Hemisphere's exclusive Cadbury offerings. Described as a 'chocolate flavoured centre with biscuit pieces surrounded in caramel and covered in Dairy Milk chocolate' it sounded exactly like the Cadbury Boost bar that we get here in the UK. Due to the similarities I thought it best to compare the two and actually found there to be a number of differences.

One thing where the two bars were similar was in the size of the product, both weighing 60.0g and packing a mighty 310 calories each. I liked the wrapper of the Moro Gold - I thought it was simple yet effective with its use of the traditional purple coloured theme and yellow and gold fonts. In regards to the actual bar the Moro Gold looked smaller than the Boost as it appeared a lot thinner in its width. Although not looking as aesthetically imposing the bar did have a sweet chocolaty scent that smelt rather pleasant.

I noticed a few fundamental differences between the Boost and the Moro Gold and the first of them came in the outer chocolate that coated the bar. I have commented before that the Dairy Milk down under doesn't seem quite as creamy as the stuff we get here in the UK - this again appeared the case here though I think it probably wasn't helped by the thin nature in which it was implemented. Although the outer chocolate wasn't quite the standard of the Boost the inner filling was a different story altogether. I generally find the inner filling of the Boost a little too sugary in its flavours but things were a little different with the Moro Gold. The chocolate flavoured filling of the Moro Gold was very light in texture and had a very cream based milky taste. The biscuit pieces that sat within the filling were terrific and provided delightful bursts of sweet and salty shortbread like flavours when encountered. The caramel that sat between the chocolate coating and the filling was very well portioned and added some delightful butterscotch and honey flavour notes with its chewy texture. Despite being 60.0g the Moro Gold didn't feel anywhere near as substantial as the Boost as the lighter texture of the filling melted extremely fast.

Overall despite the Moro Gold being billed as an equivalent of the Boost there were actually a fair number of differences between the two. The Dairy Milk was again not on the same level in regards to the quality of our UK stuff but I must say that I far preferred the taste of the chocolate filling with the Moro Gold. The lighter texture and creamier taste of the filling allowed the biscuit pieces to come through more and just made for a taste that wasn't quite so reliant on sugar. I probably wouldn't frequent this bar due to the hideous amount of calories involved but as an occasional treat I wouldn't mind having this bar again.

8.1 out of 10

June 11th: Burton's Wagon Wheels

Kcal 158 Fat 5.7g Fat(sats) 3.2g Carbs 24.6g (per biscuit)

It almost seemed like fate last week when I bought a Wagon Wheel from my staff shop and received a request for a review later that afternoon - Weird huh!? I have fond memories of Burton's Wagon Wheels from my childhood, they were a common feature in my school lunch box and I remember them being one of the most valued items in the playground swapsies marketplace :) Before today I hadn't seen the brand for a good few years! Are they even still available in the supermarket multipacks? Described as a familiar marshmallow filling sandwiched between two biscuit pieces the only thing notable about todays proposition was the wording 'chocolate flavoured coating' ... oh dear!

I must say the Wagon Wheel I ate today looked slightly smaller than the ones I used to feast on as a child!? It would be nice to know the weight of the product down the years - todays weighed in at 36.0g and I thought it was a fair sized snack to compliment an afternoon cup of tea. As well as knowing the hostory of its weight it would be also nice to see the development of the packaging. I may be wrong but I remember Wagon Wheels coming in glossier, foil packets. I thought the wrapper that this product was presented in was just a little simplistic and lacked anything that drove home the message of the contents or created any sort of anticipation. In addition to the lacklustre presentation I was also not that enamoured by the extremely sweet smells that emanated from the product.

Despite not being impressed by the design work on the packet it was nice to see that the product looked little different from when I was a child. The circular biscuit pieces contained the marshmallow layer well and the chocolate coating was evenly dispersed. Unfortunately my worries regarding the 'chocolate flavoured' coating proved to be well founded though, and it tasted really quite dull. I am finding it hard to summon the words to describe its taste as it went no further then providing a simplistic waxy sugary coating to the biscuit pieces. I guess the important thing to take from this is that I didn't get the desired chocolate flavour hit from the coating whatsoever. Whilst I thought the coating was poor my perception of the biscuit and marshmallow layers were a lot more positive. The biscuit elements had a pleasant malty base taste and brought bursts of both sugar and salt flavours when chewed. Sitting at the middle of the biscuits was the marshmallow layer - it was by no means anything special with its sugary taste but I still enjoyed the slightly chewy mallow texture as it added a nice bit of variety.

Overall this product didn't quite deliver the nostalgia hit I was hoping for, yet at the same time certainly didn't indicate to me that it was a product best left in the past. At the heart of the product there are still some great things - the brand name and image is still in my opinion strong and could be reinvigorated with a rethink of the packaging and presentation. The product itself also still has legs - the combination of the biscuit and marshmallow is still a pretty good one and I think that if it was backed up by a real milk chocolate coating then I could see it being far better received in terms of taste. I personally won't be rushing back for another Wagon Wheel anytime soon but would be interested to hear what you guys think!

4.8 out of 10

June 10th: Whittaker's 72% Cocoa Dark Ghana

Kcal 564 Fat 37.3g Fat(sats) 23.8g Carbs 45.4g (per 100.0g)

Ever since I first announced that I had managed to build an alliance with Shopenzed in New Zealand I have been receiving e-mails requesting I review some of the Whittaker's range. Although we don't have Whittaker's here in the UK from what I can tell it is a very established brand in the Southern Hemisphere - according to the packaging they have been around since 1896 ... now that is a long time. Given their heritage and praise from ChocolateMission readers I was certainly looking forward to getting stuck into this 72% Cocoa Dark Ghana bar.

Being the kind souls that they are Shopenzed sent me across a quite huge 250.0g bar. Straight away I was drawn in by the look of the packaging. It had a retro looking gold theme that I thought encapsulated both style and diversity - it really gave the product a premium look. The beauty of this product didn't just stop at the wrapper; below that layer the chocolate was wonderfully maintained in a thick golden foil wrapper. The foil layer not only sealed in the fantastically fragrant cocoa smells, but also made sure that the blocks were unblemished and in tip-top condition.

The whole 250.0g took a while to get through even with some keen family members helping me along the way (how very kind of them eh!?). The bar itself was split into well sized blocks that were perfect for eating one at a time. Just as the strong cocoa scents indicated the flavours of the bar were certainly forthcoming - this wasn't a chocolate that needed any sort of warming up in the mouth before the true flavours were revealed. The initial part of the taste was elegant and smooth with the predominantly dairy based flavours ebbing and flowing with the smooth melt. As the melt of the chocolate progressed from its early stages the raw cocoa flavours started coming to life more and presented themselves delightfully providing a rich tasting chocolaty flavour hit. Despite the cocoa being really quite strong the taste never flirted with the possibility of becoming bitter. The taste experience was smooth throughout its progression and just simply delicious - I guess this must have been largelly down to the plentiful cocoa butter in the chocolate.

Overall this is up there with some of the best dark chocolates I have had. It didn't quite deliver on the same playing field as the Hotel Chocolat 85% but I have to say it wouldn't be far off if it just had a tad greater thickness in its melt and possibly just another dimension in its aftertaste (vanilla maybe!?). This was a bar that I was really disappointed to finish - to put it another way if someone told me that this was the only chocolate I could eat for the rest of my life I probably wouldn't be all that disappointed. Having tried so many dark chocolates over the last two years for one to really stand out it has to be something rather special. For me this stood out as a wonderful dark chocolate and is one that I would suggest you try for yourself if your a fan of this sector of the market.

9.0 out of 10

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June 9th: Harry & David Moose Munch Confection Dark Chocolate

Kcal 220 Fat 11.0g Fat(sats) 5.0g Carbs 27.0g (per 42.0g serving)

Back in September/November I reviewed the Harry & David Moose Munch Bars, both of which are favourites of Liz's at *IShop4YouII*. Well after my positive reviews of the bars Liz was kind enough to send me this fantastic product in my latest package. The Harry & David Moose Munch Confection Dark Chocolate consisted of caramel coated popcorn and whole nuts pieces. Additionally some of these pieces were coated in Harry & David dark chocolate ... it sounded fantastic to me!

Liz sent me a 127.0g box that as I will unwittingly explain lasted me all of 20 minutes (for shame!!). The product was well presented and came in a smart looking cardboard box that incorporated the usual Harry & David type branding and fun illustratives. I liked the fact the box had a cut out window so the product could be visually seen. The confection mix not only looked appetising, but also smelt fantastic too. I was greeted with a vast array of sweet toffee and nut aromas as soon as I opened the plastic packet.

One would assume that since the product came in such a large box it was meant for sharing. As mentioned though I managed to eat my way through the entire lot in 20 minutes ... it was just so ridiculously moreish. Every single piece within the mix was coated in a simply delightful caramel coating - it wasn't like the cheap tasting sugar coated popcorn you can get - but more sophisticated in its buttery, sweet toffee like flavours. In and amongst the popcorn were some delicious tasting pecan and cashew nuts that were simply bursting with fresh salty nutty flavours. What made the mix truly excellent though were the dark chocolate covered pieces. The unsweetened cocoa added an extra degree of interest with the salt of the nuts and sweetness of the caramel providing spot on contrasts. The only major error I could find with this product was the lack of fulfilment it provided me - 660 odd calories later and I was still wanting more!

Overall as you will have gathered from this review this was a product that I simply couldn't get enough of. I found the mixture of the popcorn, caramel, nuts and dark chocolate simply superb ... it was a truly fantastic snacking product. I wouldn't necessarily recommend these as a product to eat by yourself, though for snacking occasions with friends I honestly can't think of many other products that would do you any better. If popcorn is your thing, these are a must try!

8.0 out of 10

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June 8th: Ritter Sport Biscuits & Nuts

Kcal 544 Fat 33.9g Fat(sats) 17.4g Carbs 51.4g (per 100.0g)

Ritter Sport are never afraid to add to their already extensive product range and I today got to grips with another of their new flavour variants. This Ritter Sport Keks & Nuss (Biscuits & Nuts) came described as 'milk chocolate with hazelnuts (8.9%) and crunchy biscuit pieces (6.5%)'. I thought the hazelnut content was a little unimaginative though on reflection it wouldn't have made much sense Ritter diversifying from something they actually do very well (see Ritter Whole Hazelnuts range!!).

The Biscuits & Nuts variant is the latest addition to the 'King Size' part of the Ritter Sport portfolio and therefore came in a 250.0g size. As you can see in the packaging photos above the presentation was all rather standard Ritter Sport but it is worth mentioning the clear visuals that provided nice clarification of the flavour. In regards to the chocolate itself it both looked and smelt very appetising indeed. The biscuits and nuts appeared very plentiful and well spread out within the chocolate and the bar had a very fragrant nutty influence within its cocoa scents.

I have tried over thirty-five variants of Ritter Sport chocolate now but I thought this one was really one of the best. The milk chocolate was exactly what I expected from the Ritter brand - not the greatest quality yet still flavoursome with its tasty milk led cocoa taste. With the chocolate being rather standard it was of course left up to the biscuit and hazelnut ingredients to deliver and they certainly didn't fail. Both the nut and biscuit pieces had wonderful fresh crunchy textures yet still managed to avoid the sharp, throat scratching effect I have experienced with other clumsier bars. In regards to flavours they delivered here as well - the biscuits added a wonderful array of malt, butter and honey notes whilst the hazelnuts had terrific roasted earthy flavours and brought just the slightest hint of salt in the mix. The combination of these different constituents made for a chocolate that was multi dimensional in regards to its flavours and one that also felt very fulfilling.

Overall what with their being so many different Ritter Sport variants out you would expect the quality of each flavour to dip as the portfolio expands. I can confirm though that from what I experienced this certainly wasn't the case here and this has to be one of the better Ritter Sport bars I have tried for a long while. The chocolate was its usual unspectacular self however the biscuit and nut combination made for an overall taste that was as wonderfully tasty as it was satisfying. As you can imagine the 250.0g took a while to get through and I did end up sharing it with several other people to get their opinions. I must say the majority came to a very similar conclusion to my own - that this is one very good chocolate bar. For this reason I highly recommend you get yourself over to Dean-German-Grocery and try it for yourself.

8.9 out of 10

Head to Dean-German-Grocery for all your German Chocolate & Grovery Needs

June 7th: Hannah's White Mice

Kcal 530 Fat 29.0g Carbs 65.0g (per 100.0g)

I am probably going to attract some criticism for this review as I know that 'White Mice' have a cult following here in the UK. Indeed, as a child I consumed them on mass - they were always a common and prominent feature in my pick-a-mix bag when I was a wee one. Unfortunately (or maybe not!!), everyones main source of 'White Mice', Woolworths, is now no more. Shopping in my local Tesco last Sunday however I stumbled across a pack produced by Hannah's .... would these be a lovely trip down nostalgia road ... or a hellish 'never to eat again' product!??

The bag I found in Tesco contained 85.0g of 'White Mice' ... I would say under half that actually got eaten. The outer packaging was very simplistic and didn't do a very good job of maintaining the product. You may be able to make out in the picture above that the pieces had particularly dusty surfaces which gave the impression they were not all that fresh. In regards to aroma I was also not very impressed - the smells that emanated from the bag seemed very artificial in their sweetness and had a rather fake vanilla hint. 

You have probably peeked at the score already so I won't beat around the bush ... these were HORRIBLE ... and I mean HORRIBLE in every sense. Studying the blurb on the back of the packet it turns out that these were not white chocolate at all, but white chocolate flavour candy. One look at the ingredients and it was no wonder that the taste was sickeningly sweet and artificial considering they were solely made of 'sugar, vegetable fat, whey powder, emulsifier and flavourings' ...EUGH!! Not only did they taste awful in their overbearing sugaryness, but they had a rough, uncompromising melt which just to top everything left my throat feeling like it was literally on fire. Suffice to say I was left wondering what had come of my once loved 'White Mice'.

Overall these are frankly the WORST ... yes the WORST product I have had the displeasure of reviewing in my whole year of writing for this site. I know people are going to criticise me as these no doubt hold a place in a lot of hearts, but frankly they tasted terrible and after no more than three pieces were inedible due to the artificial ingredients tearing up the back of my throat. These are made with cheap ingredients, taste cheap ... yet aren't cheap anymore (65p for a bag!). I would honestly think twice before reaching for a bag of these ... leave your childhood memories untarnished.

2.4 out of 10 

June 6th: Cadbury Moro

Kcal 287 Fat 9.9g Fat(sats) 7.7g Carbs 46.2g

Just a few weeks ago I was again a lucky recipient of package of goodies from my pals at ShopeNZed. Going on the advice of many ChocolateMission readers I did request that they send me this Cadbury Moro bar - a product that seems to be extremely popular with the folks down under. Billed as 'Dairy Milk chocolate coated caramel and nougatine whip' it sounded none to dissimilar to the Mars & Milky Way bars that you get in the UK & US; suffice to say I was hoping for a similarly good experience.

This Moro bar was a bit of a monster and came in a very large 65.0g size. As you can probably guess this really did the trick curing the hunger I had before eating it. I liked the theme of the packaging as it had a rather masculine look to it - the black colours and bold font not only made it look inviting but also gave it a very suave look. As you can see above the bar I had the pleasure of eating got a little bit of wear and tear in the post, though I actually thought the caramel that had oozed out really looked damn tempting with its wonderfully golden colour. The faultless presentation didn't just stop at the looks - when I ripped open the foil packaging I was immediately greeted by a enticing concoction of sweet cocoa scents ... YUM!

I have previously commented that sometimes the Dairy Milk chocolate used in the Cadbury products in NZ isn't quite the quality of our UK stuff. Frankly the difference I noticed between the two in this bar was minimal at most - though I think this was mainly down the nougat and caramel taking a firm hold of the taste. The outer Dairy Milk chocolate didn't fail in substantiating some delightful cream flavours and established a firm chocolaty base for the rest of the ingredients to play off. The thick smooth melt of the chocolate revealed a dense and chewy nougat layer that lasted what seemed like forever in the mouth. The nougat could possibly have been a little more flavoursome but it still added some sweet vanilla like notes and really gave the product its fulfillment credentials. The real star of the show for me though had to be the caramel - it was simply wonderful in every sense. It was soft, chewy, smooth and bursting full of sweet butterscotch and toffee flavours. The combination of all three elements made each bite absolutely delicious and left me feeling very satisfied.

Overall this was a simply fantastic chocolate bar that I enjoyed immensely and Cadbury really gave it a great go of making a bar to compete with the equivalent Mars products. Personally I think the more flavoursome nougat of the Mars products gives them the slight edge but I would still any day be satisfied for settling for one of these Cadbury Moro. The three key components combined superbly and formed a taste that was as luxurious as it was moreish. If your a fan of bars like the Mars & Milky Way and fancy trying Cadbury's tilt on the combination I strongly suggest you get yourself involved with one of these bars - wonderful!

8.7 out of 10

June 5th: Ritter Sport Chocolate Duo

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

Recently I have noticed that most new Ritter Sport bars are introduced for only a few months as seasonal limited editions. Todays bar though looks as if it has actually become a staple part of Ritter Sport's main range as it did not have anything to indicate otherwise. This bar was described as 'milk chocolate (64%) topped with a layer of white chocolate (36%) and it reminded me alot of an M&S product I used to frequent when I was a kid. As you may have already guessed this was a bar supplied to me by Dean-German-Grocery.

As already stated this bar is a new addition to the main Ritter Sport range and came in the usual 100.0g square form. I thought that the product on the whole had real aesthetic appeal and I liked both the fresh look and clear flavour indication of the packaging. As you can see above the chocolate itself didn't look half bad either - I liked the two tone effect of each of the blocks and it made for quite a fun challenge splitting the two layers in the mouth. When I opened the plastic packet I was met with an array of dairy and cocoa scents that nicely set the mood of the taste.

I have often commented on how Ritter Sport chocolate is generally unspectacular and how the range is mostly notable for its added fillings. Of course with there being no added fillings here both the chocolates were carrying the can in terms of taste and I am glad to report they did a pretty sterling job. The milk chocolate base seemed slightly stronger than most other Ritter milk chocolate bars I have tried and the cocoa flavours seemed just a little bit sharper and longer lasting. The milk chocolate wasn't really that creamy so the extra milk based flavours brought to the party by the white chocolate were highly distinguishable. For my liking the white chocolate was a little on the sweet side though what with it being less prominent than the milk chocolate this wasn't such a problem and it certainly added a pleasant vanilla element to the taste. One thing I did notice was that the melt wasn't quite as thick as I would have liked however it did manage to maintain a lovely smoothness throughout.

Overall this was a pretty well executed milk and white chocolate combination and it was actually better than I expected. With Ritter Sport most well known for their fillings this was indeed a little less exciting than their some of the rest of their range but it was still on the whole a pleasant experience. Ritter Sport milk chocolate wont be winning any awards anytime soon, though the addition of the white chocolate added another dimension to the taste and added an extra level of cream and vanilla notes. I can actually see this being a bar that a lot of people would enjoy - its certainly not the best of the Ritter Sport lot but its a solid choice nonetheless.

7.9 out of 10

Head to Dean-German-Grocery for all your German Candy & Chocolate Needs

June 4th: Milka White & Rice

Kcal 525 Fat 27.5g Fat(sats) 16.5g Carbs 64.0g (per 100.0g)

From the same site that brought you such reviews as Milka Choco & Rice .... I today bring you .... duh duh dunnnnnn ... Milka White & Rice :D :D This was of course another bar sent to me by the fine folks at Dean-German-Grocery who so kindly sent me the latest bars that are gracing the extensive Milka range. As you can probably guess from my dramatic introduction this bar simply swapped the standard milk chocolate for white chocolate, and was filled full of rice cereal pieces.

As with the milk chocolate variant this bar came in a 200.0g form that in comparison to the standard Milka range looked quite frankly huge. Again I liked the addition of the resealable fold that was included on the wrapper - I thought this was particularly handy for a product like this as I can imagine the cereal might have gone a bit stale had it been left 'el natural'. The chocolate itself looked pretty appetising as well with the cream colour of the chocolate nicely studded by the whiter rice pieces. The resealable flap also came in handy maintaining the lovely vanilla sweet smell of the bar that didn't fail to entice.

If you have read my previous reviews on Milka White Chocolate before you will know I am not a great fan. I have previously described as too reliant on its sugar content and that its overall flavours were too monotonous and sickly. I pleased to inform you here that the rice cereal went a large way to curing these problems and really made for a thoroughly enjoyable bar. The white chocolate was of course its normal sweet self, however the inclusion of the rice managed to balance the sugary flavours with a more savoury cereal based taste. The rice not only balanced the flavours but also managed to break the taste down, allowing the vanilla notes of the chocolate to come through more in the aftertaste. The added cereal additionally brought a wonderful crunchy element to the texture, which further added interest to what was really quite a simply product.

Overall I was really quite surprised by this chocolate as it was one that I thought I had made my mind up on before trying. I was expecting to just experience the same overly sugar reliant product that I did with the plain Milka White Chocolate, though I pleasantly found that the rice really managed to compliment it well and bring out its better attributes. As I said with the Milka Choco & Rice this bar reminded me of the Nestle Crunch but just a far better take on the rice and chocolate combination. If you were already of fan of Milka White Chocolate then I think this bar would really be one for you to get hold of. If your a doubter like myself you could also be in for a similar surprise should you give it a try.

8.0 out of 10

Head to Dean-German-Grocery for all your German Candy & Chocolate Needs

June 3rd: Hotel Chocolat Serve Chilled Cocktails

The last of the goodies sent to me by Hotel Chocolat came in the form of these 'Served Chilled Cocktail' chocolates. On pack Hotel Chocolat describe these as 'perfect for relaxed summer days, summer parties and balmy evenings'. Having just finished a rather mad last few weeks of University life I decided to go with the 'relaxed summer day' occasion, and shared these with a few pals over a nice cool pitcher of Pimms.

These chocolates came in a box full of eight that contained two of the following flavour variants - Margarita, Mojito, Cosmopolitan and Chocolate Martini. Although I wouldn't claim to be a massive drinks connoisseur I had a vague idea of the recipe for each as I have had experience working in a bar.

Just as the product suggested I placed these in the fridge (like I would have done anyway!) and left them to cool before we devoured them. Before I get into my impressions of the actual chocolates I must first express my delight at the presentation. The packaging was bright and colourful and displayed the theme of the chocolates in a non overly elaborate way. The chocolates themselves looked and smelt amazing with some fruity, boozy smells evident as soon as I opened the box.

Below are my thoughts on each chocolate:

Cosmopolitan - The outer white chocolate initially substantiated a good degree of creaminess in the taste and had pleasant fruit and vanilla notes in its midst. The melt of the outer chocolate was superb, as was the soft creme nature of the truffle filling. The filling at first added some additional milk flavours though it wasn't long before the vodka came through and overpowered the taste. The vodka not only dominated the flavours but also gave me a burning sensation in the back of my throat which somewhat ruined the experience for me. Poor.

Margarita - Out of all four of these cocktails the Margarita is the one I have had most often. The outer milk chocolate was of a normal high standard and provided the usual perfect balance between the cocoa and cream flavours. The inner truffle centre had a citrusy lemon centre that had a strong boozy kick in the aftertaste. The aftertaste left a fresh taste in the mouth which I really enjoyed. Good.

Chocolate Martini - This chocolate gave the strongest chocolate hit and it provided a wonderful richness in its cocoa flavours. Although the taste wasn't as complex as the other variants I enjoyed the initial strength of the cocoa flavours and thought they transcended well in to the strong Martini liqueur flavours. Once again I did get a little burning sensation in the aftertaste though it wasn't as strong as with the Cosmopolitan. Standard.

Mojito - This was certainly my favourite out of the lot and was one that I particularly enjoyed. The white chocolate delivered some wonderful cream base flavours and had a terrific note of vanilla that added depth. The liqueur content of this chocolate seem not as strong compared to some of the other variants as some mint and lime influences had a greater say in the overall taste. This was frankly to my preference as I found it made for a more relaxing and refreshing taste experience. Very Good.

Overall this was an interesting selection of chocolates yet by no means the best ever product produced by Hotel Chocolat. Some of the variants (most notably the Cosmopolitan and Martini) were overly strong in the strength of their liqueur which reflected badly on the chocolate as it rather muffled the other flavours. Part of me can't help but feel that these weren't the greatest of ideas given that Hotel Chocolat are most noted for the quality of their chocolate - by having such strong liqueur elements it wasn't really the chocolate that was the main focus which in my opinion came at slight detriment to the product as a whole. Despite this gripe this was a fun selection to try and I must say they make a nice talking point when shared amongst friends. On that basis I would recommend them, however if it is chocolate quality your looking for you might want to check out some of the other products Hotel Chocolat have prepared for this summer.

7.6 out of 10

June 2nd: Lotte Toppo

Kcal 196 Fat 11.3g Carbs 21.1g (per 12 sticks)

Despite the seriously hot conditions in Japan at the moment J-List are still stocking some suitable chocolate based products - one of which I got my hands on to review today. These Lotte Toppo are described on J-List as 'inverted Pocky'. This is a pretty accurate description as they are simply hollow biscuit sticks filled with a milk chocolate creme - aka inside out Pocky!

I was the lucky recipient of a 80.0g box that included two packets of twelve separate sticks. I guess by Japanese standards the packaging was a little reserved - personally though I thought it managed to combine both a stylish and friendly look. The sticks themselves looked exactly the same size as Pocky though due to the chocolate being on the inside didn't look quite as funky or interesting. Despite not matching up aesthetically I was impressed that the product was kept in foil packets - this certainly helped maintain freshness and the sweet chocolaty aroma.

Recently when reviewing products like Mikado and Pocky I have often been impressed with the quality of the chocolate involved. I am happy to say that Lotte certainly didn't buck the trend here either - the chocolate creme that filled the sticks was devilishly moreish. It was by no means the greatest quality milk chocolate ever but its cream based sweet flavours had a nice cocoa strength and brought the desired chocolate hit to each piece. Complimenting the inner creme nicely was of course the outer biscuit. The biscuit was a little different to the base sticks of Pocky and had more of butter based, brown sugar taste - I didn't necessarily prefer it but more found it equally as pleasant. I did eat both the two separate packets over different sittings, though I must say I didn't find either particularly satisfying.

Overall these were yet another tasty snacking product from Japan but like so many of them didn't quite deliver the desired hunger fulfilment. The chocolate that lined the biscuit tubes frankly tasted delicious - the outer biscuit base wasn't half bad either. The single problem with this product though was the way that although the packets were getting lighter and lighter as I munched my way through them, my hunger really wasn't being cured. If your looking for a tasty light snack then I would recommend these but if your looking for something more substantial these probably wouldn't do the trick.

7.7 out of 10

June 1st: Lindt Milk Chocolate Creamy Caramel

Kcal 568 Fat 38.0g Carbs 51.0g (per 100.0g)

According to Google translate 'Lindt Vollmilch Feinschemelzend Sahne - Caramel' roughly translates as Lindt Fine Milk Chocolate Creamy Caramel. This was yet another product sent to me by Dean-German-Grocery and is yet another latest addition to Lindt's ever expanding range. Lindt always seem to be a bit hit and miss with their caramel products with them ranging from the extremely average Lindt Caramel Nougat bar, to the impressively awesome Lindt Excellence Crunchy Caramel. Described as 'milk chocolate with creamy caramel' and formed of only eight ingredients I was hoping for a clean cut taste.

The bar came in a 100.0g size that was split in to ten nicely sized pieces. The product had a nice colour theme to it with the caramel flavour nicely represented by the golden colours and pictures on the wrapper. The chocolate itself looked very reminiscent of other Lindt products I have reviewed before and included the impressive logo branding on each of the ten squares unblemished surfaces. As the product was contained within the standard Lindt branded foil the smell of the bar was well maintained and certainly proved to be enticing with some strong cream based smells on offer.

The first thing I noticed when tasting this chocolate was that the milk chocolate was not quite as strong as other Lindt milk chocolate I have had in the past. This had both its positive and negative aspects in that there was a noticeable lack of strength from the cocoa, however the taste were particularly smooth and consistent. Much like the smells suggested the initial flavors present were mostly milk based though as the melt progressed the creamy caramel element came more to the fore. As the chocolate transcended from its solid state to a smooth thick liquid the taste became noticeably focused on what I would describe as a burnt brown sugar note. This was more pleasant than it sounds - if you can imagine the layer of sugar on top of a creme brulee you will largely know the taste I am trying to describe. This taste did become a little dimensional and predictable when the chocolate was eaten in large quantities but on the whole I would still say it was an altogether nice chocolate.

Overall the chocolate and caramel part of the market is one that has literally been done to death with there being so many products available. In my opinion Lindt have come up with a pretty unique take on the combination here ... it just isn't necessarily the best one. To be honest I think the name is a little misleading as it is the chocolate that is in fact the creamy element and not the caramel. If anything the caramel provides a harsher take on the flavour than most other bars and didn't strike me as creamy at all. If your getting bored with your normal chocolate and caramel combination I see little reason why you shouldn't give this bar a try. Its not quite Hotel Chocolat Caramellow standard but that's obviously asking quite a bit.

8.2 out of 10

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