June 25th: Zotter Labooko Ein BlumenstrauB

Recently I have been sampling many of the flavours from Zotter's Hand-Scooped bars range, but some of you may recall me dipping in to another part of their range called Labooko a few months ago. Indeed, the Nicaragua 60% and Peru 40% bars I tried in my last Labooko review reaffirmed the point that Zotter should be recognised as a high quality chocolate producer, and not just a brand renowned for it's wild flavour combinations.

Saying that, just when I thought that the Labooko range was the less adventurous side of Zotter's portfolio, things really couldn't have got anymore 'wild' with this Ein BlumenstrauB offering that I am reviewing today. For those not fluent in German, I believe Ein BlumenstrauB means 'a bouquet', and the 70.0g package consisted of two separate 35.0g bars.

The beautiful looking packaging was adorned with another fine looking Gratze illustration, and it of course opened up the in unique Labooko style (a bit like a book). Once I had finished carefully opening the wrapper up (it was so nice looking it would have been awful to carelessly rip it open!), I prised apart the inner golden foil wrappers to reveal two very unique looking chocolates. If you look at the photos above you will see that both had small flecks of dried flowers sat on the bottom side of each bar. I had never seen anything like it to be honest - it looked brilliant, but of course it was going to be a matter of how they affected the taste.

Zotter Labooko Ecuador 60% Milk with Roses (Bottom Darker Bar) - This was very similar in taste to the Nicaragua 60% bar I reviewed in my last Labooko review, though there was a certain little something offered by the roses that added to experience ever so slightly. Just as I experienced before, this 60% recipe offered a smooth flowing cocoa taste that had a pleasant undercurrent of milk present throughout. It was certainly a richer, full bodied chocolate than your average milk chocolate, though it wasn't ever anything overly imposing or bordering on being bitter as it maintained a consistent sweetness. During the later stages of the chocolate melting, the dry bits of flowers first became noticeable in texture, but then increasingly so in the sweet, floral finish. The effect on the aftertaste was certainly pleasant, but the slight roughness it brought to the melt was less so.

8.3 out of 10

Zotter Labooko Cashew Nougat with Meadow Flowers (Top Lighter Bar) - This chocolate came billed as an entirely different proposition to the Ecuador 60% and constituted of 26% cocoa solids and 23% cashews. To be honest this was more of a gianduja chocolate rather than a solid chocolate bar so it won't surprise you to hear the pace of melt and flavour delivery were very different. The bar itself was very soft when cut into and it melted at nearly twice the pace of your average chocolate with a very pleasant smouldering softness. Although the melt was fast, the taste was flavoursome and delivered a fine plethora of honey, nut, vanilla and cream flavours. In terms of richness and depth, this chocolate wasn't comparable to that above, but the flavours were just so moreish and beautifully contrasting with the nutty salt licks and floral sweetness. Similarly to the Ecuador bar, the assortment of meadow flowers did feel somewhat awkward in terms of feel in the mouth, but that could be excused given their flavour contribution.

8.4 out of 10


Overall this was another fine collection that included two very different chocolates. When I opened the intricate packaging and saw the flowers lining the bottom of both bars I did somewhat fear that Zotter had finally given in to a gimmick and included them just to create a theme rather than them actually adding some to the taste department. Thankfully when it came to the actual taste test, it soon became evident that the flower bits included in both chocolates were there for more than just decoration. I have to say I wasn't all that partial to their bitty, rough contributions to the texture of both bar's melts, but both the rose flowers in the Ecudaor 60% and the meadow flowers (daisies, corn-flowers and marigolds) in the cashew bar brought vital flavour contributions that added nicely to the experience. I don't think I would like to see dried flower pieces added to all my chocolates going forward, but Zotter proved once again you can't rule out using any sort of ingredient to enhance the naturals flavours of chocolate. If you are intrigued this Labooko duo is certainly worth a look at.

June 23rd: Zotter Olives with Lemon

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Over the past few months the brand Zotter has featured pretty frequently on this site, with me reviewing numerous offerings from their Hand-Scooped bars range. With varieties ranging from the likes of the 'Honey Trio', to the more bizarre 'Organic Beer', the flavour combinations have proven to be consistently high quality, so when asked if I fancied trying some of the newer bars, I certainly wasn't going to let the opportunity slip by. One of the newest flavours to make its way over from Austria, was this Zotter Olives with Lemon bar, which came described as 'dark chocolate filled with olives and lemons'. Admittedly this did sound like another odd pairing, but given some of my previous experiences I wasn't ruling out Zotter pulling something out the bag.

As per usual this Hand-Scooped bar came in the standard 70.0g format that I shared amongst a few fellow taste testers. You may have noticed in my previous reviews that I haven't always understood the artistic design work that Zotter use on their wrappers. Having done a little research I have discovered that the wrappers are actually designed by a boyhood friend of Mr Zotter, Andreas Gratze (a trained gastronome and later art school graduate). According to Mr Gratze the designs are supposed to be "witty and artistic" - though I can't say I always 'get' the humour, I have to admit they do make each of the bars very classy and unique.

Back to more important matters, the actual chocolate bar looked pretty similar to several others within the Zotter range, though there was a thin but visible layer of cream filling sitting just below the outer shell on the topside of the bar. When it came to the aromas, the scents on offer were noticeably weaker than previous Zotter chocolates I have tried, and I was very surprised that there was no citrus influences detectable. Before tasting the chocolate I took a quick glance at the ingredients list to get a gauge as to what was going to be in store in the taste. Fourth on the list were the words 'olive oil & olives', followed then by 'lemon & lime concentrate', whilst additional things like chilli, honey and hazelnuts were all listed some way down. At the point I was expecting a very unique and variable flavour experience, however what I tasted was really rather placid. The initial part of the taste showed real promise, with the outer 60% dark chocolate establishing a firm flavours base of rich tasting cocoa. As the soft melting chocolate developed into the smoother centre, the taste unfortunately took a turn for the worse, with an odd bitter tasting fruit influence coming to the fore. The mixture of the savoury tasting olives and the sharp, unsweetned citrus juices just didn't taste that pleasant, and given all the added flavour enhancers stated in the ingredients it was surprisingly one dimensional and left a bitter aftertaste in the mouth.

Overall I guess it is inevitable that with Zotter's willingness to try out of the ordinary flavour combinations there are always going to be a few that aren't the usual high quality. Amongst all of three of us that tried this chocolate, it was unanimously agreed that it simply wasn't very good. I don't know what they were expecting, but I personally was hoping for a sweet lemon curd like filling that was going to nicely play off the richer tasting flavours of the plain dark chocolate. Unfortunately what I experienced with this chocolate was just a bitter tasting fruit hinted centre, that left a pretty unpleasant taste in the mouth. Had it not been for the high quality chocolate that was on offer from the outer proportion of the bar, I think I would have had to have rated this chocolate very low indeed. Normally when I taste chocolates that I don't like as much as I did this one, I usually get rather annoyed at wasting my time reviewing them. This isn't so much the case here though, as I think we can forgive Zotter for getting it wrong on the odd occasion given their willingness to experiment.

6.0 out of 10

June 14th: Zotter Organic Beer

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The brand Zotter has really been making waves with ChocolateMission readers lately, as no sooner does one review get published, I received vasts amounts of requests asking me to check out some of the other crazy flavours from their range. Following my review of the Muscat Wine & Grape Hand-Scooped bar (See HERE), one of the most commonly mentioned bars was this Zotter's Organic Beer offering. Sad though it may seem, a large proportion of my alcohol consumption nowadays seems to come from Zotter chocolates. Indeed, that may be a bit of an overstatement, but when you consider the last three products I have reviewed from Zotter have included wine, whisky and now beer, you do start to wonder whether Mr Zotter is a tad partial to the odd drink.

This Hand-Scooped (still don't get what that means!) bar came in a 2.47 Oz size (I thought I would try something different than my usual 70.0g sentence haha!), which I ate across the course of two sittings. The on-pack artistry was as always lovely looking on the eye, though again I wasn't too sure about the relevance of a stripey shirted fellow on a bike - regardless it looked classy as ever anyway! Something some readers have started mentioning on previous reviews is how many of Zotter's chocolates look the same, and I have to agree that I am starting to see what they mean. Aesthetically I don't think I would have been able to tell this bar apart from the likes of the Scotch Whisky etc, it looked finely crafted in form but there was nothing that differentiated it from many others in the range.

Although the bar wasn't particularly striking visually, the smells that emanated from the chocolate suggested the taste was going to nothing short of compelling. The actual aromas weren't the most enticing ever, but there were interesting hints of booze and toasted bread, which nicely set expectations of the remarkable experience that was to follow. Speaking firstly of the chocolate, the base constituent of the bar was Zotter's 70% dark chocolate recipe, and it as ever provided a perfectly balanced taste that was full or rich, tasting cocoa flavours, yet still allowed expression of the enhancing beer element. The Organic Beer influence itself came to the party as the chocolate progressed from it's solid to liquid state during the melt, and it brought a wonderfully unique set of flavours. Indeed, notes of malt, wheat, and caramel, all became detectable and made for a taste that was terrifically variable and very progressive. One minor area of disappointment was the slightly bitter alcohol aftertaste left in the mouth, though even that to a degree added to the 'beer' flavour experience.

Overall chocolate and beer are not two things I would immediately think of pairing together, but Zotter somehow crafted yet another fine tasting dark chocolate combination. Now I think about it, I would never even contemplate of eating chocolate with beer, as previous experiences have told me that they two just don't mix. Somehow, and I'm not quite sure how!? Mr Zotter and co have managed to craft a bar that combines both these fantastic ingredients superbly. The progression of the taste from the rich dark chocolate, to the beer flavours generated by the soft centre was nothing short of delicious and totally unique. Looking at the ingredients list, the organic beer used is one called 'Lava Rossa'. I think it would be great experiment to try the actual beer to see how well the taste has been translated through to the chocolate - any excuse eh? :D. I don't think this is a chocolate that would be enjoyed by everyone, but for beer lovers this is one you should try first-hand to appreciate the beer and chocolate synergy Zotter have created.

8.1 out of 10

June 11th: Zotter Scotch Whisky

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My tireless investigation of Zotter's Handscooped bars range continued today with me checking out their Scotch Whisky chocolate. You may recall that it was only few weeks ago that I reviewed Zotter's Muscat Wine with Grapes bar, and it managed to score pretty well on the ChocolateMission rating system (See HERE). As I stated in that last review, I am no big drinker but even I was curious to see what Zotter could do with a bar combining 'dark chocolate filled with whisky cream'. Looking at the ingredients list, the 6% whisky content came across as plentiful to me, so I was expecting it to really be brought to life in the filling.

Aligned with the rest of the Handscooped range this came in a 70.0g bar, and I shared it with my father who just to happens to enjoy the odd drop of fine whisky. In terms of the wrapper, the bar still looked like a premium proposition, but I don't think the artwork was the best looking I have ever seen. My main issue was that colours were all very similar, thus I wouldn't say the packaging stood out particularly strongly in any manner. When it came to the actual chocolate the usual lack of branding was again noteworthy, though the distinction between the outer layer of chocolate and smooth looking truffle filling did manage to ignite my excitement to a reasonable degree.

Taking in the smells on offer this was obviously going to be a very rich tasting chocolate as the cocoa scents emanated were very forthcoming. Biting into the chocolate the visual presentation of the chocolate was nicely indicative of the textures on offer, with the outer layer breaking with a nice crispness to reveal the softer truffle layer below. Just as promised from the aromas, the 70% chocolate was indeed very flavoursome and it straightaway brought strong unsweetened cocoa flavours to the party with it's smooth flowing taste. Having read about the plentiful contents of the scotch whisky in the ingredients, I was expecting the filling to bring a strong set of malty alcohol fueled flavours to the taste, and a pleasurable warming sensation to the mouth. As is often the case what I expected, and what was reality were two very different things. Whilst there was an undeniable alcohol element detectable it never came through with any great strength, and it more lingered in the background as an odd sweet, fruity tasting undercurrent. On the whole this added flavour dimension wasn't bad tasting, but it certainly wasn't what I expected, and thus it didn't particularly satisfy my expectations - neither my Father's.

Overall this Zotter Scotch Whisky bar was really saved by one thing, and that was the undeniable high quality Zotter dark chocolate. If this was a product just to be viewed in a light of being a dark chocolate bar, the scores would be a lot more favourable because the chocolate was both rich tasting and very flavoursome. Unfortunately though this came billed as a scotch whisky flavoured chocolate, and when looked upon in this regard it has to be said that it failed to deliver on what it promised. I'm no experienced whisky drinker, but even I could tell that the flavours on offer from the Whisky Cream centre were not what you would expect. One of the other glaring errors for me with this chocolate was that it was also lacked the warming heat feeling that you get from drinking whisky. It wasn't like I wanted a throat burning sensation, but I personally see it as a key part of the whisky experience and this was sadly lacking. Having tried so many really high quality Zotter products previously I would suggest you are best off looking at another one of their offerings. I can't imagine even the fondest of whisky drinkers would enjoy this all that much.

6.5 out of 10

May 26th: Zotter Labooko Nicaragua 60% / Peru 40%

In previous Zotter reviews I have brought you all my views on some of their weirdest and wacky flavour combinations. From their Bacon Bits bar to their Walnuts & Cheese offering, I have covered a decent amount of ground when it comes to their 'Handscooped' range, but up until today I hadn't touched upon any of the other parts of their portfolio. This leads me up nicely to introducing you to the first of their Labooko bars that I will be featuring on the website in the coming weeks.

These Labooko bars are described on the Zotter website as being 'two pure "bean to bar" chocolates in one pack, and today I was trying out a milk chocolate duo. As you can see from the photo above, both came packaged in a single paper wrapper, but were segregated by thick layers of branded gold foil. I can't say I have managed to make the link between the characters on the wrapper and the actual chocolates (hmm!?), but I thought the arty design of the wrapper combined with the delicate pattern work on both the chocolates ensured the Zotter premium brand feel carried through from the Handscooped range.

Nicaragua 60% - According to Wiki Nicaeagua is the largest country in Central America (knowledge eh!?). I hadn't heard of many 60% cocoa milk chocolates before, but according to the wrapper this bar was billed as exactly that. If you look at the photograph above you will be unsurprised to hear that this bar was the darker of the two you can see, and it was not only more imposing in this sense, but also in regards to smell as it had a more pungent cocoa fragrance. When it came to the taste the flavours were very smooth, but the cocoa flavours were stronger and more forthcoming than your standard milk chocolate. During the latter stages of the soft melt suggestions of red fruit came through, which did bring a decent bit of variance to the overall taste. In a perfect world it would of been nice for the melt to have been a little bit slower in the pace so the flavours could of been enjoyed just a little bit longer.

8.2 out of 10

Peru 40% - According to the on-pack blurb this chocolate was formed of beans hailing from the South American country Peru, which has a population of over 29 million people (ok ok I will stop with the wikipedia now :D ) This was the lighter coloured of the two bars and was a little more subtle when it came to aroma and taste. In comparison to the Nicaragua I did find this chocolate a touch less flavoursome, and although the more dairy rooted flavours were just as smooth flowing, they didn't quite have the same depth. In terms of melt the chocolate was similarly soft and easy melting in the mouth, but I felt again that it could of done with a touch more grip, which would have made the total flavour experience that little bit richer.

7.9 out of 10


Overall these both fulfilled my expectations and were some very fine tasting chocolates. As you will have read in my previous Zotter reviews, whilst I have sometimes doubted some of their flavour combinations, I have never been able to fault their core chocolate, so it was no surprise that I found both of these bars as pleasant as I did. Out of the two, I found the Nicaragua bar more flavoursome as it had a bit more depth and variance in it's taste, though this was purely down to personal preference. I'm sure other people who like creamier, sweeter chocolates will more prefer the Peru chocolate with its more milk based taste - it really is down to what you want from a chocolate as to where your preference will lie. This has been a good start for the Labooko range on ChocolateMission - bring on the next few double acts!

May 21st: Zotter Muscat Wine with Grapes

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Last week I told you all that Zotter had sent me a new box of samples, and I kicked off my latest round of reviews last Friday with my look at their Honey Trio hand-scooped bar. Buoyed by the unanimous success of that honey flavoured chocolate, this Muscat Wine with Grape variety was the next one I picked out of my box. Given that I am not the keenest wine drinker, I called in some reinforcements (aka my family) who were all as keen as ever to help me out. On the wrapper this bar came billed as 'mountain milk chocolate, filled with milk-cream and raisins'. The words that followed 'raisins' made me laugh - 'contains alcohol' ... indeed this bar was flavoured with Muskat Ottonell wine - it was going to be interesting.

Aligned to the rest of the hand-scooped range, this bar came in a 70.0g size that I split into three slices for each of us to try. I have said this in many a Zotter review previously, but I just have to reiterate my love for their packaging. The artistic designs on the wrappers always strike me as being the correct side of outlandish, in that they have a nice uniqueness, yet never seem to go overboard, and always strike me as looking very sophisticated. The bar itself was coated in the usual gold foil wrapper, which kept it conditioned very well. Aesthetically the chocolate looked quite similar to a number of other Zotter bars I have reviewed and eaten previously, however the boozy, cocoa scents that were on offer gave great indication of what the taste was going to have to offer.

Although I have reviewed a decent number of Zotter chocolates in the past, they have all tended to have been made with stronger tasting dark chocolates, so I was interested to see how well their milk chocolate would stack up in comparison. Amongst the three of us that tasted this chocolate, what we found most pleasurable was the way the flavours developed over the course of the melt. From the very first seconds in the mouth, it was straight away evident that Zotter's milk chocolate competency was just as high as their dark chocolate, as the milk, cream and sweet cocoa flavours were quickly forthcoming and started the taste off terrifically. Sitting below the crisp outer shell of milk chocolate, the milk-cream layer started off very buttery and vanilla noted, however it wasn't long before the promised wine and raisin elements came in to play. Contained within the milk-cream layer, strong notes of sweet fruit, and alcohol came through nicely in the middle stages of the smooth, soft melting filling. Unlike previous alcohol flavoured chocolates, the fluency of the taste was not disrupted by the alcoholic element, and the flavours were non-compromising with the wine nicely rounding of each bite delivering a pleasant warming sensation at the back of the throat amongst all the sweet grape fruit flavours.

Overall Zotter have surprised me yet again with another chocolate that I admitedly wasn't all that excited about trying. As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, I am not a big drinker of wine, so the appeal of a wine flavoured chocolate wasn't as great as some of the other varieties that Zotter have to offer. You can probably tell then, that it was to my great surprise how much I liked this particular chocolate, and it has to go down as one of my favourite alcohol flavoured chocolates ever. I am also glad to confirm that it wasn't just myself who was of this way of thinking. The keener wine drinks amongst my family were similarly impressed at how well integrated the wine and raisin flavours were interwoven in to the creamy filling. One thing I am always very keen on with chocolate, is that they are progressive in their flavour delivery whilst they are melting the mouth. This Zotter Muscat Wine with Grapes did this in spades, and for this reason I would recommend it as an exciting and unique tasting chocolate. It is well worth a try if you get the chance to do so.

8.4 out of 10

May 14th: Zotter Honey Trio

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Zotter haven't appeared on this website since October 2009, when the Black Cherries with Vanilla registered a rather disappointing score of 6.8 out of of 10 on the ChocolateMission rating system (See HERE). Perhaps it was that score which upset Mr Zotter, but after a little love via Twitter he has finally forgiven me and sent me samples of his latest handscooped bars*. Included in the batch he sent along this Honey Trio bar was the one that chaught the eye of my honey loving father. Given that I was visiting home for the weekend it seemed only rude not to open it up to see if the 'fine bitter chocolate filled with honey, honey jelly and honey crunch' was as good as it sounded.

The 'handscooped' (why is it called that!?) bar came in the usual 70.0g format, which I split with the old man (I hope he doesn't read this!!). I have said this about Zotter products before so excuse for repeating myself, but the point needs reiterating that the packaging and presentation is always first class. Personally I think the wrappers perfectly manage to pull off a funky, yet sophisticated look, and I hope you agree that the outer sleeve looks very cool with the weird looking bees artwork. Inside things got a bit more serious, with the thick golden foil mantaining the bar in perfect condition, and the cross-section revealing a mind boggling four different layers. Once I had finally managed to comprehend how Zotter had crafted four layers in to the thin bar, I next took great delight in the rich cocoa scents that were being offered - YUM!

Up until this point Zotter were really delivering the goods - the look, the smell and the packaging already had big ticks, but it was down to the taste to deliver in the last box. One thing I think Zotter can be relied on to do is deliver the goods with their chocolate, and their 60.0% did little to prove me wrong. Despite the thin outer layer the dark chocolate was extremely flavoursome and brought a strong cocoa flavour hit to the party with it's smooth, rich buttery taste. The chocolate was quite strong and edgy, however the bitterness balance was perfectly managed with the strong sweetness of the honey constituents. Given that all the inner layers were so compact it was impossible to tell which out of the real honey, jelly and crunch elements delivered the delicious tasting sugary, floral honey flavours. Whilst I couldn't pick them out in the taste, what was highly noticeable was the different textures they brought to the party, with each bite a delivering an array of moist, crispy, jelly like sensations. Coming from a guy that eats a lot of chocolate this was an exciting bar to eat - my old man thought it was superb!

Overall Zotter make some great flavour combinations, and they make some poor ones - but something you can't excuse them of is never being innovative. Like I have previously found, it is because of this brashness why they can't always be relied to deliver consistent high quality, but this bar was up there with the best I have eaten this year. At the heart of each bite the dark chocolate was of a great quality, whilst the inner honey layers were delightfully variable texture wise, and did a splendid job bringing some sweet and tasty honey flavours to the experience. I have previously begged manufactures to bring out a high quality honey based chocolate, and Mr Zotter and co obliged with this terrific chocolate bar. It was well presented, tasted great and was a satisfying - you can't ask for anything more than that now can you!? As I have said above, I don't always think that Zotter get their extravagant flavours on the money, but this more sensible combination would be the perfect chocolate for any honey dark chocolate lover. This Honey Trio comes very highly recommended - it is the best Zotter bar I have eaten yet.

8.8 out of 10


* Before anyone complains that is a joke I am allowed to write what I want - we just hadn't made contact for a while!

October 3rd: Zotter Black Cherries with Vanilla

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A week ago to the day you may remember that I wrote "I don't want to curse myself but I haven't had a bad product from the brand (Zotter) yet" .... why oh why did I let myself write that. Today saw me tuck into the last of the samples that Zotter so kindly provided me with, as I got to gripes with their Black Cherries with Vanilla bar. This one didn't quite have the excitement factor of the 'Bacon Bits' or 'Cheese, Walnut & Grapes' but I still liked the sound of 'fine bitter chocolate with a vanilla-cherry filling'.

Just like all the others the bar came in a 70.0g format that I managed to tuck away in a single sitting. Across all my reviews of the Zotter range I have been pretty complimentary when it comes to their packaging and I was impressed once again. The flavour theme was well communicated through some artistic pictures, whilst the bar was wrapped within a thick, branded foil wrapper. One thing I did note however was that whilst this golden foil layer looked great it didn't do the best job of keeping my chocolate fresh - for the first time on a Zotter product there was evident 'blooming' on the surface of the chocolate which is never a nice thing to see. Despite the product not appearing quite so fresh some sweet red fruit smells were evident once the bar had been cut into.

Now from my opening sentence I guess you are already aware of my disappointment in regards to this Zotter offering. Over the past few weeks I haven't been overly positive on the strength of Zotter chocolate and I felt once again here it really lacked emphasis in its flavours. Although described as fine and bitter chocolate I would describe it as neither of those two adjectives and would be more inclined to use the words weak and mild. The chocolate was just pretty effortless and never moved beyond a pale, milk based cocoa taste. As I said this wasn't the first Zotter bar where I have experienced some lazy flavours from the chocolate, though that said in those instances they have always been saved by a really strong flavoured filling. Unfortunately the filling was just as meagre as the chocolate and didn't create much of an impression. The two tone texture between the drier vanilla base and stickier jam like substance in the middle did grab my interest for a while, however this was short lived due to the lack of substantial flavour. Looking at the wrapper there are ingredients such as brandy, almonds and salt listed ... my simple question is where were they in the taste!? The filling never ventured on more than from a simple natural yogurt like base with a layer of sugary (and not particularly fruity) jam running through the middle.

Overall to call this bar horrid would be going well over the top but I think you will be able to tell by the tone of the review that I was deeply disappointed. The outer chocolate lacked flavour and was only compounded by an equally boring filling. Over the recent weeks Zotter have set the standards for themselves pretty high with bars like 'Bacon Bits' and 'Birds Eye Chilli' to just name two. To be honest this offering didn't belong in the same league as those bars and I just think that if this was my first experience of the brand I would have been left distinctly underwhelmed. If your going to buy Zotter (which you can HERE!!), I would go for one of the other bars from their range - I don't think this bar would be a good reflection on the potential of the brand.

6.8 out of 10

July 9th: Zotter Bird's Eye Chilli

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Not so long ago I declared that 2008 was the year of chilli flavoured chocolate as I felt that it was really last year that this flavour combination went mainstream. Since then I have covered several manufactures attempts ranging from the simply fantastic Lindt Excellence Chilli to the not so good Milka Fever bar. Today I got my chance to try Zotter's Bird's Eye Chilli - a bar that was billed as 'Noble bitter chocolate filled with chilli cream'. Given the high quality competition I was a little anxious to see how Zotter would do; my recent successes from the rest of their range did give me a little confidence.

This was another standard Zotter bar and came in the usual 70.0g size. The presentation was as ever pretty spot on with the paper wrapper sporting an arty sophisticated look and the thick golden foil wrapper ensuring a pleasant, fresh and unblemished look to the surface of the chocolate. One thing you can always bank on with Zotter products is that you will be treated to some fantastic smells as the foil packaging is unravelled. A mixture of rich smelling chocolaty scents and hints of spice filled me with anticipation - suffice to say it didn't take me long getting stuck into this one.

I haven't had many criticisms of Zotter thus far but I have mentioned a few times that their chocolate hasn't always been as strong in its flavours that I would have like. In previous bars this was never much of an issue as they were generally more about the featured fillings. Things got turned on their heads a little today though as the chilli element was more of a filling enhancer in contrast to the other nougat based fillings which made up the entirety of the filling itself. This of course meant that this bar needed the dark chocolate to deliver - thankfully it did. The cocoa flavours were strong and smooth from the outset and did a fantastic job of creating a wonderful richness with a creamy yet unsweetened taste. The bar had two distinct layers - the outer crisp dark chocolate and the smoother yet still quite firm truffle like centre. Although softer in texture it was the filling that packed the chilli punch. Containing only 0.18% chilli I was initially doubting how much of a say the chilli could have in the taste. My doubt was soon put to bed when my first bite revealed that the chilli element certainly wasn't held back ... boy was it hot. The chilli not only generated a warmth in the mouth but also some very distinct peppery flavours - as a lover of hot food I really enjoyed it and couldn't help but wolf down the whole bar in a single sitting.

Overall this has to be another two thumbs up for Zotter. I don't wish to curse myself but I am yet to try a bad product from the brand and todays bar provided further evidence that when it comes to adding flavours to chocolates these guys know what they are doing. The 70% dark chocolate was of a very good standard and the chilli element was really brought to life with its implementation in the filling. I am not going to kid anyone - this bar may be way too spicy for some - it really does have a devilish kick to it. For that reason my recommendation of this bar comes with an element of caution. If you don't like spicy food stay well away ... if you do ... tuck right in!

8.6 out of 10

June 12th: Zotter Cheese, Walnuts & Grapes

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When I first saw this bar I probably had a face that looked like it had been smacked by a kipper. Cheese, Walnuts & Grapes!?? What on earth was I in for here? This wasn't the first time I have doubted Zotter. My last foray with the brand was with their Bacon Bits offering - a bar that included pork scratchings in its truffle filling. Despite my pessimism it turned out to be pretty fantastic - still though I couldn't help but feel that a bar formed of milk chocolate filled with cream cheese, grapes and walnuts may just have been taking things just a little too far.

As with the rest of the Zotter bars I have reviewed so far this one also came in a 70.0g size. The presentation was once again first class with the outer packaging incorporating both a sleek artistic design and clear communication of the flavour theme. The chocolate bar look no different to the rest of the range with its long, flat rippled surface. Once cross-sectioned the inner filling had visible fruit and nut pieces which were very evident in the light coloured centre. Even before the bar was cut in to an enticing nutty cocoa smell became evident once the thick foil was undressed.

Due to my complete lack of confidence in the filling combination I was very tentative at the size of the first few slithers I cut off and ate. I am glad to confirm that as I ate more and more these rather thin pieces soon became much larger ones - before I knew it the bar was gone altogether. I have commented on the smoothness of the taste of other Zotter variants before and things were not different here. The outer chocolate had a wonderfully silky soft melt in the mouth that felt absolutely luxurious with its dominant milk based flavours. If I was to have one criticism of this bar it would be that once again the cocoa didn't have quite reach the strength in its flavours I desired. As a counter argument to that I guess a stronger chocolate may have detracted somewhat from the simply delicious flavours that I got from the centre. The cheese cream was absolutely delightful - it had a wonderful truffle like texture and had a slight yogurt tang amongst its cream based dairy taste. The sharpness of the cheese was offset nicely by the sugary fruit flavours of the raisins that added partial resistance and chewiness to the plethora of soft textures. My favourite part of this bar though had to be the walnuts and I savoured every bite where they were present. The nuts were crunchy and fresh flavoured with some wonderful buttery, straw based savoury influences. To my surprise this was a bar that I couldn't get enough of - the full 70.0g was finished in one sitting.

Overall I don't think I have ever reviewed a product that has changed my opinion so drastically prior to eating it. My preconceptions were that this simply couldn't work on any level - come on now cheese and chocolate!? I like to think my instincts are good but sometimes you just have hold to hold up your hands and say you are wrong - this is one of those instances for me. The combination of the cheese, walnuts, grapes (raisins!) and chocolate was simply delicious and each complimented the other to provide an overall fantastic taste. For some of you I doubt reading my words alone will be enough to convince you that this bar works. I seriously urge you to give this one a try though. If you are brave enough do let me know what you think!

8.6 out of 10

May 30th: Zotter Bacon Bits

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

Having really enjoyed my first bar from Zotter I decided to be a little more adventurous with my next pick from their range. 2008 seemed to be the year of the chocolate and chilli combinations - 2009 looks set to be the year of the chocolate and bacon concoction with more and more products appearing on the market. Today I got to grips with Zotter's Bacon Bits bar which came described as 'dark chocolate filled with nougat and pork crackling'. I can't say I am the biggest fan of pork crackling as a pub snack let alone as an ingredient to a chocolate bar - this one was going to be interesting.

In keeping with the rest of the Zotter range this bar came in a 70.0g serving size - thank god the nutritional values were not given - I have a feeling they may have been as high as anything we have seen yet. Once again I was very impressed with presentation of the product. The outer paper wrapper gave the bar a sophisticated look, whilst the inner foil wrapper maintained the chocolate nicely. The smell was like nothing I have smelt before - it had a nice backbone of sweet cocoa scents though in their midst I could detect undertones of nut and other more savoury influences.

I really was a bit cautious about this product as I didn't know what the hell to expect. Thankfully on the whole everything was really rather good. The outer chocolate was formed of a 70% recipe though was more subdued in its flavours than I was expecting. It managed to substantiate a nice degree of cocoa flavours in the mouth, though I perhaps would have expected just a touch more strength. Frankly this mattered very little as once the outer chocolate had smoothly melted the lighter nougat filling was revealed and it was bursting with flavours. The nougat filling started off with a very hazelnut centric taste with the woody elements of the nuts coming through strongly. Amongst the nougat though were small granule sized pieces of pork crackling and they brought some wonderful and interesting developments to the taste. The predominantly sweet flavours of the chocolate and nougat were built upon nicely by the crackling pieces that released bursts of salty, smokey flavours that certainly didn't fail to make a positive impression. The overall taste was very rich indeed as the flavours seemed to continually develop in the mouth before leaving a pleasant aftertaste of cocoa and what seemed like a note of cinnamon spice. 

Overall this was another fantastic bar from the Zotter range and the contrast of the flavours brought a taste experience that was as unique as it was diverse. Much like we thought last year with chilli and chocolate, the combination of bacon and chocolate is one that doesn't make all that much sense in your head. As this bar proves though the mixture of the two can certainly work when put in the hands of a high class manufacturer - this product was simply delicious and one that I would definitely have again. If you are curious about trying a bacon chocolate bar I honestly suggest you try this one - its exceptional.

8.6 out of 10 

May 27th: Zotter Macadamia Nougat with Coconut

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

Todays review comes as a result of a joint request from readers Susanne and Alan for me to review some bars from Zotter. Having received the request Zotter kindly obliged in supplying me with some samples from their range - included in which was this Macadamia Nougat with Coconut. Zotter produce their bars in Austria and comply by Fairtrade standards - all in all they seem to be a very friendly company and as you will soon learn they make some pretty damn tasty chocolate as well (Click HERE for website!!). 

The samples I received came in 70.0g bars - I ate this one over the course of two separate sittings. As you will see above in the pictures the presentation was really quite special - the outer paper wrapper had a nice artistic design on it, whilst the chocolate was sealed nicely in some thick golden coloured branded wrapping. The bar itself came as just one long slab - normally I guess this would have annoyed me but in this instance I thought it worked well and maintained the stylish look. Opening the foil wrapper revealed a strong coconut aroma which gave the bar a tempting fresh smell.

As the bar was just one piece I decided to eat it by taking small slices at a time. One thing I really liked was that no matter the size of the slice the strength of the taste was consistent throughout, which obviously suggests that the filling was well proportioned. As you will see in the cross-section there were two main layers - the outer milk chocolate and the inner filling. At first I was a little disappointed with the initial flavours of the outer coating as it wasn't a chocolate that grabbed the tastebuds straightaway. It established mild milk and vanilla flavours initially though as it warmed in the mouth and melted the cocoa did eventually come through. Where the milk chocolate took a little 'warming up' to reveal its true taste the inner filling didn't need a second invitation. The nut flavours were very forthcoming and the butter flavours of the macadamia and the more milk rooted flavours of the coconut were instantly detectable. The taste was wonderfully complex and developed as the chocolate melted, the nutty flavours had notes of fruits, honey and syrup which further added interest and depth. The textures of the bar were also notable and the smooth melting nature of chocolate was complimented nicely by the slight grainy roughness of the coconut in the filling. 

Overall you can probably tell this was a chocolate that I really enjoyed and I must say I am very impressed with Zotter's first offering. It is nice to see a manufacture moving away from the standard hazelnut and almond combinations and try something braver with the less popular macadamia. Personally I thought the filling in this bar was simply outstanding and the macadamia and coconut brought both a flavoursome and rich taste. Additionally to this review it is worth noting that Terry over at Chocolate Review has also been trying some Zotter bars lately (see HERE) and also been very impressed! If you like nutty chocolate this is a real must try, I really can't wait to get stuck into more of their range.

8.7 out of 10