Royce x Tirol チロル x ロイス

A while back Tirol teamed up with the famous Hokkaido chocolate manufacturer Royce to make a premium Tirol (which is a little larger than the regular size).

It sold out very quickly but I managed to buy some pieces online. Unfortunately because it contained Nama cream, most online stores would not send it overseas. Mine was sent during summer and leaked inside my parcel, and the Tirol ended up mutilated, but still edible - however I didn't take photos of the disaster so the above image is the result of a Google image search.

The chocolate itself was quite dark so it seems it had a rather high cocoa content. Inside it was soft and kind of chewy. Because of the Nama cream the chocolate was creamy and had a very milky taste. Even when melted, this Tirol was everything I expected it to be and was a really good representation of Royce. It's just a shame I only had 9 pieces because I could have easily eaten double that! 

I hope that like some of the other Tirol releases this will make a comeback in the future! :)

Meiji Chelsea Hokkaido Milk Scotch Caramels 明治チェルシー北海道ミルクスカッチ

Another Chelsea review! Can't help myself because I found this new flavour at napaJapan and just HAD to try it. You know I love all things Hokkaido, and they're usually pretty good.

This flavour is Hokkaido Milk Scotch and it comes in the same format as always - a small box with a slide out tray of 10 individually wrapped hard caramels. The box is cream and maroon and looks very smart. I was really surprised by the colour of the caramel, I thought it would be a cream colour, but it looks like an average caramel colour.

 

 

The caramel itself doesn't really smell like milk, it smells of a very rich and strong caramel, almost smoky.

At first the caramel is surprisingly sweet and there is a slight coffee flavour which deepens into a rich creamy caramel. There is no coffee listed in the ingredients so the taste is probably just a fluke, but, it really is yummy. It has a really "milky" taste in the caramel which gives it a really creamy flavour that I love. The words that popped into my head while eating this were "cream caramel"...it tastes like a dessert of the same name would.

Yum! I thoroughly recommend these... a candy that is rich and decadent.

Brand: Meiji Calories per box: 188 Website: http://chelsea-agetai.jp Buy it now at napaJapan

Hokkaido Yubari Melon Chocolate 北海道夕張メロンチョコレート

I received this bag of Yubari Melon Chocolates from a friend in Tokyo. They are made by Sapporo Gourmet Foods. Actually on the pack gourmet is spelled "gurmet" and I know why they made such a mistake because in Japanese gourmet is "gurume", so it's easy to get confused but still you would think they would use a translator at least to get the right spelling.

Anyway, these chocolates are half melons, made to look exactly like the real thing. Each half melon is individually wrapped and there are 12 in the packet. Each melon is green on the outside and textured to look like the outside of a Yubari melon. The inside is bright orange just like the real thing.

The melons really smell like melon and the green textured shell has a kind of sour melon soda effect which is really nice, and gives it a nice kick. The chocolate is soft, and biting in I got a hit of the soda effect, followed by the sweet chocolate that tastes *exactly* like a real Yubari melon. Yum!

The soda flavour is present in the background right until the end and really intensifies the flavour. I am so in love with these! Not only are they extremely cute, but they also taste great, like the real thing. So addictive!

If you love Melon like I do, and you see these, I definitely recommend that you get some :)

Brand: Sapporo Gourmet Foods Calories per pack: 570

Bourbon Elise Hokkaido Milk Cream Wafers ブルボンエリーゼ北海道ミルククリームウエハース

This week is all about Hokkaido. For some reason the products I've come upon in the last month all claim to be from Hokkaido or have Hokkaido milk or cream in them, so I decided it was time to have a themed week!

This first product was bought on impulse in a Japanese supermarket. Yasu and I were killing time waiting for the restaurant next door to open and we came across these on a shelf. Yasu immediately got excited because he always ate these when he lived at home and said they were the yummiest. So I bought a pack for him to have but I think it made him a little bit homesick.

This pack contains 10 wrapped packets containing 2 sticks each. The sticks themselves are the same kind of texture and colour as an icecream cone. They smell very creamy from the outside and the wafer texture is hard and crunchy. There is white chocolate cream in the centre made using Hokkaido milk, and it's a really pleasant flavour, not overly sweet like some white chocolate.

Yasu complained that there was less chocolate in the middle than there used to be, and it did feel a bit lacking I have to say, but apart from that these were absolutely delicious!! I love the creaminess of the white chocolate cream and the crunchy texture of the wafers, it all goes together wonderfully. Better still on a hot day, the cream inside melts and it's almost like eating an icecream.

I'd say these are mostly put out in people's homes when guests come over (I saw a lot of these types of wafers/biscuits for afternoon tea when I visited family in Hokkaido), and Bourbon in particular seems to be the afternoon tea snack of choice in the Tokachi area from personal experience.

Brand: Bourbon Calories per pack: 19 Website: http://www.bourbon.co.jp

Meiji Hokkaido Cheese Caramel 明治北海道チーズキャラメル

I just love presents from friends, don't you? A couple of days ago I received a parcel of goodies from a friend in Tokyo. Thank you M! It was so unexpected which made it all the more lovely.

I'm back on the cheese snacks again - this time with caramel! Meiji has come up with some Hokkaido Cheese Caramel. Cheese and caramel are not exactly two flavours you would expect to see together, however it seems to work for this treat!

There are 12 individually wrapped square caramels in the bag. Each caramel is 2cm x 2cm in dimension and just over half a centimetre in height.

The funny thing about these caramels is the dairy products used in them are from my husbands home town of Tokachi! Even funnier is they are sold all the way over in Tokyo. I guess Hokkaido produce is getting more popular these days, people want to experience the country taste.

I took the caramel out of the bag while editing the photo's and all I could smell was a lovely creamy smell that kept wafting up to my nose. The caramel is smooth and glossy with a few hash marks on the top. It's easy to bite into and quickly softens. Mmmm.

Remember the Hokkaido Cheese Tirol? Well the cheese flavour is exactly the same! It's quite strong and rich and really creamy. The caramel really takes a backseat, though the chewiness of the caramel and the soft smooth texture really add to the all-over experience of the cheese flavour.

I'm a big fan of these!! However, if you didn't like the cheese tirol, I'm pretty sure you won't like these caramels, because the cheese component is very strong.

Brand: Meiji Calories per bag: 294 Website: http://www.meiji.co.jp Buy it now at: Family Mart Japan

Tirol Hokkaido Cheese Premium チロル 北海道チーズ

Jason @ napaJapan kept teasing me with the line "I've got some Hokkaido cheese chocolate coming in soon". Music to my ears... and SO tempting.

If you love Hokkaido as much as I do then I know you will be thrilled about trying this Tirol Hokkaido Cheese premium chocolate.

This Tirol chocolate is larger than the regular size. Yasu couldn't get over it, because Tirol is his favourite childhood chocolate and they didn't have premium size back then. Plus, he's a Hokkaido-jin so the Hokkaido cheese factor makes it even better for him.

The cheese Tirol to the left is bigger than the regular size.

Hokkaido Cheese is the best! I've seen a few reviews online and people have trashed it - I totally disagree with their taste. This Tirol is the essence of Hokkaido, creamy, dairy, cheesy, fromage-y. :)

It has a lovely yellow coloured outer chocolate that tastes creamy and chocolatey. The inside is a strong cheese taste in a biscuit - but the biscuit is soft and melts in the mouth. Yummm. Lucky I got given 10 of these beauties because one is just not enough!

If you're a wimp when it comes to cheese - don't try it. If you like your cheese rich and creamy with a big of strength then this is for you.

Brand: Tirol Calories per piece: 51 Website: http://www.tirol-choco.com Buy it now at napaJapan

Country Ma'am Hokkaido Kinako Cookies 北海道きなこ

Kinako is only just a recent discovery for my tastebuds, but it's one I surprisingly enjoy. Kinako is soybean flour which is made by toasting soybeans and grinding them into flour.

I picked up this bag in Seria for 100 yen or around $1. It contains 5 individually wrapped cookies, each about 3.5cm in diameter.


They are a golden brown colour, mainly due to the fact that theire is caramel colour included in the ingredients.

Breaking the cookie in half it is crispy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. There are noticeable white chocolate chips in the middle, I had four chips in mine.

The flavour is unlike other kinako I have tasted. The first taste offers up a slightly burnt flavour, not unlike burnt caramel. Its only at the very end that I get to the slight peanut like flavour that kinako often has. The white chocolate chips don't really add alot to this cookie, mainly because the burnt caramel flavour is the major player here and the white chocolate are mere bits that only provide a burst of flavour if I bite directly on it. It doesn't enhance the flavour though, just detracts from the main theme.


I would have preferred this without the white chocolate chips. They weren't really sweet but they just took away from it flavour wise. If the chips weren't there I could have concentrated more on the actual flavour of the kinako.

I've never tasted Hokkaido kinako before, so I wasn't sure if it was true to the flavour, but asking Yasu who is from Hokkaido, he said it's very much Hokkaido kinako, so obviously it's just me who really prefers the regular non-Hokkaido kinako.

These were ok, but I wouldn't buy them again. Yasu said they were just okay, which doesn't inspire much confidence in me. They're ok for a buck, and the good thing is if you don't like them they're individually wrapped so you can give them away to unassuming people. :)

Ishiya Shiroi Koibito 白い恋人

Shiroi Koibito is a premium sandwich cookie made in Hokkaido. It's usually given as a present to co-workers, friends and family on return from Hokkaido.

These days with the invention of the internet, you can simply go to their online shop if you live in Japan and get it delivered to you, rather than going all the way to Hokkaido. It is also available at airports nationwide, I saw it in Nagoya airport along with the Shiroi Koibito drink which I will expand upon at the bottom.

I've never actually bought it anywhere other than Hokkaido, I think it tastes better that way. I know when I'm in Hokkaido I'm home, so for me this is the taste of home.

The boxes come in a manner of different sizes, this here is the smallest one, retailing at 740 yen or around $7.50 for 12 individually wrapped pieces.


When I came home from Japan I bought a suitcase full of unique candies including Shiroi Koibito, and from the 100 yen store I bought some paper bags. I then filled up the bags with the candy and one each of the Shiroi Koibito. They were very much a hit and for weeks on end we had Yasu's co-workers asking us where they could get some more of this whitey goodness! They didn't realise we still had one small box stashed away in our cupboard for ourselves, and we weren't willing to share!

Anyway, so back to the cookie itself. It has French on the box that says
"Chocolate blanc et langue de chat". Googling that I found that it means "Chocolate and white cats tongue". The actual name of the cookie means "white lover". I guess Hokkaido could be known as my white lover anytime!

The cookie is 5cm x 5cm in diameter, is slightly rounded with the white filling poking out the corners. The cookie is golden and has a slightly more golden colour around the edges.


It's quite crumbly and breaking it in half means that a thousand crumbs fall off the edges. The filling is a thin layer of white creamy chocolate that just melts in my mouth, and is beautiful white chocolate in a demure way.

The cookie itself, despite using shortening has a really nice texture and has a slight taste of coconut. It's not oily or dry, its just right.

They use cocoa butter, cocoa powder and milk from Akayama (the maker's home town) to come up with a cookie I can't ever resist, no matter how many times I have it.

Yasu is quite the slave to Shiroi Koibito, and I have to hide it in the cupboard otherwise he would eat the whole box in one sitting and wouldn't save any for me!! Despite the fact that he's from Hokkaido and had it countless times when he lived there.

Ishiya have realised that when you do something you should do it well, and they have. It's been a stayer in the market for 30 years and still going strong.

As an aside, they have a website with a video showing how Shiroi Koibito is made, and they also have Shiroi Koibito Park, where for 600 yen entry you can make your own version of Shiroi Koibito. There is a chocolate tower and a lounge where you can indulge in all your favourite Ishiya delights, a chance to watch SK being made, do some shopping and relax in the restaurant. Each box also comes with a discount voucher for the park. If anyone here is planning on going and they want the voucher you are welcome to email me (adults get 100 yen off and children 50 yen).

Ishiya also make a Shiroi Koibito chocolate drink, which I picked up at Nagoya airport, funnily enough I couldn't find it where I was staying in Hokkaido. The drink was just as great as the biscuit, but in another dimension, it was also creamy and had that definite taste. You can buy a box of 2 for 420 yen.

This photo was borrowed from Ishiya website

Okay, so when it comes to Shiroi Koibito I have one thing to say, these are my favourite and I'm not into sharing! So go get your own! ;)

Hokkaido Condensed Milk Caramel 北海道練乳キャラメル

It's fair to say I'm on a bit of a 練乳 (condensed milk) kick at the moment. Since coming back from the land of condensed milk flavoured everything (Hokkaido), I've re-ignited my passion for the creamy white substance.

Oh, I've always been a fan of condensed milk. I remember eating it out of the can by spoonful when I was a kid, and before even going to Japan, Yasu and I enjoyed the odd squeeze from a tube of condensed milk we kept in the cupboard, which mysteriously disappeared while I was away in Japan - the mouse, err Yasu consumed it all by himself the 練乳 guts!

I saturated myself with condensed milk icecream bars, chocolate bars, drinks, and lollies, but I picked up one last thing before I left. That is, Condensed Milk Caramel, from the Wine factory actually, it was only 105 yen and I figured, it was a worthwhile buy because I knew that we were both condensed milk junkies by then.

The box has 18 pieces and comes in the same format as other caramels by the manufacturer - Dounan, which by the way, a look on their website shows this as ranking #1 in the top 3! See! Just goes to show Japanese people are junkies like me :)

Anyway, so what do they actually taste like? Condensed milk, silly! They really do taste like Japanese condensed milk, they even have that really creamy taste, and slight coconut flavour.

The caramel is quite soft and easy to chew, and quickly goes into a soft pliable texture with chewing. It has the same flavour throughout, it's really yummy!! It's not too sweet either, kind of in the middle of the scale of sweetness. The box says they used 100% Hokkaido condensed milk too, so you kind of get that feeling of being transported to green leafy fields while you're chewing on this caramel. The feel of the wind in your hair. The smell of cows...ahh.

Whoops, got carried away abit there. Anyways, this is one extremely good chew!! I suggest you buy some! :)

Hokkaido Butter Shio Candy 北海道バター塩飴

The 100 yen stores in Japan are popular for the variety of goods you can buy there, all at a low price and great quality. Most 100 yen stores also have a corner selling snack foods and limited grocery items. I found these in a Daiso 100 yen store in Obihiro, among a wide variety of Japanese candy bags.

I had never seen these before but because of my love of all things Hokkaido, and Japan's obsession with salty candy/snacks, I decided that I would satisfy my curiosity by buying them.

The candies are made by Meito who appear to make candy, chocolate, teas, and icecreams. It's not a company I have ever come across before, but looking on their website I found quite a few other candy bags that I saw in the same 100 yen store as I bought these. They seem to be a cheaper candy option.

The salt used in this candy is stated to come from the Sea of Okhotsk. They also have table salt, sweeteners, Hokkaido butter, Hokkaido condensed milk, and b carotin, and the bag weighs 90g.

As per usual Japanese candy manufacturers each candy is individually wrapped, this candy is in a clear bag with the name in white. Each candy is small 1cm x 0.5cm, pale yellow and in a rounded rectangular shape. It has a small dent in the top.

It doesn't really smell like anything in particular. The first taste is slightly lemon and sweet. Yes, lemon. I don't know why that is. A little bit of salt emerges, and a buttery flavour also, but the lemon flavour is still present.

As I begin to suck the candy more, the buttery flavour gets stronger, and so does the salt. There is a slight sweetness but overall it is more butter and salt now than lemon or sugar flavours, which is good. The flavours are not big and bold, they are quite mild. This is a candy more for Japanese tastes, and is probably not suited to non-Japanese palates. I feel as if I am missing out when I eat this candy. I really expect it to develop into a full on butterscotch flavour, but it doesn't.

It was good for a look, obviously it didn't break the bank at 100 yen for a whole bag, and I will probably eat the rest of these, but, I wouldn't recommend them if you like bolder tastes.

Yamazaki Hokkaido Cheesecake

This was another impulse buy from the supermarket bakery. The image of Hokkaido on the top of the cheesecake just caught my eye. I am not a big fan of cheese but I love cheesecake, how weird is that?

This is one of those cakes that is made by another company, and sealed in plastic for longer shelf life.

The packet says that refridgerating this prior to eating is the best way, so that is what I did.

Upon opening the packet and sniffing, it smells very much like a regular rare cheesecake. The texture is very soft like a light airy cake and can be easily broken off with fingers. There are little bubbles, very tiny, inside showing the 'air-in'.

The taste is very mild, the cheese flavour very underwhelming. I can taste milk, a vague cheese flavour, and a kind of madeira cake taste. This is very much like a madeira cake to me, more than a cheesecake. It is not really very sweet.

As it so happens there is only cheese cream, milk, eggs, and shortening in this cake. So no cream cheese, only cheese cream. Which is what? I couldn't find anything even on google.

As a cake that uses Hokkaido as it's selling point, I am very disappointed. This is a really unworthy representation of the beautiful, creamy baked goods that usually come from the island, especially as the back of the package said it was made in Tokyo.

A big disappointment, don't throw your money away on this, buy some madeira cake, it probably tastes better anyway.

Hokkaido Yubari Melon Hi-Chew 北海道夕張メロンハイチュウ

Hokkaido is well known for it's Yubari Melon, in fact it's the most popular melon in all of Japan. They are named after the small town near Sapporo where they come from. Yubari Melons are the most expensive melons, costing anywhere upwards of $40 just for one!

The first time I ever went to Japan I saw this Yubari Melon Hi-chew and was in awe. I never tried it. That was 2004. Now, more than 5 years later I finally got my hands on a packet of it. Why did I wait so long? I don't really know, to be honest, it just panned out that way.

Yubari is dear to my heart. My husband's family are from Hokkaido and still live there, so I have a very personal relationship with melon in general. I've always loved the yellow fleshed melon that we call Rockmelon or Canteloupe.

The colour of the chew is a very pale orangey white colour with an orange strip through the middle. The melon scent is very strong even before the wrapper is entirely off.

The exact flavour of the orange flesh is present in the first bite. It's just like eating a real melon, albeit a rather chewy one. Further chews make the chew softer and more pliable in my mouth but the flavour doesn't increase or decrease but stays the same. Towards the end I get a flavour reminscent of an overripe banana, but it's not bad tasting, it just reminds me of that, but also reminds me so much of the Yubari I eat when I go to Hokkaido. Oh my goodness, it makes me feel so homesick for Hokkaido.

This Hi-chew is full of Yubari flavour and doesn't really deviate from the taste at all. I couldn't stop eating these, and I'm already on my third one. The only thing bad I have to say that would probably be true for all Hi-Chew's is that after eating a few it makes me thirsty, and the taste left in my mouth is like bubblegum more or less.

I think this Hi-Chew is probably more suited only to those who love this type of melon. It's very full-on, and offers nothing different in the way of new taste sensations. If you want a trip down memory lane, like I did, then this is your bet.

Hokkaido Azuki Apollo

This Hokkaido Azuki Apollo was a limited release, along with other flavours like Muscat, and Peach.

On one side of this box is a photo image of Clark, as in "boys be ambitious". The other side is a normal Apollo box with a square stamp on the top showing the product is from Hokkaido.

The Area of Tokachi in Hokkaido is well known for the tasty Azuki they produce. The fact that this Apollo is made from those Azuki is meant to make this all the more attractive to Azuki consumers.

The box is the regular size and holds 22 pieces inside. They are contained only in the box without other packaging, and because of that I think that the pieces look abit rustic. As in, they have rubbed together and been thrown around in the box, so they are somewhat dusty with bits of chocolate.

The colour is somewhat different than I expected. I thought it would be a dusky rose colour on top and brown on the bottom (though the box has a picture of a light pink on top, brown on the bottom). In actual fact, the chocolate is light brown on the top with flecks of darker brown, with a dark brown chocolate on the bottom.

The smell when I opened the box was similar to that of the Oshiruko Kit Kat. However, when I pop one into my mouth, the taste is a fully flavoured Azuki bean, and the texture is exactly the same as if I popped a spoonful of Azuki beans in my mouth. You know that crushed up texture of Azuki, it's very hard to describe. The chocolate at the bottom is very lightly there, and is a very good match for the Azuki that takes centre stage.

I loved this version of Apollo, it was fantastic and tasted great, and very true to Azuki. The chocolate was a very good combination, offering a slight bitterness at the end to offset the sweetness.

If you see these I recommend you pick up a pack, you won't regret it!

Hokkaido Lemon Cheesecake Hi-Chew

The fact that a product or ingredients in a product are derived from Hokkaido always has some kind of extra sales force in Japan. Hokkaido- land of nature and all things natural. Premium dairy products, fresh fish from the ocean, that sort of thing. It has serious selling capacity.

I picked up this Hi-Chew not because it says "Hokkaido" right across the front over an image of Hokkaido, but because of the flavour - Lemon Cheesecake.

I'm having a bit of a cheesecake craving lately and this just seemed to call me. 'Hmm lemon cheesecake hi-chew, that should be interesting' I thought.

The pack has 12 individually wrapped pieces of chewing candy about 2 x 1 centimetres.

The candy itself is a yellow colour, like a pat of butter. It smells like lemon cheesecake.

The flavour at first is like a lemon tart flavour and then half-way through chewing a dairy like flavour, cheese, then milk, emerges. The lemon tang stays present all the way through with the dairy flavours mixed in. It really is a nice chew. The flavours are strong but not overly sweet. The lemon taste is really nice, and not at all fake. Because it's really chewy, it's hard to imagine you are eating cheesecake. Nevertheless, I think it is a great flavour for Hi-Chew, interesting and different from the usual fruit flavours on offer.

If you see these around and you are a fan of cheesecake, I recommend you pick up a pack!

Nanae Sweet Apple Wine Caramel 七重スイートリンゴワイン キャラメル

In the past I have tried some unusual Japanese caramels like Genghis Khan and Vermont Curry. I actually liked them, but most people didn't, especially Yasu.

When I saw this product of Hakodate - Nanae Sweet Apple Wine - in caramel form, I just had to try it.

Nanae Town (七重) is a popular tourist destination on the Oshima Peninsula, just near Hakodate.

Some interesting facts about Nanae:

- Nanae was the first place in Hokkaido to start foreign exchange
- There are many Haiku written about Lake Onuma, one of the two lakes in the area.
- There are 9 festivals in the area throughout the year
- Recommended foods to eat in the area are Fried Pond Smelt (?), Pond Smelt boiled in soy sauce, Apple wine, the local Sake, and Apple pie.

But enough about the history and tourism, onto the tasting.

Each box of caramel has 18 individually wrapped pieces.

The box really smells like apple, and I'm glad to say, it is small and does not create alot of waste with packaging. So that's a good start.

The caramel is slightly harder than a hi-chew candy, but has give when you bite into it.

The first notes are sweetness and a flavour of apple juice. As I chew more I get a slightly caramel flavour, then some salt, followed by sweetness. For some reason, I get a slight aroma of fried onions at the back of my throat, though it's not unpleasant, more savoury than anything. At the end I get a slight tart taste, I guess, that is from real apple wine (1%), contained in this caramel, though it is fleeting and gives way to sweetness once again.

This caramel is not overly apple, nor wine, but it does give hints of both. I thoroughly enjoyed this caramel because it is not overdone.

It gives you a feeling as to what the real apple wine might be like. I'd really like to try the real thing, but since I can't, I'll stick to my apple wine caramels.

The wine on the front of the box is an actual product made by the Hakodate Winery (site is in Japanese only). Looking at the website they also sell Sweet Melon Wine and Sweet Peach wine.

If you visit this site, you can see the other caramels made by the company who made these. Some of them looking pretty interesting too! I can see a few for future posts, maybe.

焼きもろこしと北海道じゃがいも Roasted Corn & Hokkaido Potato Kit Kat Mini's

I bought these two Kit Kat mini bars on ebay (with a few others like Yuzu and Daigaku Imo). These mini bars are regional releases, so they are not available everywhere, and they come in a box of 12 mini's for US $19.99 on ebay, I'm not sure what the regular price of these are in yen, only that they would be less as the seller makes a profit on these. Each mini with 2 small fingers amounts to one regular size finger, so if you buy a box of these you are getting the equivalent of 4 regular boxes of Kit Kat. I would say these are more premium than the average Kit Kat, especially at that price! But for taste? Let's see...

Roasted Corn 焼きもろこし

Upon opening the wrapper I got a very strong cream stew smell. Sort of like sniffing the blocks of cream stew before putting them into the pot. The chocolate was a light yellow coloured white chocolate. First bite revealed a very sweet flavour followed by more of the cream stew flavour. There was a very faint taste of canned corn kernels but overall it was like cream stew with lots of sugar, not really a great combination.






Hokkaido Potato 北海道じゃがいも

When I opened the wrapper I was struck by how artificially white the chocolate was. I guess it was made to look like a potato without skin. The smell was like that of a raw potato just after peeling one. There was a vague smell of potato chips from a packet. As I bit into it there was a huge rush of sweetness, and aftertaste of salt. A bit more into the bar and I could detect a very faint taste of potato, but mostly it was covered by the sweetness and salt. This was very weird! I expected a full-on potato flavour but this was like a flavourless potato covered in sugar and salt.


Neither of these bars met my expectations. What is with that sweetness in both of them? I can understand that corn can be sweet but not like it has been rolled in sugar. Both of these mini bars had very little of the flavour in them that they were represented by. A great let down, and I'm really glad that I didn't buy the boxes of them, that would be a total waste of money. It just goes to show that premium is not always better in this case.