Seed and Bean Lemon and Poppy Seed White Chocolate

Here's another flavor combination I enjoy but had never seen in a chocolate bar before: lemon and poppy seed. It seems so simple, but Seed and Bean has transformed my favorite muffin into a candy bar. Their website is full of fun combinations I'd like to try. Seed and Bean is an English company, and so far I haven't seen their products in any US stores (this bar was given to me by that well-traveled coworker).

Seed and Bean's website invites you to "Experience a chocolate taste sensation in our creamy, dreamy white chocolate bar, with poppy seeds for that earthy crunch and infused with Italian lemon oil for a subtle citrus twist." I'd say they delivered.

The chocolate smelled buttery with hints of lemon. The white chocolate melted smoothly and cleanly, with a hint of natural-tasting lemon flavor. It was a subtle, creamy lemon vanilla. The only drawback for me was it was just on the edge of being too sweet - the white chocolate was about as sweet as I can handle.

The poppy seeds added a fun texture - a little crunch, a little pop. I didn't get much of the earthiness the website mentioned, but the bar did remind me of muffins. It's a pretty safe bet to say that any white chocolate & lemon lover would adore this bar.

A-

Seed and Bean website

Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate (filled with) Speculoos Cookie Spread

People make such a big deal about Trader Joe's Cookie Spread. I bought a jar myself and I was pretty underwhelmed. It was extremely sweet and didn't really work in the same applications as peanut butter. Maybe it wasn't supposed to. In any case, that jar is still sitting on my shelf a year later. It's probably time to throw it away.

The last time I was at Trader Joe's, I saw these cookie butter filled chocolate bars by the checkouts and thought I might give Cookie Butter another try. In a dark chocolate bar, it seemed like it could work.

The dark chocolate didn't have a strong scent, but it was rich and smooth. It wasn't very bitter, but thankfully it wasn't very sweet, either. The cookie butter inside was soft and creamy, with a slight crunch from the cookie bits. The two textures went together very well.

The gingersnap flavor from the cookies came through, though the bar was very mild on the whole. Still, it was very tasty, and I had a hard time stopping after just 2 sections. I was impressed with the level of sweetness, because this bar could have easily gone cloying. It did change my mind about Cookie Butter, though I think I'll stick to the chocolate bar rather than the jar!

A-

Trader Joe's Website

TCHO Mokaccino

Even though I'm not by any means a picky eater anymore, there are some foods I'm not crazy about. Olives, banana-flavored candy, and coffee-flavored candy fall into that category. As a child, I used to hate fish, asparagus, brussels sprouts, and mushrooms, but age has changed my palate and I love them now. Project Olive (in which I try to make myself like olives) has been an abysmal failure thus far, but I'll never give up. My husband thinks that if your first experience with a food is really bad, then it can sour you for life, but if your first experience is amazing, then even poor imitations will remind you of the best version.

By that theory, TCHO's Mokaccino bar is definitely the coffee chocolate bar to try if you're on the fence! It was one of our tasting samples at the World of Chocolate Museum and Cafe, and I was surprised to find that I loved it! My husband was also a fan, so we bought the full bar in the shop. Now if only I could find some really good olives...

The bar had a strong coffee aroma, and strong coffee was the first thing I tasted, too. Although it was almost too bitter at first bite, the rich flavor of the milk chocolate cut away most of the bitterness and acidity, leaving behind a mellow mocha. The combination was great, especially since I'm not usually a huge fan of coffee and chocolate together.

The chocolate itself was incredible, and I just could not get over how smoothly it melted. It wasn't sticky or waxy, and it seemed like there was nothing standing between me and the cocoa butter. For that alone, this bar is worth a little splurge. The hints of caramelized milk were subtle, but with the coffee flavor it really was like drinking a good mocha. Basically it was another stunner from TCHO.

A-

TCHO website

Bourbon Sakuramochi Mochi Chocolat

In a previous post, I mentioned how hard it is to find traditional Japanese sweets outside of Japan. That time, it was mitarashi dango, but here's another one to add to the list: sakuramochi. Sakuramochi are pretty little pink rice cakes filled with sweet red beans and wrapped in pickled sakura (cherry blossom) tree leaves. They might look or taste a little different depending where in Japan you get them, but they are sweet with a subtle very subtle sourness.

Bourbon makes this fancy line of chocolates called もちしょこら (mochi shokora), or Mochi Chocolat. On my last napaJapan purchase, I got the Matcha, Ganache, and Sakuramochi flavors. The thought occurred to me to review the matcha mochi chocolates right after I polished off the whole box, but at least I remembered to do the sakuramochi.

The box contained two separate packs of 4 mochi balls, so if you have some self control, you can share them or at least not eat all at once lest they go stale. I wish the box had contained a little pick or spear because the sticky little mochi were tough to get out of the container. The mochi chocolates smelled a little like fresh cherries with a hint of a sour, pickled aroma - and that's a good thing!

Rest assured that the outer coating was soft, sticky, actual mochi! According to the box, the middle layer of cherry chocolate was made with sakura leaves. It had no chocolate taste whatsoever, just a delicate cherry flavor. The red bean center was nice, adding just a touch of sweetness and a little pleasantly beany texture. The whole thing was a soft, lovely medley of textures and mild flavors.

A-

Bourbon website

Polishing Off the June Skoshbox

The items in this review were provided by a marketing representative.

For the past week or so, I've been reviewing snacks from Skoshbox, a new subscription box service just for Japanese candy, snacks, and trinkets. Let me repeat that I received a promotional box, but I'm not affiliated with Skoshbox and did not (nor will I) receive any compensation for the reviews or for anyone who subscribes. I just think it's a great idea and I want to help spread the word! You can find my previous reviews here and here.

Skoshbox is $12 a month including shipping, and you can find more information at their website. If you do decide to sign up, you can use the code SNACKLUV04 by July 15th to receive a free mystery snack with your first box! Currently, Skoshbox only ships within the US.

UHA High Concentration Milk Candy was a little scary because of my lactose intolerance, but it was nothing a little Lactaid couldn't fix. The hard candy was extremely milky, as expected. It tasted a lot like drinking heavy cream, and it was pleasant and rich. The candy itself melted down slowly and uniformly, leaving no jagged edges as it got smaller.

The Marukawa Orange Fusen Gum came in a set of 4 gumballs in a small box. I split it with my husband, so we both chewed 2 pieces at once. The gum was very soft and smooth, making it a little tricky to blow bubbles. The flavor authentic orange with a little extra sweetness, sort of like a creamsicle. We both loved the gum, and the flavor longevity was about average (less than 5 minutes).

The Shoyu Bite-Sized Senbei had an extremely mild soy sauce flavor that was so subtle, it got a bit lost in the salty and buttery flavors of the crackers. They had a great crunch, but the flavor was a little bland. These would be an excellent introduction to senbei, because some varieties have much more intense flavors.

Since matcha (powdered green tea) is my favorite flavor in the world, the item that had me the most excited was the LOOK Matcha Mousse. It contained two flavors: Matcha Azuki (red bean) Matcha Milk. Unfortunately, the chocolate lost a little something in shipment, and it was a bit dry.

The dry chocolate lost its smooth texture and a bit of its cocoa flavor, but the insides were still intact. The mousse in the Matcha Azuki had a mild flavor, and the sweet red bean gel was sweet and almost jammy. The Matcha Milk mousse was a little creamier and stickier, and the matcha flavor was stronger. I liked both, but liked the Matcha Milk just a bit better. In cooler months, the chocolate would be just fine, but it wasn't up to the journey this time of year.

Despite a few issues with chocolate texture, I loved my June Skoshbox, and I'm definitely going to subscribe. For the overall experience, I give Skoshbox an A-. The only change I could recommend would be fewer chocolate items in warmer months. Still, Skoshbox is a great way to try new Japanese snacks, or to enjoy your old favorites! The June box had a great variety of items, and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next month!

Skoshbox website

Uji Matcha Tirol

Please forgive me, because I'm about to go full-on Japanophile for this review. My college Japanese teacher was trained in chanoyu (tea ceremony), and every year, she would demonstrate tea ceremony for the public. The university had an actual tea room that was designed and donated by a successful alumnus. I'm not sure which style of tea ceremony she did, but it was always fascinating to watch her in the tea ceremony mindset. Every motion was full of purpose.

Everyone got to try the tea, which was made from the powdered green tea leaves (aka matcha), but my professor always asked one student to be her tea ceremony guest for the demonstration, and one year, it was me. Just being the guest required a bit of study, which made watching her perform the ceremony all the more impressive. All I remember is sitting in formal Japanese style, rotating the bowl before I drank the tea, and finding the bitter matcha to be delicious. This whole story leads me to this Uji Matcha Tirol because it reminded me of tea ceremony. A sweet such as yokan (jellied bean paste) is usually served with the matcha to compliment the bitterness of the tea, much like this particular Tirol.

The deep green chocolate was beautiful, and it smelled like matcha and yokan. The chocolate wasn't very sweet at all, and the matcha flavor got stronger as it melted and was bitterest at the finish. The jelly center reminded me very much of yokan, though not quite as beany. It was sweet and lightly flavored, and helped to balance the bitterness of the matcha.

The texture of the chocolate by itself was a bit sticky and soft, and it reminded me of candy melts rather than white chocolate. That was the only issue I had - the chewy center had a pleasant gummy texture, and it cancelled out the slightly odd texture of the chocolate.

A-

Tirol Website

Mindo Cinnamon Rustic Chocolate Bar

My sister and her husband showered me with chocolate this Christmas, including this pretty Mindo Chocolate bar. Mindo is a single origin chocolate company that operates out of Ecuador and Michigan. Take a look at that ingredients list - just the good stuff.

The Cinnamon Rustic bar is a dark chocolate bar (the percentage isn't given, but everything on Mindo's website seems to be either 67 or 77%) with a pretty cinnamon/white chocolate garnish in the center. The bars were also given a lovely dusting of demerera sugar.

The chocolate smelled of cinnamon and dark-roasted coffee beans, and it tasted very fruity with just a bit of acidity (almost like a raspberry). I'm not sure if there was any cinnamon in the bulk chocolate, but I couldn't taste it. The drizzle was sweet and creamy with a mildly spicy cinnamon flavor. Cinnamon can be overpowering, but I wish the cinnamon had been a little stronger, or that the drizzle had been uniform across the whole bar (it looks better on the website).

The bar had an interesting texture. There were sugar crystals throughout the chocolate that gave it a grainy crunch (in a good way - maybe that's what makes it "rustic"). The bar itself had a nice snap and a smooth melt. It had a clean finish with no stickiness or lingering aftertaste. The bites that had both drizzle and chocolate were the best; I just wish there had been more of those bites.

A-

Mindo Chocolate website

Chuao Potato Chip ChocoPod

It's been a long time since I've had a Chuao ChocoPod, so it was a pleasant surprise to find one in my November Birchbox. It's a paid subscription service that ships a box of high-end beauty samples each month, and occasionally, there are edible extras. Prior to this, all I've gotten were nutrition bars, which were nowhere near as tasty as fancy chocolate.

Chuao seems to be one of the more adventurous chocolate companies out there, at least among the brands that are readily available in stores. Furthermore, I have yet to meet a Chuao bar that I don't like.

The streak continues! The ChocoPod had a strong cocoa scent, which is always encouraging for a milk chocolate bar. The chocolate was buttery, and not too sweet (nor was it very sticky). After the initial mild sweetness of the chocolate, the saltiness kicked in.

The saltiness of the kettle chip bits was enhanced ever so slightly by a bit of sea salt, and overall, the salt level was good. It enhanced the buttery qualities of the chocolate, and with the faint potato flavor from the chips, I was almost reminded of mashed potatoes (in a good, chocolatey way). Finally, the chip bits were very crunchy, breaking up the smooth texture of the chocolate quite well.

A-

Chuao website

Thorntons Chocolates

This review is a long-overdue continuation of another review of Thorntons chocolates from my boss. Thankfully, I took good notes when I ate them, and these were so good that they stick out in my memory.

The remaining bars are Orange & Cardamom and Banana & Custard. Thorntons is a brand that I desperately wish I could find in the United States. As it is, I am grateful for the kindness of my boss, who often brings back sweets to share when she visits her family in the United Kingdom.

Orange & Cardamom smelled of cardamom with a hint of orange. Cardamom is such a clean, appealing, and fresh spice, and it was best showcased in the first bite. I wish it hung around longer, because as the chocolate began to melt, both the cardamom and the orange flavors became subtle. The orange oil was never tart, just mildly citrusy. Finally, the texture was just that of smooth, creamy milk chocolate. It melted quickly and cleanly without being too sticky. A-

The bar smelled like banana ice cream, and the white chocolate was mildly sweet with a heavy vanilla custard flavor. I do love to see vanilla bean flecks! Thankfully, banana chips gave the bar its banana flavor, so it was quite authentic. The crunchy banana chips and the creamy white chocolate were complementary. Though the bar was sweet, it was never too sweet, and I was surprised by how much I liked it. My husband, the true banana lover in the house, adored this one. A-

Thorntons Chocolates Website

Salazon Organic Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt & Organic Turbinado Cane Sugar

Wow, that title is a mouthful. Just like the last Salazon bar I reviewed, the word organic has been spammed. Regardless of my own positive or negative connotations with organic food, it was the turbinado cane sugar that sold me on this bar.

I love a good hike in a park, but by no means am I the outdoors type. Salazon markets their chocolate bars as energy food for outdoor adventures, but all that matters to me is that the chocolate tastes good. So far, so good, Salazon.


The glossy bar was gorgeous on both sides and had a rich cocoa scent. There was a slight saltiness at first, and this saltiness increased as I chewed but stopped short of overwhelming the bar. The sugar made it sweeter than a typical dark chocolate bar, also giving the chocolate a slight caramel flavor. Of course, the sugar and salt added a light crunchy texture.

I saved the best for last - this is the creamiest dark chocolate I've ever had! I could not get over the smooth texture of the chocolate. It's worth trying just for that. It was just a tad too salty for my liking, but I'm willing to forgive that because of the wonderful texture. My husband and sister-in-law both really liked this bar, too, and neither took issue with the saltiness.

A-

Salazon website

Butlers Honeycomb Crisp

Lately, Butlers chocolate bars have been popping up in my area superstores. Later, I learned that Butlers is an Irish luxury chocolate brand, but I'm never sure what to expect when I find a new brand at Wal-Mart or Meijer (though I've been pleasantly surprised before). This bar made up my mind for me; how could I resist honeycomb?

My husband was raised on honeycomb. I didn't even know it was edible until I met him (and by edible, he meant 'suck the honey out and chew on the wax until you're bored of it'). My prior exposure was limited to the tasty but not very filling cereal of the same name.


The bar was lumpy on the back (and I love a good textured bar), and the bits of honeycomb and crisp rice revealed themselves when the bar was broken. The milk chocolate itself was firm and only a bit sticky, and it had a nice, mild cocoa flavor (32% cocoa according to the package). Milk chcoolate can put me off at times, but I really enjoyed it here.

The crisp rice and honeycomb bits gave the bar a delightfully flaky texture, as well as a slight caramelized sugar flavor. I didn't really get any honey notes from the bar, but the cocoa and caramel-like flavors melded well without being overly sweet. The crunch was really the stand out feature of this bar, and I was impressed.

A-

Butlers Website

Vosges Amalfi Bar

Though I haven't been blogging as much as I used to, I have continued to sample chocolate avidly. One of the consequences of this blog is that I've become somewhat of a chocolate snob. When I started blogging, I didn't think it was worth it to buy expensive chocolate for myself very often, and now it's no big deal. I still enjoy a Twix bar or Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, but there is simply no comparison to some complex dark chocolate. But more on that in another review.

Having said that, buying the Amalfi white chocolate bar was kind of a gamble. The fact that this one was 36% cocoa, combined with the fact that the local fancy food store had this one on sale, convinced me. Aside from the white chocolate, this bar also features pink peppercorns and lemon zest.


The pink peppercorns were quite mild and not as aromatic as the Dolfin pink peppercorn bar, but the subtle pepper flavor did go well with the tart but not sour lemon zest. Both provided a bit of a woodsy sensation, and I was surprised at how tasty the combination was!

The white chocolate was very well done. It was milky and neither too rich nor too sweet. The texture was smooth, slightly buttery, and thankfully, not sticky. While I don't see myself buying this bar again, it was a pleasant surprise.

A-

Have a look at Rodzilla Reviews, The Food Buster, and Foodette Reviews for more on this bar.

Vosges website

Kanro Pure Lemon Cola

Pure is one of my favorite Japanese candy brands. If you like sour gummies, Pure is definitely worth a look. It's very cheap in Japan (around 100 to 120 yen, if my memory is correct), and pretty cheap in import stores in the USA, too. I bought this flavor at Mitsuwa Marketplace for just under $2.

Since I'm not a big soda drinker, I'm not sure if I've ever had actual lemon cola. I will have to give it a taste on my next Sonic run (preferable to committing to a 2-liter bottle or a 12-pack of cans).


These gummies did not smell good. The lemon scent seemed artificial and bordering on floor cleaner. Thankfully, they tasted much better than they smelled. Both the lemon and cola flavors were distinct and well-executed.

Both flavors were tart and tasty, and the gummies had that firm but chewy texture that I've come to love. The lemon cola flavor was different and fun, and these would be sure to please sour gummy fans.

A-

Pure website

Green & Black’s Classic Collection

Press Sample
It’s about time I continued working on my backlog of reviews. First, a PR representative for Green & Black’s kindly sent the lovely Classic Collection of miniature chocolate bars. The first thing that popped into my head when I saw the tiny bars was that they would be a great size for an American Girl doll (my favorite childhood toy). Maybe that's why I still think miniatures are so fun!

The cutest thing about the bars was that they were perforated, just like a full size bar! Adorable. The perforations worked, too, which is always a plus! The collection includes six varieties: Milk, 70% Cocoa, Ginger, Cherry, Almond, and Toffee. There were two bars of each kind, so I recruited my husband as a guest taster and have included some of his comments below. I should also mention that, to quote the press email, Green & Black's sources high-quality organic and fair trade certified ingredients for all of its bars, and that this collection will be available for $9.99 in US major retailers starting in September.


look how cute these are!
Even though it's a standard flavor, Milk was not my favorite of the set. It's really just my personal preference (which is typically > 60% cocoa or bust). It was very sweet and milky with a sticky melt (which is what my husband likes about milk chocolate). I detected a hint of what almost seemed like mintiness, but it could have been my imagination.

However, when the milk chocolate was combined with Toffee, I loved it. The bar had a nutty, caramelized flavor that went very well with the sweet milk chocolate. The chewy, slight crunch of the toffee was just right (Heath bars are too hard for me). The finish was very sweet, but it went well with the subtly salty toffee.

The Almond bar smelled milky, and the chocolate was soft and sticky. the almond pieces had a tender texture with a slightly crunch coating. The flavors mixed well, and it had a well balanced sweetness.


But you know I was waiting for those dark bars. The Dark 70% bar had a satisfying snap and a nice, sweet start. The middle was fruity and slightly bitter, with the bitterness in the forefront on the finish. It had a lovely smooth melt and hints of toasty marshmallow flavor. It was never too bitter or too sweet, making it a fine specimen of dark chocolate. I'd be tempted to buy this bar alone in full size if I had a dark chocolate craving.

Cherry consisted of dried cherries in dark chocolate, and I was immediately stuck by just how sour the cherries were. My husband and I both love sour cherries, but neither of us were crazy about them here. The cherries struck me as especially tangy against the dark chocolate, and I might have liked it better with a sweeter chocolate to counteract the sour. It might have been because of the small size, because I noticed bites that had more chocolate than cherry were much better.


Finally, the Ginger bar was a standout for both myself and my husband. It totally hit the spot. The 60% cocoa went very well with the sharp and noticeable (but not too strong) ginger pieces. The bar was clean, refreshing, and unique. The ginger added a tasty crunch and spicy flavor without a sinus-clearing burn. I could definitely see this as a great dessert after a pungent meal.

Green & Black's Classic Collection has a lot to offer, with the Toffee, 70% Cocoa, and Ginger bars standing out in particular. While I wasn't crazy about the Cherry, I did appreciate its boldness, and it was really only the Milk that didn't excite me. The Classic Collection felt fresh, and tasting the set was a very enjoyable experience.

A-

Green & Black's website

Product was submitted for review by a PR representative. No compensation was received and the product was reviewed just like any other.

Lotte Wine Chocolat

Mon Cheri is the lofty standard to which I compare all liquor candies. Nothing came close to that intense shot of filling...until now. Lotte's Wine Chocolat was a last minute addition to my most recent napaJapan order, but it blew me away.

With the pink background, sparkly glass of wine, and cute font, the packaging is clearly appealing to a certain type (myself included), but it came up short of the elegant look I think Lotte was going for. The chocolate contains 3.3% alcohol, and the package also reminds consumers to use discretion about driving.


The format was quite similar to Mon Cheri, only on a smaller scale. The milk chocolate shell had a mildly sweet milky flavor, but it was almost irrelevant; the filling was most definitely the star of the show.

The liquid center tasted strongly of sweet, brandy-like liquor. The filling had a slightly fruity flavor that reminded me most of cherries. It was sharp on the tongue and went well with the smooth chocolate. It was a bit on the sweeter side, but that boozy kick was a fantastic surprise!

A-

Lotte website

Tirol Kagami Mochi

This review is about four months late, but this was such a cute promotion that I had to post it. New Year is a very important holiday in Japan, and one of the traditional decorations is called Kagami Mochi. Though they are often very elaborately decorated, the simplest form is just two stacked mochi balls, the top one smaller than the bottom, with a bitter orange on top.

The Tirol version consisted of several small Milk Mochi flavored chocolates with a large Mikan flavored chocolate on top, all encased in plastic shaped like Kagami Mochi. For some reason, Tirol felt the need to include instructions on how to pop out the Mikan piece. Before I even tasted anything, I was extremely amused by the variety of New Year-themed images on the Milk Mochi pieces. I especially liked the cute little Daruma.


Milk Mochi tasted like coconut, according to my husband. The mochi center was chewy, gummy, and slightly sweet, so it was similar to the real thing. The surrounding white chocolate, however, was a bit stiff and chalky. It wasn't too sweet, and did taste like milk or cream. My favorite part was the packaging. B-


The Mikan piece boasted real mikan flavor, and the chocolate smelled very much like oranges. I was thrilled to discover that it had a gel center. The gel was tender and chewy with a tart orange flavor, while the orange chocolate coating reminded me of sherbet. This Tirol reminded me of a punch my mom used to make for church parties (ginger ale, pineapple juice, and orange sherbet - yum). The gel had an odd sort of skin to it, but it did remind me of real fruit. This flavor was tastier than Milk Mochi, but unfortunately, there was only one Mikan in the set. A-

Tirol website

Meiji Marshmallow Chocolate Bar

Here's a neat little bar from Meiji with some nostalgic connections. I'm sure you can guess where I'm going with this: Swiss Miss instant cocoa with mini-marshmallows, a.k.a. the best thing about playing outside in the snow. OK, so it's nowhere near as good as fancy drinking chocolate, but it sure hit the spot after an intense snowball fight or an 8 hour shift of building snow forts. These days, the last thing I want to do when it snows is go outside, but I still hit the cocoa every now and then.

The mini-marshmallows in this bar added a new texture for me. I'm sure other companies have done it, but most marshmallow confections I have tried are chocolate-coated marshmallow (or sugar coated marshmallow, like Peeps, but I'd rather not discuss Peeps), which is usually too much marshmallow for my tastes.


The bar smelled like basic milk chocolate, and really, the chocolate was nothing special. It was milky and sweet with a slightly sticky melt, but it didn't need to be anything more. The marshmallows were what made this bar interesting.

Though I was expecting them to be freeze-dried, the marshmallows were spongy, soft, and light. They added an interesting texture to the chocolate, though not much in the way of taste. Since I've never had anything like it, this bar felt fresh and unique, and both my husband and I enjoyed it.

A-

Tirol White Strawberry and Strawberry Tart Choco

These two Tirol flavors, while both strawberry-related, did not come from the same collection. The White Strawberry came in a box shaped like a large Tirol chocolate (love when they do that), and it was the only flavor included. I can't remember ever having a white strawberry, but I read a bit about pineberries (hybrid strawberry-like berries that taste a bit like pineapple). I'm not sure if they are the same fruit, but it was an interesting read.

Strawberry Tart Choco came in this year's Ichigo ga Ippai collection. Since at least 2009, Tirol has brought out a strawberry-themed variety pack with some repeats and usually at least one new flavor. Have a look at my reviews of the 2009 and 2010 editions, if you like. This time, there was only one new flavor, so I thought I'd combine it with the standalone strawberry.


White Strawberry had an intense strawberry smell when unwrapped. The top inner layer was a thin strawberry gel, which was tart and authentically fruity. Some pieces leaked strawberry gel into their wrappers, adhering the chocolate to the paper - the strawberry flavor was noticeably less intense when this happened. The inner marshmallow layer nice, pillowy texture and a slight sweetness. The white chocolate shell was cool on the tongue and extremely sweet. There were a couple strawberry seeds embedded in the chocolate, but they didn't add much - just a hint of a crunch like the real fruit.

I liked the flavor of the strawberry gel and the texture of the marshmallow very much, but the white chocolate was just too sweet and cloying. Eating them with strong black tea helped to lessen the powerful sweetness, but the white chocolate tarnished an otherwise delicious Tirol. The strawberry flavor was delicious, so I had no trouble finishing the box, but I wish they had been less sweet.

B-


Strawberry Tart Choco had an ever-so-slightly soapy scent and flavor, but the texture was great. The white chocolate shell reminded me of strawberry yogurt, and it wasn't intensely sweet. Inside the chocolate, there was an extra crunchy, flaky biscuit with strawberry-flavored crystals on top. Those crystals were tart and had a nice, authentic flavor and a neat crunch that reminded me of freeze-dried fruit.

This flavor also had seeds embedded in the chocolate, and again, they didn't seem to add much to the experience. I suppose they added to the authenticity, but they really just got stuck in my teeth later. Still, this was my favorite out of the two strawberry flavors in this review, and probably my favorite in the strawberry variety pack.

A-

Tirol Website