Mindo Chocolate Makers Celtic Sea Salt

My sister brought me a Mindo chocolate bar about 2 years ago and I enjoyed it, so when I saw the brand again while shopping in Ann Arbor, MI, I had to pick up another bar. This time, I went with the Celtic Sea Salt. Chocolates from Mindo Chocolate Makers are sold mainly out of Michigan with some limited distribution outside of the state.

You can read all about the company and their products on their website, but definitely try their chocolate if you get a chance. It really speaks for itself!

The best word I can use describe the taste of this bar is "rustic." I don't mean that in a bad way - there is just something about the flavor and the texture that lets you know it was made with care. The chocolate itself was bitter and delicious. The bitterness reminded me a bit of coffee, and it didn't have any fruity notes.

The dark chocolate paired well with the warmth provided by the sea salt. The bar was well balanced overall and melted smoothly to a clean finish. I don't have a whole lot to say except that this was a really great bar! I don't often get up to Michigan, but the next time I do, I will definitely look out for more Mindo.

A

Mindo website

Chuao Ravishing Rocky Road

When I was little, I wouldn't touch a walnut brownie, I omitted the nuts from every dessert recipe, and I never would have picked Rocky Road ice cream. Maybe it was because my mom didn't care for them, but I never gave nuts a chance. Since then, I've seen the error of my ways, and now I fully embrace the use of nuts in edible applications. [Insert your own crude joke here]

Since Chuao is a brand I love and trust, I picked up this Ravishing Rocky Road bar on my last chocolate buying spree. I was expecting big chunks of "stuff" embedded in milk chocolate, and as you can see from the following picture, Chuao did not disappoint. This bar is a craving killer - it hits you with the triple threat: sweet, salty, and chocolate (which is a totally separate craving from sweet).

The chocolate was a rich brown with gorgeous hunks of marshmallow and almond inside. Some bites were just creamy, smooth milk chocolate, and these bites melted easily and without that stickiness that some milk chocolates have. Other bites had the caramelized almonds, which had a great combination of salty and sweet, as well as some nice toasty flavor - all of which went well with the milk chocolate.

Still other bites had mini marshmallows inside, which had a delicate marshmallow flavor that held up all right next to the chocolate. The marshmallows were a bit firm, but the texture didn't bother me. The almonds were my favorite, but I loved the combination of textures and flavors because each bite was a little different. It was a lot like eating Rocky Road ice cream!

A

Chuao website

TCHO Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

This year, my husband and I celebrated our anniversary in Orlando, Florida, or more specifically, at Disney World and Universal Studios. This is not the first anniversary we've celebrated there, and we did our honeymoon there as well, so I guess you could say we're those people. But even those people have their limits, and after 3 days at the parks, we needed a break from the magic.

After a little searching on Yelp, we settled on the World of Chocolate Museum and Cafe. We arrived just in time for the first tour of the day, and the tour guide David was amusing. The admission included a little history on the cultivation and production of chocolate, some massive chocolate sculptures, and finally, a chocolate tasting of about 10 different bars ranging in cocoa content and retail value. If you can't make the tour, this place is at least worth a visit for the impressive array of chocolate bars and truffles in the shop.

Even though the shop carried many of my favorite brands, I wanted to try something new, and the spectacular TCHO packaging and unique flavors caught my eye. I bought a couple flavors, but I'll start with Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. My mom makes a tasty pie, so the tagline, "Like your mom made - then plunged into milk chocolate!" really spoke to me. Sorry that I spazzed and forgot to take a picture of the bar before I devoured it, but that should tell you something!

The chocolate was nice and thick and had a good snap when broken. I could see the chunks of real strawberry and tiny pieces of crust inside the milk chocolate. Right away, it was tart like rhubarb, and then I could taste the sweet, freeze-dried strawberries. The fruit was well-balanced by the subtly sweet, slightly sticky milk chocolate. The melt was clean, leaving real fruit pulp and seeds behind for a great, tart finish. The strawberry was definitely the main player here in terms of taste and texture, while the rhubarb only adds an extra sour kick. I didn't get much of a sense of the crust at all. Still, this was a standout bar, and fans of fruity chocolate will definitely appreciate it!

A-

TCHO website

Fujiya LOOK Chocolate Premium Matcha

The temptation to punctuate the name of this snack is too strong to resist, so here goes. Look, Chocolate! I'm going to guess that's where the name came from, because otherwise, it doesn't make much sense. Not that English brand names in Japan always make sense. Crunky, anyone?

LOOK's matcha varieties haven't always impressed me, but this is Premium Matcha.　Fujiya, the manufacturer of LOOK, released several Premium Matcha snacks this spring, but this was the only one I could find online. I liked the simple, old-fashioned package design.

The chocolate smelled mild, sweet, and milky. It was a soft and slightly sticky milk chocolate with a mild cocoa flavor. In the center was a slightly bitter matcha creme that was almost like a ganache. The mild chocolate was a perfect companion for the subtly bitter flavor of the smooth matcha center; stronger cocoa would have overpowered the tea.

The well-balanced combination was delicate and tasty. Neither the coating nor the filling was overwhelmingly sweet. Both the chocolate and the filling melted smoothly and creamily on the tongue. Premium Matcha LOOK was simple, classic, and delicious.

A

Fujiya LOOK Website

Kingdom Chocolate Double Choc Dark Chocolate Mousse

Well, hello there. Remember me? I used to blog sometimes. It's been a very, very long time, so I will understand if there are no readers left, but I offer my eternal gratitude to anyone who is reading this. I recently finished my masters degree and find myself with a sudden surplus of free time, so it seemed like a good time to revive this old blog.

The chocolate bar up for review today is neither flashy nor innovative, but it was so delicious that it has stuck with me for months. I received it as a gift from a coworker who had just come back from visiting her family in the United Kingdom. The Kingdom Chocolate Double Choc Dark Chocolate Mousse bar promised "Delightfully delicate centres in every chunk" and it delivered. For reference, the company's website describes this bar as "A rich dark chocolate bar with a dark chocolate ganache centre" and a minimum of 61% cocoa solids.

As you can see, the chocolate was a rich, warm brown, and it had a satisfying snap (leaving lots of pretty fracture markings to admire). The filling was well-contained within the thick walls of chocolate, and the bar had a bitter and fudgey scent.

Everything about this bar was satisfying. The thick chocolate was a pleasure to bite into, and the cool, creamy ganache center made each chunk like a little truffle. Once the chocolate started to warm up, the outer layer melted to become every bit as silky and smooth as the ganache. The cocoa flavor was on the mild side of bitter and just a little fruity - I could have done with a bit more bitterness.

Kingdom does offer other bars that are more off the wall (like Milk Chocolate Rhubarb & Vanilla Centre), but I think the Mousse bar should please fans of milk and dark chocolate alike.

A

Kingdom Chocolate website

Trader Joe's Orange Hibiscus Chocolate Bar

This goes back a while, but the Orange Hibiscus chocolate bar was part of the Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Tasting Odyssey. I received a set as part of a Christmas gift from my sister and her husband, and those were some of the best chocolate bars I've had. This one was my favorite, and I'm sorry I didn't get to this review until now.

Trader Joe's did such whimsical packaging for these dark chocolate bars, and while I'm not a huge fan of whimsy, it works here. The little orange bird makes me chuckle. Like the other bars in the set, this one was 70% cocoa - just the way I like it. Unfortunately, the set (and many of the bars in it) was limited edition.

The chocolate had a fantastic, citrusy aroma. At first, I tasted the tart bits of dried fruit, and it almost seemed like candied fruit. There were so many different fruity flavors (and different fruits listed on the package) that calling it an orange bar seems almost inappropriate. That's not a bad thing, just a bit misleading. The bar had a floral aftertaste that reminded me of lavender - probably just because I don't have a point of reference for hibiscus.

The texture of the bar was great, especially since this sort of bar can tend towards grittiness. The dark chocolate had a great snap and a smooth melt. It was mild for dark chocolate - not too bitter or acidic, which let the fruity, floral flavors take the lead. There was none of the soapy flavor that some floral foods have. The bar reminded me of red tea, and it was my favorite in the set!

A

Trader Joe's website

Trader Joe's Caramel with Black Sea Salt

Oh, how I wish I didn't have to drive 30 miles to get to the nearest Trader Joe's. Maybe it's a good thing, because otherwise I might have gone through 4 boxes of their Dark Chocolate Tasting Odyssey by now. My sister and her husband bought a box for me for Christmas, and it's long gone, but I wanted to post a couple reviews of these amazing bars.

The boxes have fun, whimsical packaging to compliment the whimsical, imaginative flavors. All of these flavors are set in 70% cacao for the perfect balance of bitter and sweet. Unfortunately, the set was limited edition, and it is likely gone by now. Hopefully it comes back someday, because there were some real stars in this box.

The Caramel with Black Sea Salt bar was one of those stars. It smelled of rich cocoa and milk. The glossy dark chocolate broke with a satisfying snap and the liquid caramel center only oozed out a little bit. The chocolate had a hint of sea salt to it, and it was rich and smoky rather than fruity and acidic.

The caramel had a strong, toasty flavor that matched the chocolate perfectly. It was a bit too sweet, but the flavor was so bold that I didn't care. There were bits of sea salt in the caramel that added not just flavor but a poppy, crunchy texture as well. This bar was one of my favorites out of the whole set, and I hope it's not gone forever.

A

Trader Joe's website

Seed & Bean Chili & Lime Extra Dark Chocolate

When a chocolate bar has "spicy" in the title, I usually take it with a grain of salt. My husband and I are spicy food junkies and our tolerance for heat is pretty high. So when a chocolate bar actually does have a nice kick to it, it's a very pleasant surprise.

This Seed & Bean bar is another gift my boss brought back from the UK. This bar is organic, fairtrade, and vegan (though it might have traces of milk). While 72% cocoa is not what I'd call "extra dark" it's right where I like my chocolate bars to be. Everyone's got a chili chocolate bar, but this is the first chili lime bar I've tried.

The chocolate was glossy and quite pretty with a nice, hard snap. Right away, I could taste the crisp hint of lime, but as the chocolate melted, the chili heat began to build. This bar was pretty hot! Even after the chocolate was gone, the pleasant burn lingered for several minutes.

The chocolate itself was fantastic. Despite the heat, the bar still had a nice, mildly bitter cocoa flavor. It melted so smoothly and cleanly, leaving just the heat behind. In fact, all of the flavors were very clean, with no odd pepper flavors or sour notes from the lime. If you're not a fan of hot stuff, you may want to skip this one, but it's one of the best spicy bars I've ever had!

A

Seed & Bean website

Justin's Peanut Butter Cups

This pack of Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups was an impulse buy at my local fancy grocer. It wasn't the fact that these are organic that won me over - it was the fact that they are dairy free! I'm willing to put up with the side effects of lactose intolerance for chocolate, but it's nice when I don't have to!

The wrapper isn't too exciting, but it gets the job done. I'll admit to succumbing to the charms of a flashy wrapper, but this is one of those times when the product just speaks for itself.

Even though I had a great experience with these, I must mention that a fellow blogger and Flickr contact had a pack of these that was extremely dry and crumbly.

There are two pictures of the cups because I thought they were just beautiful. The dark chocolate was glossy and I loved the unevenness of the cross-section. The cups smelled dark and distinctly nutty. The dark chocolate had a good snap and a smooth, even melt.

The peanut butter filling was subtly-flavored and soft. It had the right amount of saltiness, and just a hint of sweetness. The balance was great overall, and the texture was smooth, without that oiliness that other peanut butter cups can have. Very good, and did I mention they're dairy free?

A

Justin's Nut Butter Website

Chukar Cherries

My older brother is a cherry enthusiast. Every Christmas, he could count on finding a box of chocolate covered cherries under the Christmas tree with his name on it. You know, the kind with the sticky, syrupy filling, and the remnants of what was once a cherry in the center?¹ These Chukar Cherries are nothing like those.

Appropriately, it was my brother who sent me this box of Chukar Cherries. I feel like I've missed out on so much in life by avoiding chocolate covered fruit, and it was all due to my own misconceptions. These were plump, meaty cherries with intense flavor, covered in lovely, thick chocolate. Here's a little bit about each kind in the box I received.

In the Cabernet Cherry, I didn't really taste the wine, but the tart cherry was wonderful. It was sour at first, but it had a nice bitter flavor. The outside chocolate was thick and only mildly bitter. My husband described this one as fresh.

Classic Cherry had a very sweet and sticky chocolate coating. The cherry within was mild and tender, and sour on the finish. The chocolate reminded me of hot cocoa, but while tasty, this wasn't my favorite of the bunch.

The Black Forest Cherry had a gorgeous dusting of bitter chocolate, and it did taste like black forest cake. The bittersweet cocoa was just right, and the cherry was woodsy with a slightly sour finish. The balance of bitter and sweet was perfect, and this was my favorite of the bunch.

Truffle Cherry was enrobed in sweet and smooth chocolate, with a very sweet, mild cherry center. Like the Classic Cherry, it was by no means bad, just not my favorite.

The Amaretto Rainiers were very sweet with an odd, medicinal note ar the start (probably from the liquor). The cherries were the plumpest of the bunch, but a little overly sweet.

Cherry Rouge had a strong cherry flavor, though my husband thought it was reminiscent of strawberries. These were nice and tart, but I didn't love the extra cherry flavor.

On the whole, I loved the thick chocolate, and the dried cherries in the center were wonderful. It seems a shame to call them dried cherries, because they were so plump and tender! The dark chocolate-covered varieties were definitely my favorites. Chukar Cherries are a Washington specialty, but they are easy to order online.

A

Chukar Cherries Website

---

¹ I have heard that some people, for example my brother and my husband, do like cherry cordials.

Thorntons Chocolates

Dear readers, you may recall that my boss visits her family in the United Kingdom once or twice a year, and she is so kind that she often brings me some chocolate back "in exchange" for watering her plants while she's away. I firmly insist that this arrangement is lopsided in my favor, but I very much appreciate the chocolate.

Today, I'm reviewing two of the four bars pictured above, and the other two will be posted soon. I started with the Bakewell Tart, because it just sounded delicious, and Sea Salt & Lemon, because the combination was new to me. Both are milk chocolate bars, and they came very highly recommended by my boss and her husband.


The packaging for this bar is adorable, and the description alone sounded delightful. It certainly delivered on aroma, smelling of milk and almonds. Although the bar got a bit damaged in transit, you can see the raspberry bits and waffle pieces embedded in the milk chocolate. The almond flavor was along the lines of amaretto, sweet and almost cherry-like, which was a perfect companion for the tarter raspberry pieces.

The chocolate was sweet and a bit sticky, but the milky flavor went well with the fruit. The waffle pieces added a wonderful crunch, though I wasn't crazy about the texture of the raspberry seeds. Overall, every flavor was executed wonderfully and those flavors melded for a delicious bar. A


Lemon & Sea Salt fared a bit better in transit, which was great, because the design on the bar was very pretty. The snap of the bar was firm for milk chocolate, and there was a slight lemony aroma. The salt was  sparse, but so good with the lemon. I never would have guessed (but I should have, as I love a salt rimmed margarita)! It was a bit sour, a bit salty, and wonderful.

The chocolate was rich, smooth, and delicious. For some reason, I didn't feel like this bar was sticky, even though the cocoa percentage and source were the same as the Bakewell Tart. The salt added a tiny crunch to break up the smooth texture. Finally, the finish was nice and clean. I was so sad to see this bar go! A+

Thorntons website

Doug's Nuts

Press Sample
Who doesn't love a good nut joke? Doug's Nuts call out to the snickering kid in all of us with their interesting directions for consuming their product: Place Doug's Nuts gently into warm, expectant palm. But jokes aside, there's nothing childish about snacking on nuts! In fact, it's downright healthy.

Doug's Nuts come from the small startup of Happy Nibbles, located in Eugene, Oregon. According to their website, many of the nuts used in the mix are local to that area. The mix contains almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and pecans, and they are flavored with vanilla, honey, and oatmeal stout. Most importantly, I want you to know that this sample was sent by Doug's Nuts for review.

Eating in small handfuls, I could mainly taste the peanuts and hazelnuts, but also the vanilla in the glaze. Still, the best way for me to tackle a product like this is to go through each nut, one by one, because that's how I usually eat mixed nuts.


The pumpkin seeds were green and wonderful. They had a slightly sweet, toasty flavor that went very well with the slight saltiness and subtle caramelized flavor of the glaze, and I loved the vanilla aroma on the finish. The seeds were mild with a lovely crunch – I could eat a ton of these.

On that note, the almonds were also one of the stand-out nuts in this mix. They were plump and had just the right crunch, and the mildly woodsy flavor was also excellently matched with the glaze. The slight saltiness from the sea salt was perfect!

Walnuts have an earthier, slightly bitter flavor that almost overpowered the subtle seasoning in this mix. Walnuts aren’t my favorite, but they were done well here.

In this mix, the cashews didn’t blow me away. They were good, but not outstanding like some of the other nuts. I suppose I was expecting them to be crunchier, and the glaze seemed to add less here.

The pecans were excellent – I really got a sense of the vanilla and oatmeal stout in the glaze, and the texture was lovely – nice and crunchy! Wow – can I make a pie out of these?

Full disclosure – I just don’t care for hazelnuts, but that’s how mixed nuts go, isn’t it? The glaze went well with the strong, earthy flavor, and my husband loved them. He’s the hazelnut lover in the house, so please take his word for them.

In this mix, the peanuts were very earthy and flavorful (but not bitter). They were extremely well-roasted, noticeably better than the average peanut! The seasoning was just a bit player for the peanuts, but I was okay with that because the nuts were toasty and wonderful.

Both my husband and myself really enjoyed this mix. He liked every nut and ate handfuls at a time, whereas I ate around the hazelnuts (and sometimes the walnuts), but that's just my personal tastes. The subtle flavor of the glaze was just lovely, rounding out a tasty, filling snack. If you try Doug's Nuts, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

A

Doug's Nuts

Dolfin Noir au Poivre Rose

I think I have a new favorite brand. My sister gave me Dolfin's Noir au Poivre Rose (Black with Pink Pepper) for my birthday, and it was the first time I had seen the brand. Sometimes chocolate sits around at home because I have so much, but I prioritized this bar because it was so pretty. There's still a bit of wrapping paper stuck to the package in my picture because I was in such a hurry to eat the bar.

The whole experience, from opening the package to finishing the bar, was delightful. The wrapper reminded me of a checkbook (maybe it's a bit overpackaged). The bar itself was wrapped in a liner that reminded me of old-fashioned wallpaper. It was so cute and elegant!


Oh, the chocolate. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed chocolate this much. The bar had a strong peppercorn scent that carried over into the flavor. The pepper was more aromatic than spicy, and it was absolutely perfect with the dark chocolate.


Speaking of the chocolate, it was some of the best dark chocolate I've ever had. It was nutty and only mildly bitter, with very little fruitiness. The middle notes were sweet and creamy, and the finish was bitter and clean. The pepper even cleared my sinuses a bit, but I didn't find it to be too strong.

My husband had one complaint: the slightly gritty texture of the peppercorns reminded him of dirt at times. The texture didn't bother me. After this bar was gone, I promptly ordered more Dolfin chocolate, and, as you'll see in upcoming reviews, I was not disappointed.

A

Dolfin website

Vosges Exotic Caramels

On our Las Vegas vacation this summer, my husband sat in his first real Texas Hold 'Em tournament. The stakes were pretty low (none of that televised business), but he's always wanted to try a Vegas tournament. This meant he would be at that casino for several hours, so after watching the first hand and wishing him luck, I embarked on a shopping trip.

Of course, I found myself at the Vosges store inside the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace, and after sampling three different chocolates and exploring the store, I couldn't shake my curiosity about their Exotic Caramels. Since I couldn't limit myself to just one or two flavors, I bought the whole set.

The box was a colorful smorgasbord of caramels, nine varieties in total. Vosges is always a splurge, and at $29 US, this set was no exception. Maybe it was just the Las Vegas spirit that compelled me to buy it. I'm not a big gambler - at least when I go shopping, everyone wins. Reading the flavor descriptions alone was worth at least a dollar. 

I forgot to photograph each one individually, but let's start in the lower left corner of the picture above. Canadian maple sugar + maple syrup + walnuts + dark chocolate didn't seem that exotic to me. The maple wasn't very strong, but the rich caramel still reminded me of pancakes. It was smooth and a little salty with a nice crunch from the walnuts. Dark chocolate was a good match, and the coating was smooth and mild. The salty-sweet balance was nice, and this one would please even a timid palate.

The next caramel to the right was Blood orange + Campari + dark chocolate + hibiscus powder. That's more like it! Campari is an Italian bitters made from fruit and herbs, and I've never tried it, but Wikipedia says it is bitter, spicy, and sweet. The red coating was lovely and had a sour, floral flavor. The caramel was very soft and fruity with a citrus finish that reminded me of lemonade or jelly fruit slices. It was quite complex, and complemented by the dark chocolate coating.

Rounding out the bottom row was Aboriginal anise myrtle + dark chocolate, and I did manage to photograph this one. After a bad experience tasting Absinthe, I lost my liking for anise, so I was wary, but the flavor in this caramel was very pleasant. The bitter chocolate stood out, but the mild licoricey anise was noticeable especially in the mid to end notes. It was surprisingly tasty, despite my distaste for anise and it being the last caramel I sampled (two months after buying the box). The chocolate sagged a bit over time, but the flavor still wowed me, so I doubt any real damage occurred.

The leftmost caramel in the middle row was Hawaiian red sea salt + milk chocolate + li hing powder. Again, Wikipedia was required: li hing powder is a red powder that covers dried salty li hing mui (plums). Despite not knowing what it would taste like, the li hing was easy to detect. The sea salt combined with the li hing gave this caramel a complex salty-sour-sweet flavor. The milk chocolate was on the sweeter side, but it helped to balance the extremely salty finish.

In the center, Mexican guajillo chilies + licorice root + dark chocolate + organic pumpkin seeds had the longest name. It smelled woodsy, and the dark chocolate felt deep and smooth. The pumpkin seeds were dispersed throughout the melty caramel, giving it a tender crunch. The chilies gave it a nice heat on the finish. I didn't get a sense of the licorice root, but it was still a standout piece.

To the right was the strangest caramel in the collection: Tupelo honey + milk chocolate + bee pollen. It was the first one I tried because it seemed the "most" exotic. The pollen beads were floral, slightly bitter, and maybe a little waxy. The honey felt warm and was not overly sweet. It seemed very filling compared to the other caramels!

Rose water + pink peppercorns + dark chocolate + red rose petal was in the upper left corner, and I loved the rose petal garnish. It was aromatic and floral, but the peppercorn gave it an intense kick! It was unexpected and delicious. The rose was delicate but easy to detect, and well matched to the subtly sweet caramel.

In the upper middle, Brazil nuts + South American cocoa nibs + dark chocolate had the most crunch of any of the truffles. Brazil nuts have an earthy flavor that I have never enjoyed on its own, but when mixed with sweet and creamy caramel, I had no objections. The cocoa nibs added a hint of bitter fruitiness to the nutty flavor, and all together it was comforting and easy to eat. This caramel seemed firmer than the others.

Finally, Argentine dulce de leche + Costa Rican cashews + milk chocolate was one of my favorites. Although the sources of the ingredients are exotic, this one didn't push and flavor boundaries; it was just extremely well executed. The milky caramel was refreshingly simple, with the slightly bitter nuts at the front of the flavor. It was rich and creamy, and neither too salty not too sweet.

Any food lover would enjoy this set. It was such a pleasure to taste, and there is not a single bad caramel in the bunch. Words like delectable, delightful, savory, and complex easily spring to mind. Am I gushing? Yeah. Is this set worth $29? Without a doubt.

A

Vosges website

Gimbal's Sour Lovers

Press Sample
My candy stash has been woefully low for the past month, and my blogging has suffered as a result. Well, this review is just the thing to recharge my blogging spirit. Not long after posting a review of the highly disappointing Nobel Blueberry Sours, a PR representative for Gimbal's candy offered me samples of Sour Lovers gummies. In other words, the product in this review was provided by a PR company, but I promise that I treated it just like any other candy I review.

I had never seen Gimbal's products in stores and only vaguely remembered reading a review of earlier products on Candy Blog, but now that I've had Sour Lovers, I'm afraid I'm hooked. Sour gummies have been one of my favorite candy categories since I was a kid, and Gimbal's did an amazing job. There were 12 distinct flavors, and I liked every single one of them.


Meyer Lemon was tart and tangy, with just the right amount of sour - enough to make you pucker just a tad, but in a pleasant way. The flavor had a zesty, citrus feel without tasting at all like a cleaning product.

Georgia Peach had a distinct peach flavor, and while it was sour, it was a bit sweeter and fruitier than many of the other flavors.

Watermelon had that classic watermelon candy flavor (real watermelon never tastes that intense), charged up with a nice sourness. That's another great thing about these candies - they are sour throughout, not just in the outer sugar coating.

Bing Cherry fell somewhere between real cherries and cherry Kool-Aid. It had a nice, rich flavor and a great sour/sweet balance.

Mango was one of my favorites of the bunch. It reminded me so much of real mango that it almost seemed pulpy.

I'm not sure why Sour Blueberry was named as it was; all of the flavors are sour! But anyhow, this one was tart and just a bit bitter (but in a good way, like real berries). It was a good blueberry, but if I didn't know, my guess would have been raspberry.

Strawberry Daiquiri had a lovely sweet strawberry flavor, and it felt pretty authentic. It seemed to have some citrus as well, making it extra sour.

Fuji Apple tasted a lot like apple juice. It was sour and fruity, but if I had to pick a least favorite flavor, this would be it. I didn't have any trouble eating it, though.

Baja Margarita tasted just like margarita mixers from grocery stores. To give you an idea of the flavor authenticity, if you are nursing a hangover, you may want to skip this one until you feel better. It definitely packed more than just lime flavor!

Pomegranate had an earthy, juicy flavor that was richer than the cherry. It was the least sweet of the bag, but I'm afraid it's been so long since I've had pomegranate seeds that I can't comment on the flavor well.

Tangerine was extra sour and extra citrusy. It had that classic vitamin C-laden flavor I used to crave as a child and still enjoy. This was another top flavor.

Grapefruit was sweeter than the real thing. It was tart, but less so than Tangerine or Meyer Lemon. It had just enough grapefruit bitterness to give the right effect.

I'm so glad I got to try these. As a sour candy lover, I can say Sour Loves definitely got it right. The texture of the gummies was thick and sticky, a bit like a fruit gem. I found that about 6-8 gummies at a time hit the spot, so I took several days to review these properly. Every single time I tried them, I was impressed.

I should also mention that both Gimbal's Sour Lovers and the Gimbal's factory are free of just about every common food allergen (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, gluten, soy, fish, and shell fish), and Sour Lovers are kosher pareve.

The only minor annoyance was that they got stuck in my teeth, making me want to brush. I can certainly forgive that - it's candy, after all. Everyone I shared these with (my husband, my father, my boss, and some coworkers) enjoyed them - though my husband wanted me to leave the bag open and let them get a little stale because he claims it improves the texture. Honestly, once the bag is open, I'm not sure I could make them last long enough to get stale!

A

Gimbal's Fine Candies website

Tirol Matcha Soy Latte and Peach Pie

I am such a sucker for new flavors of Tirol, and I can't resist matcha anything, so purchasing these flavors from napaJapan was an easy decision. It's slowly getting warmer where I live, meaning the end of chocolate shipping season is in sight and I need to get all my orders in soon before I come home to a pile of melted KitKats!

Matcha Soy Latte sounds like it was made for me (I don't get along with lactose), although I'm certain it was made with milk. Peach Pie sounded more like something my sister would love, but since last year's Apple Pie Tirol was so well executed, it seemed worth a taste.


Even though I love actual peaches, peach-flavored candy and chocolate often doesn't agree with me. In Tirol's Peach Pie, the flavor was pretty good. The white chocolate felt cool to the tongue and had a mildly sweet flavor, but I was reminded a bit of artificial sweetener. There were chunks of peach gel and "crust" crumbles in the chocolate, and the piece pieces alone had a good, fairly authentic flavor. The crumbles added a crunch that reminded me of soft granola, but they didn't add much flavor. It was nothing like the peach pie I'm used to, but still a good, unique Tirol flavor. My husband really liked this one. B


If my heart made its own Tirol flavor, it would be Matcha Soy Latte. The chocolate was a bold, grassy green with a white stripe in the center, and it smelled like milky green tea. I was delighted to find the matcha flavor stronger than the average green tea chocolate. It was slightly bitter but well balanced with some sweetness. Inside the flavored white chocolate, there was a gummy center that added a fun texture and a mildly sweet flavor (perhaps this was supposed to represent soy milk). I really enjoyed the strong matcha flavor, but didn't get much of a sense of soy milk. It's possible that it pulled a bit more vanilla than normal, but I'm not sure. A

Japanese Snack Reviews also reviewed the Matcha Soy Latte Tirol.

Tirol website

Damian Allsop CH2OCOLATES Cinnamon & Lemon (Cola) Compact Bar

When my sister-in-law visited London, she said she took great care in finding me a special treat as a souvenir. She's such a sweetheart, and she found the perfect thing: chocolate made without cream and butter! She picked up this bar with the help of a gracious employee at Liberty, and it was made by Damian Allsop Chocolates.

The idea that such a thing exists had never even occurred to me, but this chocolate is made with water. In addition, the flavor combination of lemon, cinnamon, and cola felt fresh and unique. The chocolate was a lovely taupe color, freckled with cinnamon and popping candy.


The chocolate itself was firm with a light, soft melt. The first flavor I tasted was a mildly sour lemon. As the white chocolate melted, its flavor emerged, along with a hint of cinnamon, reminding me of a cinnamon roll. The white chocolate was unlike any other white chocolate I've had. It wasn't too sweet, and had a rich vanilla flavor that went well with the cinnamon.

Finally, the cola flavor was present in crunchy popping candy. It had a fruity, cola flavor with a hint of molasses, and the gentle popping candy made for a fun finish. The chocolate wasn't sticky and had a clean finish. The CD-style shape and packaging were cute, but with a product this tasty and unique, it felt like a bit much; the chocolate spoke for itself.

A

Damian Allsop Chocolates website

Fujiya LOOK Italian Dolce

First, I hope all readers living in Japan are all right after the horrible earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear instability, and that those with friends and family in Japan have made contact with them. Thankfully, my friends and coworkers in Japan are all right, as many of them live south of the devastated areas. My heart and thoughts are with those who were not so lucky. It will probably be a long time before the damage to the country can really be assessed.


Chocolate and chocolate reviews are definite mood boosters, so I'll get right back on track. Even though I posted reviews of other LOOK assortments first, this is the first LOOK assortment I tried after my long LOOK boycott.

The package contained four flavors: Tiramisu, Mont Bianco, Espresso Mousse, and Delectica Limone. I think that last one is basically a lemon tart. I've always been wary of coffee and espresso flavored candy, but it has been growing on me lately.


Delizia Limone seemed like my safest bet, so I started with that. The milk chocolate coating was sticky, but the lemon cream center was tart and cakey with crunchy candy bits. It was really tasty, and my favorite of the bunch.

Espresso Mousse had a good, slightly bitter espresso flavor and a truffle-like filling, but it didn't wow me like the lemon flavor did. Again, the milk chocolate was sticky and sweet, but the bitter-sweet balance was all right.


Mont Bianco was delicious with a delicate chestnut flavor. It wasn't too sweet or too subtle, and it had a very refined feel. It was a close second favorite!

Tiramisu was my husband's favorite. Of all the tiramisu chocolates I've tried recently, it was probably the best. Though sweeter that the other flavors in the pack, the mascarpone cheese flavor was just right, and the milky, creamy center was delicious.

To sum it up, if you can still find this LOOK assortment, get it! Here are reviews from Japanese Snack Reviews and Sweets Blog.

A-

Fujiya LOOK website

Tirol Mini Variety Pack

Diving right into my new Tirol selection, I'll start with this mini variety pack. Of the 3 flavors, 2 are new to me: Mango and Pachi-Can (popping candy) Soda. Milk is a classic Tirol flavor that I've had many times before but never reviewed.

I'm not sure why the bag says Thank You, but I guess it's Tirol's way of thanking anyone who purchases their products. Well, Tirol is most certainly welcome (though I can't really accept their thanks, since this was a gift), and the brand has such a good track record that I'd like to thank Tirol, too.


Tirol flavors with gummy centers rarely disappoint, and Mango was no exception. The white chocolate had a mild mango flavor, and it wasn't too sweet. The center was tart and authentically mango. The texture reminded me of the actual fruit, and Mango was definitely my favorite flavor in the bag. A


Pachi-Can Soda smelled and tasted like the Japanese soda Ramune, but the white chocolate was slightly soapy and floral. Despite that, this one was packed with tart, citrusy popping candy. It was really original and fun! The pops weren't too intense, and the tartness of the candy helped the chocolate taste better. B


Milk is not my favorite Tirol flavor. The best thing about it is probably this little cow on the wrapper. Milk didn't really seem to go with the set, since the other chocolates were fruity (and Milk unfortunately seemed to pick up some of the soda flavor during storage). The milk chocolate was very creamy, enhanced by the milk-flavored center, but it has a very mild and slightly soured flavor that I don't enjoy. C+

Tirol Website