Nestle Yakiimo KitKat Bar

I've been hanging onto this Grilled Sweet Potato KitKat for a while, as it was the last thing in my candy stash, and the only KitKat I've had recently. I've restocked my stash, but I haven't bought any new KitKats as it's been too hot to have them shipped to my house.

Summer is in full swing where I live. Even in my air-conditioned house, my cats stretch out as far as they possibly can on the kitchen floor for maximum cooling. Forgive me a little cat tangent, but my cats have a really funny way of stretching out. They both do it.

The Yakiimo KitKat smelled like potato, but it tasted a bit like lemon. The white chocolate coating on the large bar was very thick, and had an extremely mild flavor. I didn't taste the potato much, just a hint at right away (mostly attributed to the scent).

I liked the lemony, sweet flavor, and the buttery texture of the chocolate was nice. It didn't seem too sweet, but there wasn't much going on in terms of flavor at all. It reminded me very much of the Daigakuimo KitKat, but since both were sweet potato-based, that's not surprising. It was good, but bland.

B-

KitKat website

Nestle Daigaku Imo KitKat

Nestle has been recycling KitKat flavors in Japan again, but in this case, it worked out to my advantage. I didn't get to try the candied sweet potato (daigaku imo in Japanese) KitKat the first time around.

I've never had daigaku imo before, but the idea reminds me of the canned candied yams often served in American Thanksgiving dinners - even though I know that's way off (no soy sauce in candied yams, for instance). I looked at this recipe to get an idea of how daigaku imo would taste, but I'll have to try making it soon.


This white chocolate-based KitKat had an odd, buttery smell that reminded me of the Roasted Corn KitKat from 2 years ago. Thankfully, this buttery scent didn't carry over into the flavor. The white chocolate tasted almost lemony with maybe just a hint of sweet potato.

It was very sweet, as white chocolate KitKats often are, but the flavor was pretty good. I couldn't really pin the flavor down, and I would never have guessed that it was supposed to be candied sweet potato. Maybe that's because I've never had the real thing, but all I tasted was a mildly lemony white chocolate KitKat.

B

KitKat website

Ichimi KitKat

Shichimi Togarashi (seven flavor chili pepper) is a staple in my kitchen. It's a spicy seasoning that is typically made from seven ingredients, one of them being red pepper flakes. It's delicious on udon and ramen, and I sometimes use it on curry or donburi.

Ichimi Togarashi (one flavor chili pepper) is also available, but it's just red pepper. Shichimi has more of a distinctly Japanese flavor with the added nori and sesame seeds, but those flavors might muddle up a KitKat, so Ichimi was probably a better choice for a flavoring.


I could smell the pepper right away. The chocolate was a bit bloomed from its journey (since it was shipped at a time when it was still fairly warm in that part of Japan but cold where I live), and it looked like dark chocolate.

The red pepper had a nice, slow-building heat that was noticeable but not too strong. Dark chocolate was definitely a good choice for this flavor; the slight bitterness went well with the pepper flavor. I wish I had ordered more than just one mini bar!

B+

KitKat website

Nestle KitKat Kokutou and Kinako

First, just a quick reminder: please enter my Trident Gum Contest! Moving on, if I'm not mistaken, this is the 50th KitKat review on Snack Love! As luck would have it, it's a very good KitKat. I purchased mine at napaJapan ($1.99 for 2 mini bars), and as of now, they are still available for purchase.

There's just something so sophisticated about bitter chocolate, and even though KitKat isn't a sophisticated, classy brand, they have released some very grown-up flavors this year in Japan. Add Kokutou and Kinako (black sugar and soy bean flour) to that list! Although it translates to black sugar, kokutou is a dark brown sugar with a rich, bitter flavor, often associated with Okinawa.


The bar smelled strongly of molasses, and the first bite was pleasantly bitter. The bitterness reminded me of coffee, and the milk chocolate was a lovely, sweet companion. The balance of flavors was fantastic! A hint of kinako was detectable only in the background, but it did give a certain nuttiness to the bar.

It was definitely unlike other KitKats I've tried, and I think it would please an adult palate, especially if that adult was a fan of molasses. I just couldn't get over that delicious initial bitter kick! It's definitely one of the best KitKats I've tried this year, if not of all time.

A

Check out a review of the first generation of this bar at Japanese Snack Reviews and the re-release at Jen Ken's Kit Kat Blog.

Nestle KitKat website

Nestle Salt and Caramel KitKat

This flavor has been recycled many times since Nestle Japan started selling limited edition KitKats, but this might be the first time I've tried it. Salted caramels were quite trendy a few years ago, and even though the sweets industry has mostly moved on, the combination is still good.

The packaging feels a little nautical, and I like that. My bar was a little melted, since it came from Japan in the summer (and I'm just getting around to it, yikes), but it still had its structural integrity, so I doubt the flavor was affected.


The chocolate had a strong caramel scent with just a hint of salt. When I bit into it, it was apparent that the wafers were very salty and that the caramel flavor seemed to come from the chocolate. The two tastes came together nicely for a savory flavor.

I do enjoy the ratio of wafer to chocolate in the larger KitKat, especially when the flavors are done well. The salt mostly kept the sweetness of the milk chocolate in check, and the bar easily defeated my craving for salty/sweet.

B+

KitKat website

Nestle KitKat Framboise

This is the last of the September KitKat series, and Framboise is definitely my favorite. Like Semisweet and Bitter Almond, this one also seems to be tailored to adults, although it's probably more kid-friendly than the previous two.

This fall, I'm taking a French class one night a week. In high school, I studied French all four years, but switched to Japanese in college. My French suffered as a result, but at least I still remember that framboise means raspberry. Don't ask me to say "last week" in French though, because I'm totally drawing a blank. Hopefully we'll get to that in this week's class.


Both the scent and flavor of this KitKat were very strong (and pretty authentic). The flavor was more like raspberry liqueur than the actual fruit, but I was blown away by how the framboise came through the chocolate. It reminded me of Chambord, although I should note that the KitKat didn't taste boozy.

The milk chocolate was creamy and smooth, and the raspberry flavor between the wafers was tart and delicate. It was a little sweet, but I really enjoyed it. Raspberry and chocolate are a classic combination, and this KitKat is a great example of why it works so well.

A

KitKat website

Nestle Semisweet KitKat

Well, since I mentioned the other KitKats, I may as well review them all in a row. I still have several treats to sample and review from my generous package from Tsunami.hk, but even with tasting notes, I think it's best to review things while they are fresh in my memory.

This Semisweet KitKat was purchased from an Asian grocer in Richmond, British Columbia. As I mentioned, the one rainy day of my vacation spent in Vancouver was not very productive, except for the KitKats I acquired (oh, and eating kabocha croquette at Guu).


The very stylish box promised sweetness in moderation, and the KitKat delivered. The chocolate smelled bittersweet and strong, and the cocoa tasted slightly fruity. It was an interesting flavor balance with the wafers, but the snap of the darker chocolate was a great texture match.

Semisweet was easy to eat and very enjoyable. It reminded me of Bitter Almond, only less sweet. Nestle was going for a more adult flavor, and I'd say they nailed it. If this flavor was permanent (and available in the US), I could see myself buying it often.

A-

Nestle website

Nestle Bitter Almond KitKat

My husband and I visited Vancouver, BC during our Seattle vacation, and I can tell you that if you go there, one day is not enough time. It was my fault for overscheduling our trip, but all we really got to do was walk around the various Asian malls in Richmond. It was raining all day anyway, so it worked out rather well.

During those shopping walks, I picked up a couple Japanese KitKats that I hadn't tried yet. These are more recent than the Milk Coffee KitKat I reviewed two weeks after expiration, but they aren't brand new, either. First up is Bitter Almond.


The bars smelled of slightly bitter cocoa. Just like on the package, I could see flecks of slivered almond just below the surface of the chocolate. The almond flavor was entirely on the roasted side of the spectrum (with none of the cherry notes I love), but that was probably a better match for the slightly bitter cocoa.

The almonds added an extra crunch to the texture, and the flavors went together very well. It reminded me of Almond Crush Pocky, only not as good. Stronger almond flavors probably would have won me over, but in the end, this KitKat was good but not great.

B

KitKat website

Nestle Milk Coffee KitKat

This Milk Coffee KitKat has been hanging around in my candy cupboard for a while now, and the only thing that really stopped me from eating it was that I had too many other options. This was a spring flavor, and it's not officially fall yet, so I'm only 1 season late, right?

For the record, this KitKat was slightly expired when I pulled it from my stash, but I don't think it affected the flavor. It might have affected the scent, but more on that later. I got a few new KitKats on vacation and decided that it wasn't fair to review the new ones before this one.


The packaging really drew me in because I love pink, but it didn't really say "coffee" to me. The bars definitely smelled like coffee, along with a hint of cheese (not sure if that's normal). Thankfully, there was no cheese taste - just the flavor of nice, mild coffee with a rather sweet cream.

Coffee chocolates usually aren't my favorite, but this one was surprisingly tasty. The sweetness of the white chocolate was offset by the bitterness of the coffee, with neither flavor dominating. I think it'd be nice with a little black coffee or espresso on the side. If I had a KitKat top 10, I don't think Milk Coffee would make the cut, but it was still an enjoyable flavor.

B

KitKat website

Matcha KitKat Bar

Despite having tried pretty much every matcha offering from Nestle Japan since 2006 (they haven't changed much), I can't say no to green tea, so the matcha KitKat bar was a natural choice for me in my most recent order from NapaJapan. It's gotten too hot to ship chocolate, but I'd been saving this for a day when I needed a pick me up.

Another reason I saved the bar was its large size; 263 is a lot of calories to eat at once, especially compared to a normal 4 finger KitKat. I ended up splitting it with my husband.


The bar smelled the same as the smaller matcha KitKats, and at first, I loved that there was a ton of matcha chocolate. After a couple bites, though, it was too much of a good thing. The large size really made the white chocolate overwhelmingly sweet.

Still, the matcha flavor was good. It was subtly floral and mild in the chocolate, but stronger and almost like real matcha powder between the wafers. It was subtly floral, as usual, but I must say that the miniature version is much better. There was just too much chocolate and not enough wafer in the big bar.

B-

KitKat website

Wonka Fruit Exceptionals Grapefruit

That sexy package in the picture is from Wonka's fancy new line of products, Wonka Exceptionals. The whimsical packaging definitely evokes images of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, if you prefer).

Movies that scared me when I was little aside, I must mention that whimsy comes at a cost - the tiny gummy cubes came in a bag in a box within a box. At least the pieces themselves were very cute, and that's a plus for me.


The candies smelled strongly of grapefruit zest, and they had a nice, authentic flavor as well. As such, it was quite tart and a bit bitter, and I think Wonka may have overcompensated with sweetness. I really liked them, but they hurt my teeth a bit to eat.

The gummies had the texture of fruit gems or jelly fruit slices, which is my favorite texture for a gummy. They were a bit sticky, but still held their shape well. The accuracy of the flavor reminded me of the Japanese Pure gummies. If these hadn't been so sweet, I'd give them an A+.

A-

Wonka Website

Nestle Mixed Juice KitKat

Every time I review a snack, I try to approach it with an open mind. Whether it's something I know well or something I suspect I won't like, it helps to try and forget expectations and taste as if everything were brand new. Of course, a little prejudice is normal and unavoidable - taste buds are strongly tied to memory.

I ordered some Mixed Juice KitKats from NapaJapan, knowing full well that they wouldn't be a likely hit with me. It was quite a challenge to forget that notion as I sampled it, but review blogs are 99% subjective, so I don't feel too bad about it.


The KitKat smelled like sweet fruity cream, and at first, all I could taste was white chocolate. After the chocolate melted a bit, the fruit flavors emerged, but I could only pick out banana and a hint of peach. When mixed in with other fruits, banana tends to dominate, so I wasn't surprised.

It wasn't bad, just very sweet and heavy on the banana. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of the vegetable juice KitKat of last year, without the nasty aftertaste. Overall, it was a forgettable KitKat and one of the weaker offerings so far this year.

Check out more reviews at Jen's KitKat Blog, Japanese Snack Reviews, Tasty Japan, and Razterized.

C+

KitKat website

Nestle Maple KitKat

Maple makes me think of family trips to Canada and those touristy packages of maple sugar pressed into the shape of maple leaves. Of course, good maple syrup is available domestically and over the border in Canada, but it's still quite expensive.

Maple syrup is also a bit of a luxury in Japan, as detailed in Jen's KitKat Blog's review of the bar. Back in 2008, I tried the Soy Sauce KitKat and found it to taste like maple, so I was pretty curious about the actual Maple KitKat.


The KitKat had a strong, sugary maple scent with a super creamy and sweet white chocolate base. Naturally, it was quite sweet, but I'd expect no less from maple. Instead of being intensely sweet like pressed maple sugar, though, it was more like a maple cream. This was a good thing.

It was a nice, mild KitKat, but I would have liked a stronger maple flavor. Without that bitter punch, it was pleasant but nothing special. I wonder if Nestle Canada will ever put out a maple KitKat?

B

KitKat Website

Nestle Calpis KitKat

Whenever I see a new type of Calpis, I buy it. So far, this has meant Calpis soda, flavored Calpis, alcoholic Calpis, and Calpis candy, just to name a few. When Calpis KitKats came out, I knew I had to have them.

The polka dot packaging was adorable, and of course, it was a white chocolate bar. Milk chocolate Calpis just wouldn't make sense (though I'd gladly try it). It's hard to pin down the flavor of Calpis, but it is distinctive nonetheless. It's a little tangy from citrus and yogurt, but typically not carbonated.


The bar smelled like lemon, cream, and just a tiny bit like Calpis. It was tart and just a tiny bit tingly, but it reminded me more of lemon cake than the drink. However, that's not a bad thing, because lemon cake is delicious.

There were sour citrus bits in the wafers that provided a balance for the white chocolate. Not surprisingly, the bar was very sweet, but I didn't mind. In the end notes, there was the faintest hint of yogurt, but I can't really say it tasted like Calpis. Regardless, this KitKat was delicious, and I wish I ordered more.

A-

KitKat website

Nestle Royal Milk Tea KitKat

After my KitKat withdrawal, I went on a bit of a buying spree. Along with the Sakura Matcha and the KitKat in this review, Royal Milk Tea, I also have Raspberry & Passion Fruit, Calpis, and Maple ready to go.

The box had an adorable, if stereotypical, British motif. However, the milk tea enjoyed in Japan is more like Hong Kong-style - a blend of black teas with condensed milk.


The bar had a milky and slightly floral scent, like milk tea. It was a white chocolate bar, which was a fitting base for the classic milk tea color. As I expected, it tasted very sweet.

The flavors were very mild, and though I could taste the milk and just a bit of tea, I was hoping for a stronger floral flavor. It was tasty, and I didn't mind that it was quite sweet, but just like with the beverage, I shouldn't have expected much tea flavor.

Check out some other reviews at Japanese Snack Reviews, Jen's KitKat Blog, and Melon-Soda.

B+

Nestle Sakura Matcha KitKat

It's been several months since my last KitKat review, so I placed my first order at NapaJapan a few weeks ago. My packaged arrived quickly, and not a melted bit of chocolate in the bunch.

After reading various rave reviews of the Sakura Matcha KitKat, I was itching to taste it, so it was the first item in my shopping cart. I was a little wary of the sakura part after the last sakura KitKat and its faint hints of soapiness, but matcha can cure a lot of ills.


The bar smelled of matcha, and at first, the flavor was dominated by the matcha chocolate as well. However, once the wafers came through, I tasted faint hints of cinnamon. There was a subtle background fruitiness as well, and overall, it was quite a complex KitKat.

The matcha chocolate was cool and clean, and the slightly spiced notes from the wafers reminded me of yatsuhashi (another classic Kyoto treat). It was delicious, especially for a matcha lover. And, according to other reviews at Jen Ken's Kit Kat Blog and Pocky Watch, it might even appeal to a matcha non-believer.

A

KitKat website

Wonka Pink Lemonade Kazoozles

Like many kids, I used to like sour, fruity candy much better than chocolate. My tastes have since changed, but I still hold a spot in my heart for goofy candy like Wonka Kazoozles. They also spoke to my love of Anatomy and Physiology, one of my favorite subjects in both high school and college, but more on that later.

Along with Pink Lemonade, Kazoozles also come in Cherry Punch. A Kazoozle is basically a licorice-style tube filled with soft, fruit punch flavored candy. The colors were bright and bold, and definitely earned some fun points. "Kazoozle" is also fun to say and type.


The tubes didn't have much of a scent, at least not a fruity one. The main tastes were sour and sweet, but I couldn't detect much of a lemon flavor. The center tasted a little like cherry, but overall, flavors were weak. On taste alone, Kazoozles were a C at best, but they did have other things going for them.

The texture, at least, was interesting. The tougher exterior went well with the soft center. I was expecting the center to be tougher, like taffy, but it had a consistency more like that of nougat. To be honest, my inner biology nerd was reminded of bone marrow, but that's not to say that the outside was crunchy (ew). Kazoozles were definitely a fun distraction, but I don't see myself buying them again.

C+

Have a look at what Candy Blog and I Heart Candies had to say about them.

Wonka website

Wonka Everlasting Gobstopper Snow Balls

Despite my irrational childhood fear of the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I loved Everlasting Gobstoppers. In the US, we call this type of candy a Jawbreaker, but Everlasting Gobstoppers suit me better because they are chewable. It was great fun to check what color they were, and taste the different flavors. However, when I had some a few years ago, I noticed they were smaller than they used to be, and had fewer layers.

These holiday "Snow Balls" are actually just Gobstoppers with Christmas colors, and the flavors are the same as the original. On a side note, the snowman on the front looks like he might have something extra in his pipe, if you catch my meaning.


Red was the normal red Gobstopper, a weak cherry flavor (I think), then it changed to a mild, sour, citrusy orange. After just 2 layers, I was at the center, which tasted mostly like citric acid and just a bit like banana. The texture of the center was harder and chalkier than a Sweetart. Maybe some good comparisons would be antacids or chewable vitamins.

Green seemed like watermelon to me, but it was hard to identify. I think it changed to orange as well, which was a bit of a let down. The white tasted familiar (lemony), but I couldn't place it. The next layer was definitely lemon, although it only tasted like a cleaning product.

These were pretty disappointing. I would have liked a bigger flavor variety (grape, for example), and more layers. The flavors left something to be desired as well, especially the lemon. Although these brought back memories of my childhood, they just weren't as good as I remembered. Whether the flavors have actually changed, I'm not sure, but the size change alone detracts from the novelty value.

C+

Wonka Website

Nestle Vegetable Juice KitKat

I have been hanging onto this KitKat for a while, a little afraid to try it. My husband has already eaten one, and despite his lack of any strong feelings on it either way, I've been wary. To give a quick bit of background, Ito En is a beverage company, and this KitKat is based on their Jujitsu Yasai (vegetables galore) line of veggie/fruit juices. Based on the ingredients in the picture, the particular juice recreated here is probably similar to American V8 Splash, though I've never had Ito En juice, myself.

This KitKat has already been reviewed on several blogs (Japanese Snack Reviews, Jen's KitKat Blog, KitKat Addict, pretty pretty yum yum...) but sometimes I feel like having candy and not reviewing it is a waste. So, I worked up the courage to eat the KitKat that had been taunting me from storage for just over a month.


The bar smelled strongly of apple juice or cider, and reminded me of the Apple Vinegar KitKat from earlier this year. This was encouraging. At first, the KitKat tasted like apples, too, tart with creamy and decently balanced white chocolate mid-notes.

Then, something happened towards the end and aftertaste, and I suspect it was the vegetables kicking in. It got just a tiny bit bitter and very suddenly, the sweetness reminded me of overcooked carrots and overripe bananas. Still, I had no trouble finishing the bar, and I have to admit, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I can safely say that I would not choose this flavor again.

C

KitKat website

Nestle Peanut Butter KitKat Chunky

Just under a year ago, I reviewed a Canadian peanut butter KitKat bar, and it may have been a bit stale. In the interest of fairness, I jumped at the chance to review this fresh peanut butter KitKat (from the UK).

When I first saw this bar at an import food store, I thought it was a peanut KitKat bar, as the word peanut is so much bigger than the word butter on the package. For this reason, it sat in storage for a few weeks until I pulled it out again and noticed the true flavor. I am a big fan of peanut butter chocolate.


This bar smelled really good, like sweet chocolate and roasted nuts. The peanut butter layer was very thick (about half of the height), and when I bit into it, the peanut butter stuck to the roof of my mouth. Despite the nostalgia brought on by this situation, it's not something I'm used to with peanut butter candy. The peanut butter in this bar was thick, gooey, and sticky.

One difference I did like about the peanut butter was that it was less sweet than a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (for example), but this may go hand-in-hand with the texture. It was much more like peanut butter from a jar than from a candy bar, but I could have done with a bit more creaminess.

The wafers seemed especially crispy, but that could just be the bigger size. The chocolate was mild and the whole bar was a very good combination of textures and flavors. It was quite filling! The only thing that I didn't love was the peanut butter consistency, but the flavors were great, so I think I can let it go.

B+

Nestle website