Glico Almond Pocky

It's been a couple weeks since I've done a Japanese snack review, and even long since I've done a Pocky review, so I must be due. There was a lack of matcha sweets at the Japanese import grocer, so I branched out a bit and bought Almond Pocky.

Almond Crush Pocky, which is coated with crushed almonds (how fitting), has been around for years, but I had never seen regular almond Pocky before. Usually, my favorite kinds of Pocky are the ones with lots of chocolate and toppings (like decoration or mousse), but these are the standard, thin coating.


When I opened the bag, the scent reminded me of coffee. It didn't taste anything like coffee, though. The sticks were mildly sweet and had a slightly nutty flavor. The coating reminded me of peanut butter white chocolate in both taste and texture, but it wasn't overly sweet at all and went very well with the biscuit.

Before I realized it, I had eaten half of the pack. It was so addictive! I briefly thought I'd like a stronger almond taste with more of the cherry-like notes, but then the package was gone and I decided I liked them just the way they were. The sweetness was just right, and the creamy chocolate blended so well with the crunchy stick. Unfortunately, they were a limited release and are no longer listed on Glico's website. I wish I had bought more!

A

Glico website

Glico Dessert Pocky Tiramisu

Even though I love drinking coffee, coffee flavored candy usually isn't something I enjoy. However, I've had a few tiramisu flavored snacks lately that are beginning to change my mind.

When it comes to Japanese snacks in America, Pocky has become almost ubiquitous. I've seen it in local grocery stores, book stores, and of course, Asian grocers. Unfortunately, Pocky is nowhere near the top of the list of my favorite Japanese snacks, and the kinds I do like (like Dessert Pocky) are still pretty hard to find. I found these at a Japanese grocery store about an hour from where I live.

There were three sticks in each bag, which made them a little hard to share with my husband. The sticks were pretty, with intricate crosshatch milk chocolate drizzled over the white chocolate. They certainly looked elegant, and they smelled of milk chocolate with a faint hint of coffee.

The chocolate coating was nice and thick, and as with the scent, the coffee taste was not at all overpowering. The biscuit added a nice texture and kept the sweetness in balance. On the whole, these were not too sweet, and the cookie/chocolate combination did serve to remind me of tiramisu. These were pretty addictive! For another take, have a look at Japanese Snack Reviews.

B+

Glico website

Glico Giant Matcha Pocky

Here's another matcha snack from my friend who lives in Kyoto. I had seen these giant boxes of matcha Pocky when I was in Kyoto last fall, but didn't buy any because I'm not crazy about the normal-sized matcha Pocky. They're okay, but I figured these would be more of the same. I was pleasantly surprised!

The photo doesn't really capture the fact that these are giant sticks of Pocky. There are 18 individually wrapped sticks in the box. Unfortunately, the one I chose for the picture was broken in the bag, but none of the other ones I ate were.

The stick itself is great, with just a hint of a matcha flavor (and a slight green tint). It's crispy, a little sweet, and reminds me of small, round Japanese kids' crackers (I can't remember what they are called). The stick is coated in a thin layer of matcha chocolate. The chocolate has a strong matcha flavor, and captures a great balance of sweet and bitter without tipping the scales to either side.

I really enjoyed these, much more than regular sized matcha Pocky! The sticks make a fantastic, slightly sweet snack. Each stick has 2.4 grams of fat and just over 60 calories. I wish I had tried these sooner, they were delicious for a matcha fan like me!

A+

Glico Website (Japanese)

Glico Strawberry Dessert Pocky

The full description of this Pocky is "Rich Strawberry Chocolate Shortcake Style" but that was too much to fit in the title. I love fancy, limited edition Pocky, and this one did not disappoint. I think it's the high chocolate to stick ratio that wins me over. I'm not a huge fan of the biscuit stick itself.

These had a layer of white chocolate with a gorgeous strawberry drizzle. Dessert Pocky really is a work of art, and the box is classic and pretty as well. The white chocolate is smooth and soft - a great contrast to the crunchy stick. The strawberry chocolate has a great fruity taste that is definitively strawberry, but still as delicate as the drizzle itself.

This was definitely one of the best kinds of Pocky I've ever tried.

A

Glico Website (Japanese)

Glico Brazillian Pudding Pocky

I don't really understand why Pocky is so popular. I've been to some anime conventions, and there seems to be a frenzy over Pocky. Although it seems to have subsided a bit recently, it's still way more popular than it deserves to be. I'm pointing my finger at regular Pocky; it's mediocre at best, especially compared to other Japanese snacks (Toppo, KitKat, etc.).

However, limited edition Pocky is a different story. Although I love the mousse and dessert Pockys best, I'll try any candy or snack in a limited edition flavor. This Brazilian Pudding Pocky was given to me by my sister.


The tropical box is cute, and the stripes on the Pocky itself are quite pretty. As far as taste, it has a slight creamy caramel flavor which is pleasant, but not amazing. I'm not really sure what's Brazilian about it, but I suppose Brazilian Pudding sounds better than Exotic Purin. It just tastes like normal flan/purin to me.

Although it wasn't fantastic, it was a good light snack, and better than regular Pocky. The taste was very mild, but I suppose flan is a mild dessert, so it makes sense. This Pocky was also reviewed at Japanese Snack Food Reviews.

B

Glico Website (Japanese)