Drew Tries Stuff: Just So Many Kit Kats

                Those of you who follow the blog may recall that last October I tried out the TokyoTreat (still not sponsored) subscription service, looking for spooky candy that fell outside my usual options. In the end, I enjoyed the experience enough to keep it up for a few more months, curious to see what other snacks were in store.

                Over the course of those boxes, I’ve had quite a few items to try, some I’ve loved, others didn’t suit me quite so well. There is one pseudo-consistency in each box though: Kit Kats. Every box comes with a small bag of Kit Kats in a unique flavor. After several months, I’ve now gotten a pretty good sample size, enough to have some favorites, though I’m hard-pressed to think of any that were outright bad. I do love Kit Kats to start with, so that could be bias, but honestly I just think they’re good at making interesting flavors.

Cheesecake

                Much like my first sample of these new Kit Kats, Apple Pie, Cheesecake put me in a bit of a bind. While I could appreciate the quality of the candy overall, I just don’t like the base flavor of actual cheesecake. Meaning it’s candy equivalent was fighting an uphill battle from the start where my taste buds were concerned.

                It’s hard to give much insight past that, since I obviously didn’t try too many of these. On the upside, my reaction to that flavor does lend credit to how well they captured the taste of real cheesecake. Based on that I’d say if you do like cheesecake, then these Kit Kats will probably be for you.

Peach Parfait

                I’m sort of doing these in a loose order of how much I liked them or they stood out to me, and peach didn’t rank especially high on either point. Still not bad, none of them have been, but the closest out of the lot. While I do like peaches, the scent and flavor was sort of overwhelming, leading to a mix with the chocolate that was out of balance for many bites. The moments where the peach flavor backed off a bit where better, but not especially consistent.

                If you are just super into peaches, these might be worth seeking out, though don’t blame me if the tastes don’t quite harmonize like you’d been hoping.

Whole Wheat

                This one won points with me for it’s boldness, because my initial reaction to a whole wheat flavored candy bar was “What the tap-dancing bullshit is this?” but you know what, it wasn’t half-bad. Not my favorite of the lot, however there’s something to be said for a subdued sweetness, lingering a little lighter on the tongue.

                Were I not in a pandemic and able to safely have guests over, I think these would be a great option for folks who don’t love overly sweet desserts. There’s an odd hint of bread in there that somehow works, leading to a pleasant eating experience, if not one that leaves a powerful impression.

Champagne

                This was an early entry, and the first of the lot that I was genuinely looking forward to. After dealing with Apple Pie and Cheesecake, this was a flavor I both enjoyed on its own and very much wanted to see translated into Kit Kat form. Unfortunately, what I failed to notice in the description was that it came with a “hint” of strawberry added in.

                These were very enjoyable, and might have ranked a little higher on the list if not for how much the strawberry washed out the champagne flavor. Not enough to mute it entirely, but it definitely didn’t feel like the star flavor of the treat at any point, more something you had to hunt for. I would say seek these out if you really like strawberry, but frankly, there’s a better option on that front.

Strawberry

                Now we have started to reach the heavy hitters. Strawberry wasn’t a flavor I felt much excitement for. While I enjoy the real fruit, artificial flavor recreations rarely leave me wanting more. Then I bit into one of these and felt genuine, true confusion.

                How the fuck did these things taste so much like actual strawberries?

                After a bit of internet sleuthing, because yes I really was that curious, I learned that they used freeze-dried strawberries as part of the layer between wafer cookies, which is a level of dedication I was not expecting, and an overall brilliant move. These damn things were delicious, and gone fast. Assuming strawberry is your jam, these are definitely worth grabbing when spotted in the wild.

Hot Spring Dumpling

                I don’t entirely know how to describe these, in the sense that many of the flavors referenced aren’t ones I’m familiar with the real versions of, like red bean paste, so I’ve got no reference for how accurately those flavors are represented by the candy. Accuracy aside, I can attest to quality, and hot diggity were these things good.

                Sort of like the Whole Wheat flavor in that it’s not an aggressive sweetness, but these were better balanced overall, meaning that my hummingbird tongue could enjoy them as well. When I was in the early planning stage of this blog, Hot Spring Dumpling was going to be crowned the champ. But then came the month of April, and with it…

Sakura

                This one is going to haunt me. It is so fucking good. I have even less reference for the flavors of this one that Hot Spring Dumpling, at least that one’s description came with an ingredient list. The most I’ve been able to pick out of these is a touch of vanilla and what I suspect to be cinnamon, though it could easily be a similar spice.

                There’s not really a parallel to draw though, these are sort of their own thing, and that thing is outstanding. I’m not sure how available these are in your particular region, but if you see them then I would snatch these suckers up instantly. They’re listed as a limited edition, which could be meaningless buzzwords, but just in case I would advise taking no risks. Purchase on sight, thank me later… maybe by sliding a few of those delectable treats my way.