Kit Kat: Cranberry and Almond, Lemon Drizzle, Orange, Dark Mint

As any food aficionado knows, Japanese Kit Kats are a thing, and they tend to be good (at least the ones I've been able to try). I unexpectedly stumbled upon these Cranberry and Almond Kit Kats and thought I'd try them out. (Okay, they were in my basket almost immediately.) 

I thought this was an interesting idea and presentation. The top of each Kit Kat has a mix of cranberry and almond pieces. The packaging has a picture of a chef on it. It seems that this is aiming to be high end. There is a sticker label on the back which gives the nutritional information in English, and it translates the name as "Everyday luxury cranberry." Each piece is individually wrapped. 

I thought these were really good. The chocolate is pitched exactly right. It's slightly darker than I'm used to, without being bitter or off-putting. It's sweet but not milk chocolate-sweet. The cranberry and almond pieces counterbalance the flavor, not in an overwhelming way, but just enough to give tart and nutty accents. The wafers also had a good crunch. I'm a fan. Not to give cultural criticism, but I think sometimes with American foods, the focus is more on quantity, while this product was made with more of a focus on quality. I would buy these again if I saw them.

At the same store, I also came across Kit Kats made in the UK. Did I buy them? Of course I did!

I was concerned after I bought these that they would be 9 unwrapped bars. That's a lot to have open all at once. Fortunately, I was wrong. There were 9 twin bars, each in its own packaging. 

I liked the Lemon Drizzle flavor. It's still a chocolate candy, but there's a lemon flavor that shows up and takes over. I presume the lemon is in the wafers, as it isn't readily apparent at first but is stronger as the chocolate melts, especially if you chew it. The chocolate is slightly dark, which is good. 

The Orange flavor is pretty good, too. Again, it's chocolate, though more of a milk chocolate here. You can smell the orange before you take a bite. It reminds me of a Terry's Chocolate Orange, except for the wafers, and you give this a break instead of whacking and unwrapping. It hits the right notes. 

I liked the Dark Mint flavor, too. The chocolate tastes like mint dark chocolate through and through, with the wafers bringing a slight sweetness. It could be the novelty, but I like this better than an Andes Mint or a York Peppermint Patty. 

For all three--Lemon Drizzle, Orange, and Dark Mint--I enjoyed them. I didn't love them to the point that I would go right out and buy them immediately, but I could see sampling them every once in a while. They're a good alternative to the usual. 

Key Info: 

Flavor: Cranberry and Almond Kit Kat
Date Found: February 2020, Cost Plus World Market

Description: Everyday luxury cranberry

Package size: 15 Individual Bars

Serving size: 1 Bar, 39 calories, 2.2 grams fat, 4.1 grams sugar

Flavor: Lemon Drizzle Kit Kat
Date Found: February 2020, Cost Plus World Market

Description: Lemon Drizzle Kit Kat

Package size: 9 Double Bars

Serving size: 1 Double Bar, 105 calories, 5.1 grams fat, 10.5 grams sugar

Flavor: Orange Kit Kat
Date Found: February 2020, Cost Plus World Market

Description: Orange Kit Kat

Package size: 9 Double Bars

Serving size: 1 Double Bar

Flavor: Dark Mint Kit Kat
Date Found: February 2020, Cost Plus World Market

Description: Dark Mint Kit Kat

Package size: 9 Double Bars

Serving size: 1 Double Bar, 105 calories, 5.3 grams fat, 9.6 grams sugar