Whittaker's Artisan Collection
I am, undoubtedly, a chocolate snob. I am the sort of person to inhale the fumes of a chocolate bar, snap it between my teeth, and comment in a haughty tone as I eat, "Mmm, it has undertones of coffee and biscuits," or maybe, "The melt is divine, but it's nowhere near as good as [obscure gourmet chocolate brand]." Nonetheless, not even the cheapest bars of chocolate with vaguely plastic textures will deter me from devouring some.
My current and long-standing favourite brand of chocolate is the famous New Zealand Whittaker's, producing extremely high-quality products for very reasonable prices to suit various ranges. No doubt they've had some flops (the L&P bar was, at least for me, a monstrosity in the name of two of New Zealand's best products), but otherwise, a majority of their products are definite go-tos when out shopping for a gift, souvenir, or more often than not, personal consumption.
No doubt that strong pride for New Zealand heritage has resulted in many NZ brands collaborating with each other to produce stuff which has the country falling over its feet to empty the shelves (almost literally), such as the famous Lewis Road Creamery Whittaker's creamy milk chocolate milk combination (arguably good, but pricey), or the limited-time Griffin's Hundreds and Thousands paired with Whittaker's white chocolate block (very pink, hellishly sweet, but strangely good). Whittaker's most recent stunt, however, is less of a brand/product collaboration than it is mashing their chocolate with the best of what New Zealand has to offer, resulting in Whittaker's Artisan Collection.
My family, sharing my deep love of chocolate, bought four of the six within the first week of its release, of which we'd open and finished them within days, accomplishing nearly the same with the other two the following week. They were an interesting twist to a familiar favourite, only boosting the country's love for what we were already proud of, but unfortunately, this could not be said for all of the flavours.
Let's begin with the first of the series.
No. 1: Hawke's Bay Braeburn Apple with Vanilla (in White Chocolate)
A pleasant start, beginning with a very fragrant scent of apples upon opening the package. Whittaker's white chocolate has never been too sweet, and balanced with pieces of freeze-dried apples and what appears to be a hefty amount of ground vanilla beans within the bar makes it an excellent end to an evening meal, the kind of dessert which should be broken up into their squares and presented dovetailed on a platter far too large with an accompaniment of cheese and crackers. It is simple, a delicious addition to an already divine piece of chocolate, and a favourite amongst some of the family. 17/23
No. 2: Malborough Sea Salt and Caramel Brittle (in Milk Chocolate)
A bar which can be described as "lovely". The salty caramel isn't as sweet as other brand of confectionery. It also doesn't get stuck in teeth, which is a nice change. There's little else to say about it, though, as the salt caramel pieces do little to improve the quality of the chocolate already, making it seem a sidethought addition to a near-perfect base, much like an expensive necklace on the already gorgeous Emma Watson. Nothing particularly ground-breaking. 13/23
No. 3: Nelson Pear and Manuka Honey (in Milk Chocolate)
Manuka honey has already made a name internationally for its many properties, be it its taste or its soothing properties - which I can vouch for, works on small burns. The initial smell reminds me of a hayfever-induced sneeze (probably more commonly attributed to pollen), and while the flavour was delightfully delicate with pear and honey, did little for chocolate itself. A nice idea, but again did little to improve Whittaker's on a whole. 13/23
No. 4: Waikato Grown Aromatic Oolong Tea (in Dark Chocolate)
Now this is a bar of chocolate. First impressions were elevated after opening the package to a large whiff of tea - the name Aromatic is extremely accurate in this case. Using Zealong brand Oolong green tea, the faint redolence is a very nice touch to a good, dark chocolate. Tea and chocolate were not something I would have thought would go together, but this one is a real winner. 19/23
No. 5: Kaitaia Fire Chili Pepper Spice (in Dark Chocolate)
Of all the Whittaker's products I have tried (and God knows I've tried many), this is, by far, the worst. Not so much the issue of an acquired taste like the L&P bar I had so insistently put down, I had trouble figuring out how on earth someone had tried something so shockingly bad as this and decided it would be a good addition to an otherwise delicious collection. Kaitaia Fire Chili Pepper Spice can be described as swallowing a mouthful of acid as the taste of chocolate is overwhelmed by its spicy flavour companion. The best use I could offer for this disappointment is as a punishment. Or a prank. 0/23
No. 6: Single Origin Samoan Cacao (Extra Dark Chocolate)
A nice end to a sudden low. Unlike the sharp bitterness of Whittaker's Dark Ghana, the Samoan Cocoa is sweeter with a fruity, banana undertone. Dark and fragrant but not bitter, it can easily be enjoyed by itself. The Single Origin Samoan has the delectable melt like the typical Whittaker's bar, and is definitely a good addition to a great range of products. 19/23
My current and long-standing favourite brand of chocolate is the famous New Zealand Whittaker's, producing extremely high-quality products for very reasonable prices to suit various ranges. No doubt they've had some flops (the L&P bar was, at least for me, a monstrosity in the name of two of New Zealand's best products), but otherwise, a majority of their products are definite go-tos when out shopping for a gift, souvenir, or more often than not, personal consumption.
No doubt that strong pride for New Zealand heritage has resulted in many NZ brands collaborating with each other to produce stuff which has the country falling over its feet to empty the shelves (almost literally), such as the famous Lewis Road Creamery Whittaker's creamy milk chocolate milk combination (arguably good, but pricey), or the limited-time Griffin's Hundreds and Thousands paired with Whittaker's white chocolate block (very pink, hellishly sweet, but strangely good). Whittaker's most recent stunt, however, is less of a brand/product collaboration than it is mashing their chocolate with the best of what New Zealand has to offer, resulting in Whittaker's Artisan Collection.
My family, sharing my deep love of chocolate, bought four of the six within the first week of its release, of which we'd open and finished them within days, accomplishing nearly the same with the other two the following week. They were an interesting twist to a familiar favourite, only boosting the country's love for what we were already proud of, but unfortunately, this could not be said for all of the flavours.
Let's begin with the first of the series.
No. 1: Hawke's Bay Braeburn Apple with Vanilla (in White Chocolate)
A pleasant start, beginning with a very fragrant scent of apples upon opening the package. Whittaker's white chocolate has never been too sweet, and balanced with pieces of freeze-dried apples and what appears to be a hefty amount of ground vanilla beans within the bar makes it an excellent end to an evening meal, the kind of dessert which should be broken up into their squares and presented dovetailed on a platter far too large with an accompaniment of cheese and crackers. It is simple, a delicious addition to an already divine piece of chocolate, and a favourite amongst some of the family. 17/23
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| Hawke's Bay Braeburn in White Chocolate |
No. 2: Malborough Sea Salt and Caramel Brittle (in Milk Chocolate)
A bar which can be described as "lovely". The salty caramel isn't as sweet as other brand of confectionery. It also doesn't get stuck in teeth, which is a nice change. There's little else to say about it, though, as the salt caramel pieces do little to improve the quality of the chocolate already, making it seem a sidethought addition to a near-perfect base, much like an expensive necklace on the already gorgeous Emma Watson. Nothing particularly ground-breaking. 13/23
No. 3: Nelson Pear and Manuka Honey (in Milk Chocolate)
Manuka honey has already made a name internationally for its many properties, be it its taste or its soothing properties - which I can vouch for, works on small burns. The initial smell reminds me of a hayfever-induced sneeze (probably more commonly attributed to pollen), and while the flavour was delightfully delicate with pear and honey, did little for chocolate itself. A nice idea, but again did little to improve Whittaker's on a whole. 13/23
No. 4: Waikato Grown Aromatic Oolong Tea (in Dark Chocolate)
Now this is a bar of chocolate. First impressions were elevated after opening the package to a large whiff of tea - the name Aromatic is extremely accurate in this case. Using Zealong brand Oolong green tea, the faint redolence is a very nice touch to a good, dark chocolate. Tea and chocolate were not something I would have thought would go together, but this one is a real winner. 19/23
No. 5: Kaitaia Fire Chili Pepper Spice (in Dark Chocolate)
Of all the Whittaker's products I have tried (and God knows I've tried many), this is, by far, the worst. Not so much the issue of an acquired taste like the L&P bar I had so insistently put down, I had trouble figuring out how on earth someone had tried something so shockingly bad as this and decided it would be a good addition to an otherwise delicious collection. Kaitaia Fire Chili Pepper Spice can be described as swallowing a mouthful of acid as the taste of chocolate is overwhelmed by its spicy flavour companion. The best use I could offer for this disappointment is as a punishment. Or a prank. 0/23
No. 6: Single Origin Samoan Cacao (Extra Dark Chocolate)
A nice end to a sudden low. Unlike the sharp bitterness of Whittaker's Dark Ghana, the Samoan Cocoa is sweeter with a fruity, banana undertone. Dark and fragrant but not bitter, it can easily be enjoyed by itself. The Single Origin Samoan has the delectable melt like the typical Whittaker's bar, and is definitely a good addition to a great range of products. 19/23
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