Lotte – Nuts and Rum Raisin Chocolate
Rum raisin makes a great combination. I’m not sure if I’m in the minority or not, but there’s enough people who like rum raisin enough that it’s a fairly standard flavour of ice cream. I do remember disliking the flavour as a kid, though I wasn’t sure why that was. Was it peer pressure because everyone else seemed to hate it? Or was it because it sounded like an old person flavour and I had no reason to try it? It’s hard to think it’s a good choice because rum is an alcohol and as a kid we’re told its a big no-no. It’s also kind of a boring sounding name right? Raisins? No thanks.
It took me a while after entering adult hood to really want to give it a try. I figured I was already getting old, might as well embrace it with old people stuff like rum raisin flavours. Much to my surprise the combination, especially in ice cream is nothing short of amazing when executed even moderately well.
It might just be me because I’m fairly sensitive to the taste and smell of alcohol, but this tastes like the full flavour of rum to me, without the burning sensation that accompanies the after taste. It helps that the nuts and raisin combo adds a bit of complexity to the flavour, so it’s not just rum. But make no mistake, rum is front and center here so if you don’t like the profile of rum, this is going to be a bad time. That being said the raisins have a nice fruity grape aroma to them that helps to draw me back in. Burning taste isn’t as bad when you have something sweet to chase it with. The nuts don’t add much flavour as you might expect, and are there mostly for texture.
The texture is very soft, and the chocolate has a nice melty feel to it. I’m not sure if it’s the alcohol content but it’s softer than most typical milk chocolates. It’s not quite at the level of a mousse, but something in between. The raisins are soft but not too sticky and along with the nuts give a nice compliment to the otherwise melty soft texture. I would best describe this as a decadent dessert chocolate; something you would have after a meal or for a special occasion. Not so much a snacking chocolate that you would eat out of boredom or to pass the time. This is more of an experience, as the kids these days would call it.
The overall execution is done fairly well, and feels like a more premium version of some other rum raisin chocolates I’ve had before, like Ritter Sport. It definitely feels premium and makes you feel a little fancier when eating it. Be warned – if your pink starts extending itself outward and it persists for more than 24 hours, go seek medical assistance.
