Tirol Chocolate – Pom Juice

A few months back on my trip to the Tirol store in Japan, one of my favourite purchases was this box of the larger size Tirols. This magical big box had 20 pieces in it. It’s because the box looked so nice that I couldn’t bring myself to open it, and why it’s been sitting on my table for the past few months. But given that all good things come to an end, or in this case expire, I have to open it or risk wasting it altogether.

I didn’t really know what I was buying (as was most of my experience in Japan), but I got sucked in with the packaging. I’m not sure why, but the box evokes nostalgia in me. It almost feels like I’ve seen this somewhere before, but I just can’t seem to pinpoint exactly where or when. As it turns out, this flavour is a crossover with Pom juice, a brand that’s most famous for it’s juice.

Pom juice is a regional specialty of the Shikoku island, and has been around since the 50s. It’s basically their version of orange juice, except it’s made from the mikan fruit, which is a regional variety of fruit very similar to the tangerine and produced in the Ehime prefecture. What you end up with is a very sweet, delicious drink with a hint of that citrus flavour. In terms of branding, it’s packaging has a very distinct look to it, so much so that I can still remember the packaging on some of the snacks they sold with the Pom juice flavour. The box itself is basically just a giant version of the smaller Tirol pieces. Such clean, distinct look to it. I love it.

Opening the box up, we see a whole bunch (20) of the larger Tirol chocolates with equally clean packaging that looks just like a smaller version of the box itself. I didn’t experience this flavour in candy much as a kid, but the packaging is so evocative of those childhood memories that it’s hard to forget. Kudos to them for keeping that same packaging throughout all these years. While I can’t remember what form of candy or juice I had my experience with Pom Juice as, I do remember the packaging itself.

I have to say, the smell is also very nostalgic too. It definitely reminds me of my childhood, especially when I would spend hours walking up and down the aisles of the asian grocery stores look at all the candies and snacks, and deciding what I wanted to beg my parents to buy for me. I recognize the Pom Juice brand as something I wouldn’t gravitate towards, but it would always be there, in the background. It’s kind of weird how picky I was as a kid, and now all bets are off. I would have thought things go the opposite direction – crusty old bear gets more picky as time goes on.

I’m kind of overwhelmed by how many pieces are here, and also surprised they would sell this many pieces in a single package. 20 is no laughing matter, especially when it’s the larger sized pieces. This thing has heft. Unfortunately, I know myself well enough that this will fall victim to the tragedy of commons. Knowing I have so many pieces means I’ll end up plowing through them faster, under the false sense of security of knowing I have more left.

I should probably elaborate when I say that the smell of this is nostalgic. I can’t be certain that I’ve tried this Pom Juice as a drink, but it does smell very similar to something else I drank as a kid – Sunny Delight, or Sunny D as it’s currently referred to by the young ens. I think. Sunny D can’t strictly be called orange juice, since it’s really just sugar and flavouring, but damn it was tasty. These chocolates remind me of that mildly citrus flavour but the very sweet, pleasant citrus, with not much tang or bite. Kind of like what you’d expect out of a tangerine.

I still can’t get over how clean it all seems, the packaging, the piece itself. The outside looking so uniform. I’m getting hyped to see how this all comes together. Excuse me as I wipe the drool off my keyboard.

The insides are as advertised, there’s some syrup or liquid which is supposed to be the juice, and a jelly like piece in the middle. The filling is actually quite generous, and the syrup is thick enough that I can’t tell where it begins, and the jelly ends. In terms of texture, the jelly is quite soft, and almost gooey, and there isn’t much chewing required. It just sort of gives way to the bite. The flavour of the chocolate appears to be a white chocolate base flavoured with the same juice as the inside, albeit a bit milder. The overall flavour is much like how it smelled – it’s got a nice sweetness to it that’s very rounded, and not too complex, while still having a bit of that citrus flavour to it that is very reminiscent of a tangerine, or a mandarin. Unlike an orange, you don’t get too much of the tartness, so if you’re looking for some sour, you won’t find it here. The taste, like the smell definitely reminds me of Sunny D, in a good way. It’s sweet, but not sickly sweet, and it’s surprisingly addictive. I am getting a better understanding why they sell them in boxes of 20. They won’t last long.

I actually really liked this flavour, and given the chance I would get it again. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be a widely available flavour, and even in Japan I could only find it in the Tirol store. But if for some reason you see this, I would argue that it’s worth it to get it even at a premium. You won’t regret it. Although I guess you might regret it if you love it so much that you regret not buying more. I certainly do.