Tirol Mikan Chocolate

Growing up in the U.S., my taste buds grew accustomed to what a particular flavor "meant" to me.  If I bought some grape candy, it all pretty much tasted like other grape candy. The basic essence of those flavors was similar and I recognized them for what they were based on my experiences.

It wasn't until I came to Japan that I found out that the essence of a particular flavor when it is translated into sweets or snacks isn't necessarily the same to everyone. "Grape" candy in Japan may or may not taste like grape in the U.S. I've certainly found that "cheese" sweets in Japan aren't the same as cheese sweets back home since savory cheeses are used here and only cream cheese tends to be used back home.

I was thinking about the basic essence of flavors because orange candy at home often is a bit different from that here, and this Tirol mikan chocolate actually brought back a greater sense of what I used to have back home than most orange candy in Japan. The main reason for this is that it smelled so intensely orange, like a whiff of a newly opened carton of orange juice concentrate. For the record, fruit juice concentrates aren't sold here so I hadn't smelled anything as strong as that for over two decades.

The soft chocolate outer shell of this candy is rather sweet and lightly orange flavored. It's the the firm gummy candy interior that carries a very intense citrus flavor. It's quite zesty and satisfying compared to many white chocolates because of the citrus bite.

For a mere 20 yen (24 cents) and a one inch square of candy which provides only 54 calories, this is a good investment both in money and potential body fat. I really liked this and would definitely buy it again. I bought mine at Family Mart convenience store, but Tirol chocolates are sold in a wide variety of places in Japan. If you find this one and like orange chocolates, I recommend giving it a try.