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Because after a hard day at the office, there’s nothing like unwinding with a glass of bourbon and a chocolate-covered pretzel stick.

Like any finger food that’s covered in chocolate, Pocky is incredibly popular with kids. But being sweet without crossing over into cloying means grown-ups too can appreciate the crisp chocolate-coated pretzel sticks, so much so that it’s not uncommon to see Pocky served along with alcoholic drinks at adult parties or bars.

So it’s a natural progression for Glico, the makers of Pocky, to create a special version that’s designed specifically to be enjoyed with a stiff drink, which is how Adult Amber (“Otona no Kohaku” in Japanese) Pocky came about. Specifically, Adult Amber Pocky is to be enjoyed with a glass of whiskey. That makes it arguably even more old-school masculine than the sporadically offered Men’s Pocky, which features a less sweet variety of chocolate than the standard version. Similarly, Glico describes the chocolate used in the Adult Amber as rich and bitter, and also featuring the distinct aroma of whiskey.

But the deepest connection to whiskey is found in the dough used for the pretzel stick, which contains malt extract. Before being coated in chocolate, the stick is sprinkled with salt, with the resulting combination of flavors said to deliciously complement the grain alcohol you’re sipping.

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This is actually Glico’s second time to offer the snack, as Adult Amber Whiskey was briefly available last November, before quickly selling out on Amazon’s Japanese site. This year, the company has prepared 300,000 boxes, which will once again be sold exclusively through Amazon, priced at 998 yen (US$9.70) for six packs shipped inside a round container styled after those used for packaging whiskey bottles. Adult Amber Pocky officially goes on sale October 25, and can be ordered domestically here (you’ll have to procure the whiskey itself separately).

Source: IT Media
Images: Pocky official website

Follow Casey on Twitter, where he now remembers he’s got a bottle of whiskey just sitting there in his kitchen.