Japan’s favorite chocolate pretzel snack is set to add some sweet sophistication to your next occasion to crack open a bottle of red.
Pocky manages to occupy a pretty enviable spot in the pantheon of Japanese snack foods. The chocolate-covered sticks are sweet enough to be loved by kids, but they also have an elegantly understated look and aren’t super-sugary, which means adults can also enjoy them while maintaining a level of sophistication. As a matter of fact, many grown-ups enjoy pairing Pocky with alcoholic beverages, which is something maker Glico capitalized on last year with its Adult Amber Pocky, which were designed to complement the flavor of a glass of whiskey.
Now Glico is taking inspiration from another adult beverage, as its newest offering, Pocky Goddess Ruby, is meant to be enjoyed while sipping on red wine.
Although the Adult Amber contained malt extract, Goddess Ruby was created to enhance your wine-drinking experience without containing any wine ingredients itself. The pretzel stick core is flavored with cheddar cheese, black pepper, and cloves, while the bitter chocolate coating is infused with three types of berry flavors, making for a collection of spicy, sweet, and bitter notes that reflects the complexity of high-quality red wines.
Goddess Ruby goes on sale October 24, and while it’s not being sold exclusively online, Glico says that the easiest place to get ahold of the red wine Pocky will be Amazon Japan, where orders can already be placed here for 998 yen (US$9.10) for a container with six individually sealed pouches. The Adult Amber is also once again going on sale, also for 998 yen (pre-orders here), and between the two we’re kind of hoping that a hangover-relief Pocky is the next project in Glico’s pipeline.
Sources: Entabe, Glico
Top image: Glico
Insert images: Amazon Japan
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