Whiskey aficionados are always happy to have distiller Suntory’s premium varieties in their glass, and now you can have them in your chocolate too.
Japanese chocolatier Maison Cacao, based in the historical town of Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, specializes in what it calls “aroma chocolate.” Don’t worry, though, because Japanese culinary principles hold that the senses of smell and taste are strongly intertwined, and so Maison Cacao’s creations feature extra ingredients chosen to enhance both their fragrance and their flavor, and the latest guest ingredients are extra special, because they’re two of Japan’s most highly prized whiskeys.
Maison Cacao’s partner for these sophisticated sweets is Suntory, which is contributing its Yamazaki and Hibiki for a pair of new chocolate flavors. The first, made with single-malt Yamazaki, is called Maison Legacy, and it starts with a dark chocolate base that Maison Cacao describes as having a gently tart and spicy astringency with a deep, roasted nut aroma. The subtle sour notes of Yamazaki allow it to creep quietly onto the palate, but as the chocolate melts in your mouth the whiskey’s flavor becomes more pronounced, leading to a finish that the chocolatier promises will have you thinking “Ah, I’m drinking a glass of Yamazaki” and leave a pleasantly lingering sensation.
Meanwhile, the Maison Artisan starts with a milk chocolate base, into which is welcomed Suntory’s Hibiki Japanese Harmony. The smoother sweetness of the milk chocolate lets the Hibiki make its flavor and unique floral scent known the second you pop the chocolate in your mouth.
Both chocolate flavors are on sale now through Maison Cacao’s online shop and physical store in Yokohama, and will also be offered for a limited time at its branches in Tokyo (January 26-February 14), Osaka (January 20-February 14), and Nagoya (January 19-February 14). Both the Maison Legacy and Maison Artisan are priced at 3,465 yen (US$30), so they’re definitely for-special-occasion sweets, but still a lot easier on the wallet than those three million-yen bottles of whiskey Suntory was selling a while back.
Related: Maison Cacao online shop
Source, images: PR Times
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[ Read in Japanese ]
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