New matcha Pocky

In among all the wonderful limited-edition Pocky releases we’ve seen from Japanese confectionery giant Glico, there’s one flavour in the collection that always remains a popular choice for sweet lovers: green tea.

Glico have created a number of matcha-flavored Pocky in the past, and this spring they’re delighting everyone’s tastebuds with another new variety called “Koi Fukami Matcha”, which translates to “Deep, dark powdered green tea”. Released on Feb 7, we got our hands on the new Pocky to taste it for ourselves, and we were delighted to find that the new treat really does taste every bit as good as it looks.

The deep green packaging alludes to the depth of flavor that lies in store for us with the new Pocky, and inside, the individually wrapped packs are also a brilliant green.

Each pack contains more than a dozen of the chocolate-covered biscuit sticks.

After releasing the treats from their packets, there’s a distinct aroma of green tea, and the Pocky look absolutely beautiful in their deep green coating.

What makes this new release so special is the fact that it’s not just the chocolate coating that contains green tea; the crunchy pretzel sticks have also been kneaded in matcha to give them a slightly bitter flavor and an unusual greenish hue.

The chocolate coating contains Uji matcha, a prized variety of powdered green tea that’s known around Japan for its high quality and elegant flavor.

While the Pocky are definitely gorgeous to look at, it’s their intense flavor that really makes them stand out from other matcha-based sweets on the market. The thick coating gives your tastebuds an immediate hit of glorious matcha flavor, tinged with a hint of sweetness, and just when you’re preparing for the flavour to mellow out as you gear up for another bite, the flavor actually intensifies.

Thanks to the green tea-flavored crunchy pretzel stick inside the chocolate coating, the initial sweetness gives way to a delectable bitterness distinctive of the matcha you would receive at a traditional green tea ceremony. As you take your next bite, you get to enjoy the sweet flavor profile again, so that every mouthful is filled with a tantalising combination of sweet-bitter-sweet sensations, making this an incredibly addictive treat.

This bittersweet combination is one that can also be found at Japanese tea ceremonies, where visitors enjoy a sweet before drinking freshly whisked matcha, in order to fully enjoy the flavor profile of the tea. Glico has done an amazing job of replicating the flavors of a Japanese green tea ceremony in each and every Pocky stick, by utilising their ever-popular pretzel and chocolate combination to make the matcha stand out in a unique way.

On sale for a limited time during spring, these delicious Pocky are currently on sale at convenience stores and supermarkets around the country. If you love matcha, you should definitely give these a try.

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- New limited edition blue, heart-shaped Pocky designed for maximum happiness -- Pocky grows up with a special whiskey version of the beloved Japanese chocolate candy -- New illy matcha coffee drinks combine green tea with espresso for a limited time

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