Caramel Caravan: Group 5

Clark's Coffee Caramel

*** / Coffee Drinkers Only

Those who know me are well aware that my lips won't touch a cup of coffee until I am aged 35 years. Just a personal pact I made to myself long ago. Regardless, this unbreakable vow doesn't stop me from sampling "coffee flavored" goodies. Just a disclaimer that perhaps I am the wrong mortal to judge coffee flavors. Well...here we go. Clark's Coffee Caramel certainly had me guessing with its wood lacquer finish color, but the second my teeth began the initial chew, a coffee aroma blew up in my mouth. I immediately felt like I was on the set of a Folger's commercial. I suppose I was expecting something similar to Kahlua, but this caramel certainly delivers what I guess is an authentic coffee flavor, which resonates for quite some time, only fading towards the final chews. While I don't mind if I don't chew another piece, it receives three stars, for I'm betting coffee lovers will want to pop these on their mouth to fight the cravings.  

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Hakodate Milk Caramel

** / Bottle Fed Flavor 

One of two "Hakodate Milk Caramel," this particular incarnation provides the expected, despite it's unusual bread crust color. A salivating pleasant milkyness enters my mouth like I'm a toddler suckling a bottle. The milk flavor is strong enough that I'd recommend this candy to compliment a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Though it receives a mere 2 stars for milk caramel is a common sight in Japan. 

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Hakodate Milk  Caramel

** / Milkshake Surprise

The 2nd of two Hakodate Milk caramels has the expected milk color, though the flavor is quite a surprise. Instead of milk, you're reminded of a vanilla extract infested milkshake. I'm quite the Vanilla fiend, but it certainly an overdose which sadly knocks this fun caramel down to 2 stars.

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Shio Ramen Caramel

* / The Coward

Having loved the 'Soup Curry Caramel,'  I had high hopes for this salt-flavored (shio) ramen caramel.  Well if there is any flavor here, it's yellow. Talk about a coward! If there was any ramen flavor, it was merely residue running miles away. My taste buds eagerly searched for flavor, but came up empty tongued.