Shizuoka in the Tokai region of central Japan is the birthplace of wasabi. In its natural habitat, wasabi is a semi-aquatic (sawa) plant grown wild on the banks of fast-flowing mountain streams. Increasing demand has resulted in mass cultivation of field grown wasabi (oka), while horseradish substitutes have been used generally outside of Japan. The trade-off is in the pungency of the sawa-wasabi.
Given the concentration of wasabi farms in the Tokai region of Japan, it’s no wonder that the sawa wasabi is the region limited flavour in this Glico Pretz Sawa Wasabi.
This is a mini-box containing one bright green bag of 16 biscuit sticks.
The biscuit sticks are a pale green colour and dusted in white coloured seasoning.
The Pretz has a savoury aroma that belies the pungency of the wasabi flavour that hits the taste buds. Upon tasting, the seasoning brought a pleasant savoury flavour but it’s the biscuit itself that’s embedded with wasabi and delivered the punch (hence it’s green colour). The wasabi flavour was peppery from the start before developing with a more aromatic and slightly sweet flavour in the body and finishing with a moderate nasal-burning and eye-watering sensations that are characteristic of wasabi. The unique flavour of wasabi makes its pairing with Pretz one of the most interesting and enjoyable flavours in the range in a way that’s similar to the wasabi KitKat.
This Glico Pretz Sawa Wasabi contained 23 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Saitama, Japan in 2018.