This Whittaker’s Artisan Collection Kaitaia Fire Chilli Pepper Spice in Dark Chocolate is ‘crafted with the makers of New Zealand’s famous Kaitaia Fire Chilli Pepper Sauce’ and described as being ‘rich 50% dark chocolate infused with locally grown cayenne and habanero chillies and a hint of orange and chai spice’. It contained natural chilli, 0.37% chai and orange flavour, and 0.05% Kaitaia Fire Chilli Pepper sauce.
The block is a very dark, uniform brown colour with a deep, slightly bitter cocoa aroma. Upon tasting, the chai spice notes came through on initial contact, but after biting through, orange notes overwhelm with a bold prominence before the chillis came through as a flavourful hint in the finish and leave the gentlest of lingering burns. The dark chocolate is smooth and creamy with its natural fruitiness amplifying the orange notes, to our dismay. Otherwise, the chilli was evident but its level of heat is very clearly geared towards the masses, as chilli-lovers will find it lacking in ‘oomph’.
This Whittaker’s Artisan Collection Kaitaia Fire Chilli Pepper Spice contained 100 g. It was produced in New Zealand and received as a gift from relatives visiting from New Zealand in 2018.