This is the Calbee Kappa Ebisen Akō no Yakishio & Anchovy Garlic, a prawn cracker flavoured with roasted Akō salt and anchovy garlic seasoning, positioned as an adult-oriented flavour designed to pair with Suntory’s beer products.

Each cracker measured approximately 4 × 0.8 × 0.7 cm and presented with a light orange hue coated in a visible dusting of fine white seasoning powder. Aroma opened immediately with rich anchovy, garlic, and briny seafood notes carrying pronounced savoury intensity.

Initial contact delivered immediate savoury seasoning alongside a firm and crisp crunch through the prawn cracker structure. The opening flavour profile leaned heavily into garlic and salt before transitioning towards a deeper oceanic character as the cracker softened slightly on the palate. Texture established itself as light but sufficiently rigid to maintain a satisfying fracture.

Through the mid-palate, a briny anchovy quality emerged and deepened the seafood profile beyond the standard sweetness of conventional Kappa Ebisen. As the dough softened, the underlying shrimp flavour of the cracker itself became more apparent, integrating with the anchovy seasoning into a richer savoury-oceanic profile. Garlic aromatics expanded steadily through the body without becoming harsh or overly pungent. Texture shifted gradually from crisp fracture into a softer dissolve while remaining relatively clean and low in oiliness.

Towards the finish, the flavour resolved into an aromatic garlic-shrimp profile with concentrated savoury depth peaking at the end of the chew. The roasted Akō salt became most prominent in the finish as larger salt crystals dissolved more slowly on the palate, contributing both lingering salinity and a faint granular crunch. Residual oil remained restrained, though some seasoning transfer occurred from the coarser salt particles. Aftertaste carried persistent garlic, anchovy, and shrimp savouriness with lingering umami richness.

Overall, a prawn cracker with a rising savoury seafood flavour trajectory and cohesive dissolving textural development, resulting in a highly umami-forward snack with strong beer-pairing character and restrained oiliness.

This Calbee Kappa Ebisen Akō no Yakishio & Anchovy Garlic contained 50 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2026.