This Whittaker’s Artisan Collection Marlborough Sea Salt and Caramel Brittle with Saffron in Dark Chocolate added just a bit extra to the Marlborough Sea Salt & Caramel Brittle in Milk Chocolate in the collection. It took that favourite and increased the cocoa content from 33% to 62% for a dark chocolate base and infused the sea salt with ‘the exotic spice of saffron’. It contained 12% saffron salted caramel pieces made from 3.7% saffron-infused salt.

The increased cocoa content and the infusion of saffron transformed this bar into a wholly distinct experience compared to its milk chocolate counterpart. The dark chocolate contributed to a sharper and more defined break when dividing the chocolate squares, intensifying the cocoa percentage to its maximum without crossing the threshold into excessive bitterness. As expected, the salted caramel brittle lent its delightful crunch, while the saffron introduced a profound earthy quality coupled with a honey-like sweetness. This combination expertly rounded out any semblance of the typical acidity or sharp bitterness associated with dark chocolate. We appreciated the intricate blend of flavours in this bar, although we still find the sweeter milk chocolate version to be more approachable for most palates.

This Whittaker’s Artisan Collection Marlborough Sea Salt and Caramel Brittle with Saffron in Dark Chocolate contained 100 g. It was produced in New Zealand and received as a gift from family visiting New Zealand in 2019.