This Glico Pocky Sakura was released a year ago in February 2018 in time for last year’s hanami parties. It was available exclusively at 7-Eleven stores and is part of the premium Pocky line, commanding slightly higher price than regular limited edition Pocky.

The box contained 4 bags each containing 6 Pocky. The bag is a pretty pastel pink illustrated with sakura blossoms.

Each Pretz is 13 cm in length with a golden orange coloured biscuit stick made from seared butter. The biscuit stick is enrobed in a pastel pink coloured white chocolate that draws inspiration from the colour of sakura petals and is flavoured with sakura leaf extract and coated in granules of salt and sugar.

The Pretz has a rich butter aroma much like a butter Danish cookie without a hint of the sakura extract. Upon tasting, the salt granules give an initial saltiness characteristic of most sakura confectionery before the same unsweetened and rich buttery flavour emerged on biting through the biscuit stick, which is made from seared butter. The white chocolate flavoured with sakura leaf extract brought a gentle sakura flavour in the body before the salty-sweet notes return in the finish with the rich buttery flavour to recall a crisp pretzel. Despite the rich butter flavour, the Pretz is neither oily to the touch or on the palate.

This Glico Pocky Sakura contained 80.4 g or 4 bags each with 6 pieces. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan in 2018.