Zotter Golden Cherries of Uzbekistan

This is the second of the handful of Zotter bars I picked up in Vienna, and possibly the most unusual in terms of title/flavour. A little research reveals that Uzbekistan is something of a fruit producing country, and the Golden Cherry is one of a number of fruits exported from there. Obviously the packaging designers decided that people in Uzbeki costume carrying giant cherries would be the best way to illustrate this. Who are we to argue?

Physically, the bar is identical to the Butter Caramel bar I reviewed recently, and it has the same Organic/Fairtrade pedigree that all Zotter bars seem to have. Cracking it open and having a peek reveals this;

As you see, the bar is composed of the same ‘base layer’ of cocoa and nuts, with the cherry element sat atop. A quick taste confirms that tis is indeed the same stuff as the Caramel bar, but with a layer of slightly tart cherry preserve in place of the caramel. Although the cherries have been marinaded in cherry brandy, there’s not really a great deal of alcohol present in the overall flavour. It tends to come in at the finish as the warmth of your mouth releases the alcohol vapour. The cherry flavours are well pronounced, with the nutty/cocoa taste of the base layer getting a bit more of a look in this time. The almonds are much more obvious, siting well with the fruitiness of the cherries. It’s unlike most of the cherry/chocolate combinations I’ve tried in that the fruit seems to sit alongside the chocolate and other elements rather than dominating proceedings, which is what tends to happen, particularly with cherries. It’s also less sweet than the Butter Caramel bar was – a plus in my world.

Although these bars are obviously factory produced (and sold at a premium) it’s the quality of the ingredients (and the wacky flavours and gorgeous packaging) that push up the price. However, you get what you pay for, and what you get from Zotter would seem to be top quality ingredients put together by someone with an adventurous palate and a healthy disregard for convention – you only have to look at the photo of a smiling Mr Zotter drenched in chocolate to realise that!

Zotter bars can be had by mail order in the UK – expect to pay a little over £3.00 a bar (plus postage) though, and that isn’t really too much over what I paid for these in their country of origin!

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