According to a Nestle Japan press release, a limited run of 500 special-edition KitKats presented in gold-leaf wrapping will be released.
Just in time for the holiday season, the luxurious treats will retail for just over ¥2,000 each. There will also be an opportunity to go in the draw to win an actual 24-carat solid gold KitKat to mark the occasion, for those interested in signing up for a “KitKat Chocolatory” membership.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, a Nestle Japan spokesperson said, “The new golden versions will use the ‘sublime bitter’ flavors for its base, with the gold leaf layer added to each one by hand. The gold won’t alter the taste of the chocolate but will offer a sense of luxury with each bite.”
Of course, gold-leaf has been used Japan since the end of the 16th century to give food (and handicrafts, cosmetics, accessories and decorations) more of a luxury, high-end feel. It is made by flattening gold into incredibly thin sheets, and the the vast majority (99%) of Japan’s gold-leaf is produced in Kanazawa.
Impressively, there have been over 200 Japan-only flavors of KitKat produced since 2000. Some of the more interesting editions have included green tea, soy sauce, baked potato, cherry blossom, ginger ale, chili, strawberry cheesecake, Kobe pudding, wasabi, cream cheese, matcha, apricot seed, French salt and pumpkin.
If you’d like to sample some of these crazy flavors for yourself, check out this “Guide to Shopping for Unusual KitKats.”
–Chris Zajko
Images: Nestle Japan
