New whisky barrel-aged KitKat to be released in Japan

Nestlé-owned brand KitKat is to unveil a limited-edition chocolate bar made with cacao nibs that have been aged in Islay whisky casks for 180 days.

Called Whisky Barrel Aged, the new chocolate bar will be available at Japan’s seven KitKat Chocolatery stores from 15 December. There will also be limited quantities available online.

The chocolate bar is made using Ghanaian cacao nibs aged in barrels that have been used to aged Scotch whisky on the island of Islay. The barrels were rotated by hand once a week to ensure all the cacao nibs came into contact with the barrel and were imbued with flavours of “smoke and peat”.

Whisky Barrel Aged is KitKat Japan’s first product launch that was made overseas, having been created in the UK.

The project was overseen by pastry chef Yasumasa Takagi, who has worked with KitKat since 2003.

The bars will retail for ¥300 (£2.16) and will be available in the four KitKat boutiques in Tokyo, as well as stores in Osaka, Kawasaki and Hiroshima.

KitKat was launched in Japan back in 1973 when it was owned by Rowntree, with a production plant later built in the country in 1989. There have been over 300 flavour variants developed since then, including matcha tea, soy sauce and sake.