How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (2024)

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (1)

What does “adult sweetness” even mean? We’ll explain.

When browsing food and drink labels in Japan, you may notice the term “adult flavor”, or “otona no aji”–remember McDonalds Japan’s Adult Cream Pie? In this content, “adult” often means it has lower sugar content or a slightly bitter flavor more commonly suited to adult taste buds.

Japanese KitKats are no exception. The “Adult Sweetness”, or “Otona no Amasa”, KitKats have most commonly been associated with dark chocolate, but a more convincing player has entered the field as of September 2023: the new Cacao 72% flavor.

To see how it stacked up to current KitKat favorites, we decided to test and compare five types in terms of taste, sugar/saccharide content, and fat/lipid content. Keep in mind that these flavor descriptions are in our KitKat tester and Japanese-language reporter Natsuki Gojo’s opinion, so take them with a grain of salt–or sugar.

▼ Our contenders were, from let to right and then top to bottom:

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (2)
1. Chocolate
2. Adult Sweetness
3. Whole Wheat Biscuit In
4. Cacao 72%
5. Adult Sweetness Strong Matcha

▼ We started with the original Chocolate flavor.

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (3)

▼ Chocolate: 62 calories, 3.6 grams lipids, 4.9 grams saccharides

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (4)

The wafer and milk chocolate combination was familiar and delicious, and it was definitely the sweetest flavor out of the five options. You can’t go wrong with this one.

▼ Next, we tried the Adult Sweetness flavor.

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (5)

▼ Adult Sweetness: 63 calories, 3.9 grams lipids, 3.8 grams saccharides

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (6)

The black packaging correlated to bitterness in our minds, but it actually had a slightly sweet flavor with absolutely no bitterness. It was like the original Chocolate flavor but with less sugar.

▼ We moved onto the other Adult Sweetness option: Strong Matcha.

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (7)

▼ Adult Sweetness Strong Matcha: 63 calories, 3.9 grams lipids, 4.5 grams saccharides

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (8)

These are quite popular as souvenirs for tourists in Japan, so we knew they’d be good. Our first impression was of a surprisingly sweet chocolate flavor, but the aftertaste was clearly a bitter matcha. Due to that bitterness, we’d agree that it may be suited to more adult palates.

▼ Next up was the Whole Wheat Biscuit In flavor.

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (9)

▼ Whole Wheat Biscuit In: 63 calories, 3.7 grams lipids, 4.5 grams saccharides

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (10)

The somewhat odd name is self-explanatory; instead of wafers, it has whole wheat biscuits wrapped in a mellow and creamy chocolate. This made it have a crunchier mouthfeel than other KitKats.

▼ And finally, the newcomer: Cacao 72% KitKats.

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (11)

▼ Cacao 72%: 64 calories, 4.1 grams lipids, 3.8 grams saccharides

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (12)

We expected them to be ultra-bitter, but it wasn’t as strong as we expected. It was definitely a mild taste on the high-cacao-content chocolate scale. We think it would be a good option for those that don’t normally like dark chocolate.

▼ We’ve compiled a chart detailing each flavor’s sugar and fat content to sum it all up.

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (13)

In our taste test, we concluded a couple of things: one, that all of the KitKat flavors are delicious, and two, that the Adult Sweetness and Cacao 72% flavors are best for people that don’t like ultra-sweet chocolate.

How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (14)

If you’re looking for some good Japanese KitKats but don’t have the opportunity to test them all, use our thoughts as a reference point! Don’t forget to pick up regional specialties like island lemons while you’re at it.

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How does KitKat Japan’s Adult Sweetness flavor stack up to other fan favorites?【Taste test】 (2024)

FAQs

What is Japanese Kit Kat adult flavor? ›

OTONA NO AMASA FOR ADULTS. Otona no Amasa means “sweetness for adults” in English. Just like the name implies, these Kit Kats are less sweet than the regular flavors and have more nuance to them too. These Kit Kats include dark chocolate, deep matcha, strawberry, white chocolate, raspberry, and caramel.

Why do Japanese Kit Kats taste different? ›

These high-end Kit Kats are developed by classically trained pastry chef Yasumasa Takagi and made using finer chocolates and premium ingredients. These chocolate bars are designed with more sophisticated adult tastes in mind varying both form and sweetness levels.

What is the Kit Kat strategy in Japan? ›

Nestlé, the parent company of Kit Kat, recognized the potential of the Japanese market and adopted a strategic approach to localization. Instead of imposing Western flavors, Nestlé embraced the Japanese palate by introducing unique and even region-specific Kit Kat flavors.

What is unique about a Kit Kat bar sold in Japan? ›

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Kit-Kats in Japan is their extreme variety of flavors. While we typically only see the standard milk chocolate flavor in the United States, Japanese customers have seen over 400 unique flavors of Kit-Kats over the past 20 years!

What is the Japanese adult flavor? ›

When browsing food and drink labels in Japan, you may notice the term “adult flavor”, or “otona no aji”–remember McDonalds Japan's Adult Cream Pie? In this content, “adult” often means it has lower sugar content or a slightly bitter flavor more commonly suited to adult taste buds.

Why do Japanese people love Kit Kats? ›

Marketing. Marketing for Kit Kats in Japan is believed to have benefited from the coincidental false cognate with "Kitto Katsu", a phrase meaning "You will surely win" in Japanese. Some market research has shown that the brand is strongly correlated to good luck charms, particularly among students ahead of exams.

What is the new KitKat flavor 2024? ›

This limited-edition offering further proves the brand's dedication to innovation, catering to the tastes of Gen Z and Millennials as more than 93% express a preference for Pink Lemonade treats. Fans can begin looking for it on store shelves nationwide, starting May 17, 2024.

What does KitKat mean in Japanese? ›

Kit Kat might not have a particular Japanese meaning, but its Japanese pronunciation kitto katto sounds a lot like “kitto katsu,” a phrase that means “you're definitely going to win” in English. Because of that, Japanese Kit Kats are often gifted to students during exam season as a token of good luck.

Why is KitKat different in the US? ›

In the US, Kit Kat is sold by Hershey. In the rest of the world, Nestlé's in charge. That means different flavors across the globe, and different recipes — even two versions of a dark chocolate Kit Kat, Hershey's and Nestlé's, don't taste the same.

Why is Kit Kat so delicious? ›

Kitkat is no special just simple waffer biscuit.. The sugar content of the American chocolate bar is higher, while the fat and cocoa content of the British chocolate bar is higher, resulting in a richer, smoother flavour. As more Americans travel to the United Kingdom, they will see why.

Who are Kit Kat competitors in Japan? ›

KitKat's biggest competitor in Japan is Pocky, known for its skinny chocolate-dipped biscuit sticks.

What is unique about Kit Kat? ›

"Have a break...Have a Kit Kat!" The standard bars consist of two or four pieces composed of three layers of wafer, separated and covered by an outer layer of chocolate. Each finger can be snapped from the bar separately. There are many flavours of Kit Kat, including milk, white, and dark chocolate.

Why does Kit Kat taste different around the world? ›

Why is the European KitKat tastier than the American KitKat? American Kit-Kats are made by the Hershey Company, while British Kit-Kats are made by Nestlé. The American-made chocolate bar contains more sugar, while the British-made chocolate bar is higher in fat and cocoa, resulting in a richer, smoother flavor.

What is the unique selling proposition of Kit Kat? ›

Kit Kat Marketing Mix

Unique selling points: chocolate fingers with the signature tagline: 'Have a break, have a KitKat. '

How much does a Kit Kat bar cost in Japan? ›

The prices are indicative of this: a single, regular-sized Kit Kat bar costs 324 yen, while a box of 4 mini Kit Kats costs 432 yen.

What is adult sweetness? ›

The “Adult Sweetness”, or Otona no Amasa, KitKats have most commonly been associated with dark chocolate, but a more convincing player has entered the field as of September: the new Cacao 72% flavor.

What flavour is the black Kit Kat? ›

This product is a dark chocolate version of Nestle's KitKats and is popular with adults. The products flavor is written as 'otona no amasa' which directly translated means 'adults' sweetness'.

What flavor is the pink Kit Kat? ›

Available nationwide in standard and king sizes, KIT KAT® Pink Lemonade Flavored Bar joins the brand's impressive list of exciting, and sometimes unexpected, flavors including Chocolate Frosted Donut, Mint + Dark Chocolate, Birthday Cake and more.

What does Ruby Kit Kat taste like? ›

The ruby chocolate KitKat bar tastes fairly similar to the white chocolate variation, with its berry undertones giving it a sweet kick.

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