Charcoal Roast Coffee

Those of you who liked Kopiko owe it to yourselves to try this hard coffee candy. The name "sumiyaki" translates to "charcoal roast," a style of coffee I believe is unique to Japan.

It's a black coffee candy (i.e. no milk) but exhibits very little of the bitterness that afflicts some of the other dark roast candies. The flavor has less of the caramel note that makes Kopiko so good, but it has a bit more realism in the coffee flavor.

The bite is good, but not great. It fractures well -- so well, indeed, that on my first bite I just cracked off part of the candy, leaving most of it intact and ready for another attempt. The finish is a little gummy, but unlikely to take out anything but the loosest fillings.