New Whittaker’s banana caramel block hits shelves - what does it taste like?

As we prepare to bid farewell to the iconic Jaffa, a new fruit-flavoured chocolate concoction has landed on supermarket shelves.

If banoffee pie is your favourite dessert, or banana Nesquik was a staple of your childhood, then Whittaker’s newest creation might be a contender to fill that Jaffa-sized hole in your heart.

The limited-edition Banana Caramel 250g block boasts banana-infused caramel filling within Whittaker’s classic Creamy Milk chocolate.

According to Whittaker’s chief marketing officer Soraya Cottin, it’s the first-ever banana-flavoured product for the Kiwi chocolate brand.

Whittaker's limited edition Banana Caramel chocolate block.

“Pairing the banana with caramel makes for sophisticated indulgence with a hint of nostalgia for chocolate lovers who reminisce about banana-flavoured treats.”

Previous limited-edition creations were its Choc Cross Bun, Candy Cane and Peanut Butter and Jelly flavours.

With the Banana Caramel block available in stores from today, the Herald’s Mitchell Hageman and Bethany Reitsma put it to the test.

Watch the video above to see what they thought.

Whittaker's newest creation features banana-infused caramel in 33% cocoa Creamy Milk chocolate. Photo / Supplied

The verdict

MH: My hopes were high to start, with dreams of Nesquik Banana sensibilities and melt-in-your-mouth caramel texture. Too often, I think Whittaker’s goes overboard on the sweetness (I’m looking at you Hazella...), with some of my favourites of their products being the ones that blend spices, berries, and other tart and savoury delicacies.

From the first bite of this new banana concoction, I was hooked. It was like a Perky Nana on steroids, pumped full of gooey goodness with just the right amount of sweetness to not make it overpowering. The signature Whittaker’s cocoa blend chocolate was creamy and light, and the texture of the caramel mixed in well.

Some of my colleagues said the roasted banana taste was too “artificial”, and normally, I would agree, but in this case, I think an exception can be made because of the caramel aspect balancing things out.

The only minor gripe I had was that I wish there was a bit more of the banana flavour in the filling, because slipping an edge of tartness into it would’ve given it that extra boost. Rating: 9/10

BR: Banana isn’t a flavour I typically go for when it comes to lollies and chocolate - mainly because fake banana flavour is nothing like the real thing.

Whittaker’s Creamy Milk Caramel block is one of my favourites, so I was curious to see just how much banana flavour had been “infused” into the creamy caramel filling.

The ingredients list shows it’s made with real banana paste and puree, which was promising - but breaking off a piece showed the filling was a brighter yellow than expected.

I’m happy to report the banana flavour wasn’t overpowering (apparently, not “bananary” enough for Mitch), though the taste did linger for a while after eating the chocolate.

While it wouldn’t be my first pick in the chocolate aisle, I was pleasantly surprised. Rating: 7/10