I received these chocolates as a Christmas gift, alongside some equally alcoholic chocolate sultanas.

Two tubs of chocolate goodies were ordered online from the Hotel Chocolat website and arrived, somewhat over packaged, a couple of days after they were ordered.

This review is for the Kirsch Cherries. These are glacier cherries which have been soaked in kirsch before being dipped in milk chocolate followed by a dipping in dark chocolate. They are packaged in a cardboard tub, similar to that which holds cocoa, with a press on plastic outer lid and a foil seal inside.

On peeling back the foil seal I am hit by a strong smell of alcohol. The ingredients at the rear of the tub tell me this is cherry-brandy. The first alcohol that I ever got drunk on, after sneaking a bottle upstairs to my bedroom one New Years Eve when I was just twelve. The memories of my spinning bedroom come back to me in an instant!

The cherries are fairly large, even I can only manage one at a time. The cherry brandy taste is very strong and I am the only one in the family that likes these. They are also very sweet, and although dipped in milk chocolate initially, only the dark chocolate can be tasted. The alcohol certainly has a kick and the chocolates do make me feel a little tipsy after 4 (or was it 5??!!). Apparently I stink of cherry brandy after eating them!

These chocolates are very expensive for a small tub containing 150g, but due to their strong taste I doubt many people could eat a whole tub in one sitting. Mine is not quite empty after a week or so and I have had a couple of choccies each night as I've settled down to read. This means they last longer than most chocolates would do in my house so are working out fairly cost effective!

Bought from the Hotel Chocolat website, each tub retails at £6.60, but can be purchased at £5.90 each for 3. The Kirsch Cherries can be found within the Fruit & Nut section of the website. Delivery costs £3.95 per single item and £4.95 for two or more items

I cannot give calorific values etc.. as they are not listed on the tub, take it from me though, these are not good for your waistline!