"Come to the dark side" (Limited Edition Mars Dark)

Member Name: ChrisGeering

Product:	Limited Edition Mars Dark
Date:	01/11/09 (113 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tastes better than a standard Mars bar

Disadvantages: High sugar content

INTRODUCTION

Despite knowing that pretty much every chocolate bar I consume is bad for me in one way or another, I keep on coming back for more. I unashamedly have a sweet tooth and I like eating my old favourites such as a Twirl or a Twix. I also like trying out new chocolate products that appear in our shops from time to time. However, one thing I have noticed of late is that the corporate giants in the world of chocolate seem to be lacking a bit of imagination in the research and development department. I wonder if the chocolate manufacturers make slight tweaks to existing popular brands as these products have an existing fanbase that would be prepared to try the "new" products out. I would also imagine it must cost much more money to launch a brand new product in terms of development, marketing and advertising and there is therefore potentially more to lose. From what I have observed, the variations tend to be a change in flavour (e.g. orange KitKat), a change in product format (Cadbury's Creme Egg Twisted) or a change in the type of chocolate (e.g. White Maltesers). This brings to me to the subject of this review, Mars Dark. As the name suggests, this is a variation on the traditional Mars Bar except that.... shock horror, it is coated in dark chocolate! The Mars Dark is also a limited edition product, which also tends to be a common feature of these "new" chocolate bars. Perhaps this is a way of saving face if the product proves to be unpopular, and a chance to maximise sales as consumers may fear that they might miss out if they don't buy, buy, buy. I bought a 4 bar multipack of the Mars Dark at my local Co-Op for £1.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

On the outer plastic wrapping of the chocolate bars, I found that there is a dedicated website for this product (www.marsdark.com). To satisfy my curiosity, I decided to visit the link, and found that I must be over 16 to enter the website - I wasn't aware that there was an age of consent to view chocolate related websites! The age limit question was explained when I saw the amusingly risqué slogan for the chocolate bar - "Do it in the dark". I guess Mars company have decided to follow the "sex sells" motto. Asides from the funny slogan, there wasn't much more detail on the product that isn't already on the packaging. On the website, Mars Dark is described as being "made of delicious golden caramel with a white nougat centre and smothered in smooth, dark chocolate". Further promotional buzz words are also provided, "Mars Dark is the new limited edition, delicious treat from Mars. Mars Dark is available nationwide, but not for long, so make sure you get out and grab a bar before it's too late!"

PACKAGING

In terms of the outer multipack plastic packaging, the colour is a expected dark black background. There is an impressive looking eclipse on the main display panel with projecting white rays. The red Mars logo is dominant, with the "Dark" word quite noticeable. The main panel also has the phrase (4 for £1) in bright red text on a yellow background. Ingredients and nutritional information are contained on the back of the multipack packaging. Each individual bar continues the eclipse theme, with the Mars Dark logo dominant on each bar. Summarised nutritional information and a full ingredients list are contained on each bar so there is no escape from knowing what you are consuming. Each individual bar weighs 52g, giving an overall multipack weight of 208 g. Each of the bars are perforated at either end for easy opening.

APPEARANCE

Ah, the best part of a chocolate review. This is when I actually get to open up the bar and see what is inside! As it is a multipack bar, it is slightly smaller than a standard Mars Bar (52g vs 58g). This is not necessarily a bad thing as chocolate bars are not exactly renowned for their nutritional benefits - but they usually taste good! The outer chocolate is certainly darker in appearance compared to a usual Mars. The bar is oblong shaped, slightly ridged on the top layer and flat on the bottom layer.

SMELL

The dark chocolate is very potent smelling and really hits the nasal senses. It is a mouth watering and enticing smell, and it really whets the appetite.

TASTE

The taste is superb, and in my opinion is far superior to a standard Mars Bar. The dark chocolate blends very well with the sticky golden caramel and white nougat. The dark chocolate gives a more slightly bitter aftertaste which nicely compliments the sweet caramel flavour. I found this bar less stodgy, sickly and sleep inducing than a standard Mars Bar, and I don't feel that my stomach is full of lead! The caramel and nougat slightly sticks to the teeth, but this is a small price to pay for a superb chocolate experience. As a serving recommendation, it is worth having a nice warm cup of tea nearby - you won't be disappointed!

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

One 52g bar contains:

Calories: 236 kcal (12% of an adults guideline daily amount)
Sugars: 29.7g (33% of an adults guideline daily amount)
Fat: 9.9g (14% of an adults guideline daily amount)
Saturates: 5.7g (29% an adults guideline daily amount)
Salt: 0.25g (4% of an adults guideline daily amount)

As would be expected, the sugar content was fairly high, but this is expected when considering the dark chocolate and caramel content. However, the fat content is not as high as other popular chocolate bars. As an example, in a Biscuit Boost Bar, each bar contains (in terms of fat content):

Fat: 17.2g (24.6% of your Guideline Daily Amount)
Saturates: 12.8g (64% of your Guideline Daily Amount)

So it could be worse folks. Predictably enough, the nutritional information has the phrase (in barely legible small font text), "To be enjoyed as part of a healthy, active lifestyle". So make sure you enjoy this product in moderation, although it is of course very difficult when considering it tastes this good.

VALUE FOR MONEY

The multipack offer of 4 Mars Dark bars for £1 is good value for chocolate bars (although the bars are slightly smaller than a standard Mars). A standard chocolate bar would usually retail over 50p depending on the shop or supermarket.

OVERALL

In the words of Emperor Palpatine from the Star Wars franchise my advice would be for you to "come to the dark side". Despite my reservations about the lack of imagination of "new" chocolate bars, in some instances the new variation is better than the original. This is certainly the case with Mars Dark. The multipack of 4 Mars Dark bars for £1 is great value, and they taste excellent. The dark chocolate nicely compliments the sweet caramel flavour and these bars are less sickly and stodgy than the standard Mars bar. In terms of nutrition, these products contain a large amount of sugar (to be expected for considering the dark chocolate and caramel content) but are not as high in fat content compared to other chocolate bars such as a Biscuit Boost Bar. Enjoy (in moderation of course)!

© CJG, 2009

Summary: Enjoy this superior version of Mars