After reviewing Lindt’s new Strawberry Intense and Coconut Intense dark chocolate blocks last week, I find myself today writing part two with an identical conclusion running through my mind: Fruit chocolate bad. Non-fruit chocolate want more yes now please.
So now that I’ve given the game away, let’s have a closer look at the other two new dark chocolate offerings from Lindt.
Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate Passion Fruit Intense
As someone who adores passionfruit, I had high hopes for Lindt’s Excellence Passion Fruit Intense bar. These hopes were accentuated by the fact that Cindy liked it, and by the thrillingly-true passionfruit aroma that swept over me once I tore open the foil.
However, I was less pleased to see that the “passion fruit” in this bar was, in fact, “passion fruit preparation (passion fruit 39%, sugar, apple, pineapple fibres, gelling agent (sodium alginate), stabilizer (calcium phosphate), flavouring, acidity regulator (citric acid))”.
Mmm. I do so love a bit of alginate during the 3pm work slump.
(In all fairness, I do understand that Lindt couldn’t simply throw fresh passionfruit into chocolate and have it come out hunky dory. So maybe I shouldn’t poke fun at the alginate.)
I shan’t give detailed tasting notes for this chocolate because, as Austin Powers would say*, it ain’t my bag, baby. The aroma was wonderful and put me in mind of freshly-scooped passionfruit, but I found the taste acidic and medicinal. It made me long for some palate-cleansing Lindt Excellence Chilli instead.
* Could someone please explain to me how that movie is 15 years old? I don’t understand. Seriously, time, you need to stop with the speeding up.
This is purely personal preference, though, as I rarely like fruit flavourings (even if they’re “natural flavourings”) messing with my dark chocolate. However, if you’re thrilled by the thought of, say, dipping strawberries and pineapple into chocolate fondue, then this chocolate may be for you.
As for me…
Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate A Touch of Sea Salt
Oh you beautiful beautiful creature. You beautiful delicious creature with your fleur de sel and your slightly-tangy-little-bit-of-cultured-butter aroma and the way the hint and flecks and bursts of subtle salt make you taste darker than you are.
Look at the way your sparkles of salt and cerulean-blue splashes glide together on the packaging, bringing great calm to my heart and reminding me of the scene in The Prince of Egypt when the bush is all blue-glowing and Moses learns things and, ooh, once upon a time I sang the “Hush now, my baby” solo from Deliver Us during a high school concert and now I’ve totally lost my train of thought because, oh, I do like music and I do like this chocolate and I am maybe a little bit wibbly-wobbly from endless Strepsils and hot lemon and honey drinks and where was I?
I think I was in a place of very much liking this Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate A Touch of Sea Salt bar. The fleur de sel brings out delicious buttery caramel notes in the chocolate, and the smooth rich melt accentuates the moreishness. In summary, this Lindt dark chocolate is All Things Good and by far my favourite of the new Lindt line-up (although I definitely bought this flavour last year, so I’m not sure about the “new” thing).
You should get this sea salt chocolate into you. Unless you prefer fruity chocolates, in which case you should buy all of the Lindt Excellence Passion Fruit and Strawberry Intense bars nearest you and leave the A Touch of Sea Salt chocolates for me.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some Strepsils to eat and some When You Believe to sing in a voice of hyperbolically-heightened emotion.
My boyfriend was given one of the sea salt bars at work six weeks ago. It has been sitting on his kitchen counter since then. UNACCEPTABLE.
Then again, you live in DC, with that amazing once-was-Biagio chocolate store, so perhaps it’s acceptable if he’s been eating other chocolate instead?
I agree with you, I didn’t like the passionfruit one either. (Also, didn’t like blueberry. But I haven’t tried the strawberry yet.)
And as for the sea salt, I liked it, but wished for a bit more salt.
Are you still ill? I prescribe more chocolate. Less strepsils, because they’re obviously making you delirious.
Yep, no likey-likey blueberry for me either. And we all know I’d rather eat my own sock than go anywhere near the orange one so, really, fruit-chocolate bad. It’s simple really
Just tonight, I saw on the Strepsils packet that you’re only meant to eat them every 2-3 hours. Oops. Maybe if they didn’t taste like candy, I wouldn’t eat them like candy?
Lindt sea salt is my favourite chocolate ever! It’s perfection.
I enjoyed the passionfruit but obviously not enough because there has been half a block in my cupboard for 2 months. Must be the alginates.
It’s my current equal-third favourite supermarket-available chocolate. Does that count?
Damn those alginates! Ruining everything!
I’m new to this salted chocolate thing – my first experience was an accident of putting chocolate covered blueberries (which I think are awesome and unlike any fruit chocolate bar I’ve ever had) into a bowl that had previously had salted nuts in. So good. Which makes me think I should get some of the Lindt Sea Salt chocolate. But for now I will just settle for the Lindt dark thins in my desk drawer.
I think I remember you blogging about that? And I chuckled, because I completely forget that there are people for whom salted chocolate or chilli chocolate are still unusual! I have a skewed view of the chocolate world
I have only tasted the passionfruit chocolate of these two – which probably labels me down as more into the fruit than the salt – I think I liked it but as with the strawberry I put most into a chocolate cake (which maybe then labels me as lover of fruity chocolates in chocolate cakes). I don’t quite get the salt and sweet foods craze – though it is not as inexplicable as Austin Powers movies being so old!
Fruity chocolate and chocolate cake… yep, those two things are all yours. You can put them alongside an orange cake in the cupboard marked “Not For Hannah”
Seriously 15 YEARS?! I don’t get it.
Im with you Hannah, the fruity chocolates are not my favourites at all. I will eat them, if there is nothing else about though
MMM love the sound of the “touch of sea salt” one though. <3 a simple dark chocolate.
If there’s no other chocolate around AND no nuts or nut butter AND no sesame snaps either
Exactly see you get me
I’ve had salted chocolate before, but not the Lindt one. Will try it next time! As for fruit ones, I don’t mind them, but I agree it would be nice if the ingredients were a little purer.
Ok, so:
Salt + anything = delicious
Salt + chocolate = extra delicious
Passionfruit “flavoured” anything = rank – Viper once bought a bottle of passionfruit flavoured vodka when we went through duty free. Never again. Ew it was so rank – we couldn’t even give the stuff away!
Woooow! Austin Powers 15 years old!?! HOW!?
UGH do you know what you’ve just reminded me of with your story of passionfruit vodka? Passion Pop! Ugh!! That dreaded staple of college parties, used only to fuel awful drunkenness! While I stood around getting bored as the self-chosen designated driver…
My brother linked me to a youtube clip of the Austin Powers scene with Dr Evil and Seth Green’s character in group therapy. Still hilarious.
Here at least we are in complete agreement
I do like fruit in chocolate, but the passionfruit one was a bitter disappointment to me. Or more accurately phrased, a too-sweet-and-sickly disappointment. I do love the sea salt one, although I’m also still peeved that it has dairy.
Yeah, the dairy thing is utter bollocks. Another reason why the 85% is still my absolute favourite! Thank heavens you didn’t like the passionfruit and the strawberry one! Whatever would we have done?
I love passionfruit too so that’s a shame it didn’t live up to expectations. But my expectations of fruit chocolates are very low (as we were discussing the other day). Any chocolate you can squeeze I would put back in the box. I only went for the hard and dark chocolates. I saw this sea salt bar in Harris Farm yesterday and stood there wondering if I should buy it – and now you tell me! Of course I should have. I’ll push my granny trolley back up there tomorrow! xx
Low expectations? You might love the passionfruit one then, also just because you like fruit chocolates in general
And oh yes, if ever you find yourself wondering whether or not to buy chocolate, the answer is always yes. Unless it’s orange chocolate, in which case the answer is yes-so-you-can-then-burn-it-in-fire-of-epic-proportions-ugh. 
I know what you mean about the passion fruit but I still like it. I must now try the salt chocolate. Oh Hannah there are days I think I should stop reading wayfaringchocolate but I cannot help myself
Oh no, don’t stop!
Teehee, flavoured chocolate is so much down to personal preference! Funny thing is, I can’t help wondering whether I would’ve liked the passionfruit if it was in white chocolate. That makes more sense to me.
You’ve hit it on the head. Passion fruit in white chocolate and Lindt does make a very creamy unctuous white chocolate.
The delicious flavour of the Passionfruit has me enthralled my friend – heaven indeed
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Oh, it’s all yours then! I don’t even want the rest of mine.
I must say, your photos are amazing.
I’ve had these a few times and I agree with your review. The problem is, the supermarkets here carry an extremely limited range. The exciting flavours just aren’t available much of the time.
Oh Margaret, you are so kind! I’m acutely aware of having only a point-and-shoot and not the fancy DSLRs that most bloggers use, and I’m rather nervous about my photos these days. So thank you!
I also like that you agree, and agree about the limited range. My local supermarket doesn’t even have any Whittaker’s, boo!
I adore the sea salt Lindt!
Despite it not being your thing, I’m both looking forward to and a little scared of the passionfruit one in my drawer. I love passionfruit, but I’m not a big fan of the almond pieces they put in their fruity chocolate bars so I’m anticipating the strawberry one being more along the lines of something I’ll like.
Sorry to disappoint you…………you’re going to have to share the Aussie sea salt blocks with me
I’d love to hear your thoughts on the passionfruit one once you’ve tried it, as I truly believe my dislike is more personal preference than anything. That said, the strawberry does seem to be getting more positive votes than the passionfruit amongst the people I’ve offered the rest of my blocks to.
Hmph. Well, fine. I suppose this country’s big enough for two sea salt Lindt lovers
Well, I opened the passionfruit one last night. I had high hopes for it after the strawberry one dominated my thoughts for a week (yep, loved it! now have *cough* 2 more blocks in my drawer…) and the result was…….plastic. I don’t know why, it just didn’t have that much of a passionfruit flavour and the whole time I was munching it I just kept thinking it tasted of plastic. I don’t think there was anything wrong with it, I just didn’t take to it at all (then there was those dreaded bits of almond in it, ack!!).
Now I just have to figure out what to do with the rest of it :s
I’ve been sharing my Lindt stash with my workmates, and must say that while many people like the Strawberry (and I, too, can see the appeal; it’s just I don’t like candy fruit in chocolate), not one has wanted to go back for more of the Passionfruit! Lindt didn’t quite hit the mark with that one, it seems.
And gosh, we can’t even feed the rest of the blocks to our pets, because of the whole poisonous-chocolate thing!
I know! Sadly I fed one to my mother when I bought a chocolate orange and the passionfruit one for her for mother’s day. I’m wondering if she’s still got it stashed away somewhere and if she’ll notice if I sneakily swap it for something else!
That would make you pretty much the best daughter in the world, I think.
Ahh fleur de sel! I only wish that when I was recently in France, that I had some luggage space to take more home with me!
I only wish that I was recently in France!
Sigh.
Love both blocks, but then Lindt will always be The One for me. What I’m dreaming of though, is the salted to join up with their milk block. THAT would be a dream pairing!
Can I add in salted with the caramel milk block? Or salted with a new peanut butter block? PEANUT BUTTER, DO YOU HEAR ME LINDT? GET ON IT.
Oh, yummy, I love a good dose of pineapple fibres in my daily diet! As I always say, life isn’t worth living if it’s not strung together gastronomically with pineapple fibres!
Plus: yeah, how is that sea salt bar new? I’ve seen it on the racks for ages. It doesn’t even say new on the box… they probably just included it cause they know you like it:)
Babe, at least I can conceptualise what pineapple fibres actually are. What on god’s green earth is alginate?!
Aw, I kinda like the idea of Lindt knowing my tastes that well
I haven’t bothered trying the passionfruit as yet, but have been chowing down on the sea salt for quite some time. It’s fabulous.
I recommend you stick with the sea salt, dear Louise!
Hannah, I do love your reviews of the chocolate bars. I will now have to try them to see if I agree. Will there be a review of Strepsils next? I hope your feeling better soon.
Oh Karen, thank you so much! For some reason, I always feel nervous that I’ll bore people with too much chocolate talk! Teehee, I think I’ll try to avoid reviewing Strepsils for the time being. Though they do taste like candy…
If nothing else, at least “Passionfruit Intense” is a really great name, AND the positioning of the fruit on the package makes them look like eyes. I was trying to work out if this was creepy, I decided not to, they have a saucy-venus-fly-trap thing going on (how can “the saucy venus fly trap” even be a recognisable trope for me, I don’t know)
Fleur de sel sounds much more my bag, too. I think it was coincidentally Austin Powers who recently gave me pause also at how much time had gone by since its release. Not cool, passage of time, not cool!
I haven’t even had any strepsils, but I have only had 5 1/2 hours sleep, if you’re wondering about the scatterbrained nature of this comment.
Oooh, I love your thoughts on the packaging, because I see a kind-of jungle face with a feathery-accessory tucked behind and invisible ear, and…
Anyway. “Saucy venus fly trap” makes me think of that terrible Batman movie with Uma Thurman as Poison Ivy and the plastic nipples as part of Batman’s and Robin’s costumes. Seriously, who gave that the okay?!
Oh, Austin Powers. Did he know, back then, that his gift to humanity would not only be giggles and turns of phrase but also existential-ish crises of time’s passing? I doubt it.
Ick, I feel you, lady. I’ve been sick for over a week, and most night am luck to get 5 hours. Which is ridiculous, because when you’re sick you need *more* sleep…
That’s fair enough – I understand that you have your fruit-chocolate foibles. At least we can agree that Lindt’s sea salt version is freakin’ awesome.
Hurrah! Sea Salt co-lovin’ forever! And yes, I have many failings as a human when it comes to fruit in chocolate.
I agree with whoever comments on the photos, and wanted to say, nothing bugs me more (well, something probably does) than the “amateur photography” trend, they’re more prolific than hipsters! There is nothing wrong with a good, compact, light point and shoot that doesn’t require it’s own oversized bag for outings. End rant!
Someone recommended Trader Joes caramel and sea salt chocolate, so I picked up a couple of blocks over in the US. Haven’t tried it yet though, but really looking forward to it! Whittakers in NZ does a peanut butter block, with mixed reviews, looking forward to trying it next week though. Lindt does do a delicious PB Lindor ball. I’m eating one right now
*laughs* Thanks Nicola. You, too, have made me feel better. I know, deep down, that I completely lack the photography skills to use an fancy camera, so there’d be no real point buying one! Plus I keep trying to convince myself that my blog is more about the writing
Oooooh, I’ve seen/heard about the Whittaker’s Peanut Butter block before, and every time it hurts my soul that it’s not available in Australia. And ooooh, Trader Joe’s! I miss the turbinado-and-sea-salt-and-dark-chocolate-coated almonds…
This is really not fair! I don’t think chocolate with sea salt has arrived in Italy yet, or not at any of my haunts! I can’t imagine what it must be like… Must investigate, yes must.
But you have licorice gelato. And coffee granita. And likely chestnut desserts. All of those things are magical
That ingredients list just sounds nasty!
Haha it’s hard to believe that Austin Powers is now ‘retro.’
The sea salt… oh, the sea salt. I tried that flavour a few weeks ago and it’s now firmly my favourite Lindt out there. Simply amazing. I also just tried the coconut intense flavour (husband brought it home) and it wasn’t too bad! Reminded me of a Mounds chocolate bar from the States. A bit of nostalgia for chocolate bars of my youth is never a bad thing!
Nostalgia always manages to make things taste better
Seems like lots of us love the salt Lindt! Darnit, now I have competition in the supermarket aisles… 
I’m really addicted to anything sweet and salty at the same time right now…I recently had a salty chocolate Pocky stick, you know the Japanese chocolate covered biscuit sticks? Loved those. And then there was the crinkle cut chips covered in hot melted chocolate in Japan….that was unforgettable…
I will take your advice and try this Lindt chocolate…sounds delicious!
Oh yes, sweet and salty is the awesome. I’ve tried chocolate-covered potato chips from a packet, but do you mean actual hot-cooked potato chips like French Fries? Man, Japan is incredible.
hahaha oh Hannah. many lola going on right now. & I really don’t like saying “lol”…but it’s just too true to not articulate. 15 years old???? get out of town. & yeah, alginate is really great for the afternoon slump.
Heidi xo
Oh gosh, Heidi! Thank you. I’m so glad that my chocolate reviews aren’t boring
Also, re: the alginate, you’re a dietitian so I trust you implicitly. I shall stock up on it the next chance I get
aaaah Lindt Excellence….I remember way back in the early days – or maybe even before Wayfaring Chocolate existed – you talking me through the various varieties of Lindt and breaking off various squares for me to sample and test my own chocolate appreciating skills. I’m afraid they are still underdeveloped, however I do keep a few trusty blocks of Lindt at work for those horrid days/holy crap I have a staff meeting/”its a day ending in y so I should eat some chocolate” days. Must. Get. Sea-Salt. for. Desk stash.
Oh my gosh, I remember that! Oh, I’m smiling all over the place now
Was that the same night that you introduced me to the glories of mango chutney with roast chicken? Hannah, just last night I was thinking about how much I miss our weekly Monday evenings together during my Honours year…
But yes, drawing myself from the warm glow of reminiscing, sea salt Lindt for the desk stash is necessary. I currently have five different flavours in mine.
I loved the Fleur du Sel Lindt bar.. I think I need to buy it again!
(or any chocolate with Salt… that would be so great right now!)
I tentatively tried this out a few months ago because you know – salt and chocolate – um – weird. But, Holy YUM – this is delicious. I actually prefer it to the plain 70% block (tried the 85%…couldn’t do it….sorry).
A firm favourite now
Teehee, seriously blows my mind *every time* someone says that salt and chocolate is weird. It’s so normal in my mind, but then I remember I have a very abnormal relationship with chocolate
I’m glad you don’t like the 85%, though. More for me
Thanks for the review — have you tried the Cafe Britt dark chocolates with passion fruit jelly? I guess they are from Costa Rica. The Lindt dark black currant chocolate bars are quite good but why does Lindt use artificial flavors? That spoils it for me. I used to get some really good Hershey Extra Dark chocolate bars with almond, blueberry and currant — from Amazon. I suppose it’s really best to support your local chocolatiers and then you know what you are getting — rather than the mystery “natural flavors” encountered elsewhere. Also you might want to check out the Endangered Species and Oskri Organics chocolate bars — lots of options there, fruit and non-fruit. Happy wayfaring!
Hi Brent, thank you for your lovely comment. I don’t think I’ve come across Cafe Britt, nor have I seen the Lindt black currant in Australia. Funnily enough, I was eating a different Lindt last night and was ranting (in my notes
) about exactly what you mentioned – the artificial flavours. Ugh. I believe I’ve had all the Endangered Species chocolates but pre-blog, and Oskri? I didn’t realise they did chocolate; I thought it was just the sesame/coconut bars. Thanks for the tips 
Thanks for your review. I happen to love dark chocolate, I love fruit flavored chocolate, and I adore passion fruit ever since I discovered it as a blended juice and sugar drink in Rio de Janeiro called suco di maracuja’ (passion fruit juice in Portuguese).
When I stumbled upon it last week, I excitedly bought 5 bars. Boy was I disappointed. I didn’t detect any passion fruit aroma, and there was zero passion fruit taste. All I tasted was chocolate and pineapple. I was so disappointed, I called Lindt and complained, but all they wrote back was that different people’s taste senses are different.
Actually, chocolate and pineapple wasn’t too bad, but I wasn’t expecting it.
Ah, well. Life ain’t easy.
Thank you for your comment! Honestly, I’ve yet to find anyone who actually liked this Lindt Passionfruit bar. So it seems that most of us have “different taste senses” than what Lindt was aiming for. Fingers crossed you find your magical perfect passionfruit dark chocolate one day down the track!