Whittakers is no stranger to weird, sometimes wonderful Special Edition confectionery creations. They brought us they kind-of-gross L&P white chocolate, the absolutely delicious Hundreds & Thousands block, and the bizarre Peanut Butter milk chocolate – which I’m still not sure if I like, or loathe.
Their latest creation? The Jelly Tip Block, a slab of chocolate based on the abominable Jelly Tip ice cream that, for some reason, is really popular. They rode their usual, very effective hype train, filled with not-so-cryptic teases to whet people’s appetites, before dropping the proverbial bass and letting the hordes flock to the supermarkets.
Around the same time, Cadbury decided that they needed their own hat in the Special Edition chocolate ring, and seemingly out of nowhere, dropped the Dairy Milk Jaffas block on us. So what are we, the helpless public, to do when faced with not one, but two choices for creamy, chocolatey delight?
Why of course, pit them against one another in a duel to the death.
Only one candy shall stand victorious.
Disclaimer: I hate Jelly Tips, and love Jaffas, so… this may not be a fair fight.
Packaging
Jelly Tip
Whittakers, as a general rule, have excellent packaging design, and they’ve done some neat stuff with their previous Special Editions but the Jelly Tip Block’s packaging is far less remarkable. It simply has an image of a Jelly Tip – identical to that seen on the ice cream six-pack boxes – covering most of the front, with a Whittakers logo in the chocolate part and the Jelly Tip logo above, in front of a gold background. Honestly, it feels a bit hacked together, without the usual sense of creativity that Whittakers are known for.
Jaffas
The packaging for the Dairy Milk Jaffas, meanwhile, is understated in a way that feels intentional. It’s consistent with the rest of the Cadbury range, remixing the design of the Dairy Milk packaging with orange highlights and a Jaffas logo and imagery across the bottom. It’s immediately clear what it is, but with a design that’s eyecatching and on brand – especially when sat next to the overbearing Jelly Tip packaging.
Winner: Jaffas
Design
Jelly Tip
For all the failings of the packaging, the aesthetic design of the Jelly Tip chocolate is on point. It’s a work of art. To look from above, it has the appearance of a simple white chocolate bar; from below milk chocolate. It’s almost like Cadbury’s Top Deck, except with more white. It’s just the very thin layer at the bottom of the slab that’s milk chocolate.
And then, of course, the atomic pink jelly sits inside each square. The colours all come together beautifully, and emulate the source material – vanilla ice cream, pink jelly, and an outer layer of chocolate – perfectly, even down to proportions.
Jaffas
The Jaffas block, meanwhile, has all the artistry of someone haphazardly throwing paint balls at a wall. It looks like exactly what it is – a block of Dairy Milk, with Jaffas and orange chips thrown in without rhyme or reason. The block’s only saving grace is the innate beauty of the Jaffa itself, and even that can only carry Cadbury’s candidate so far.
Winner: Jelly Tip
Texture
Jelly Tip
Jelly Tip’s texture surprised me. I assumed the jelly would be relatively solid, but it’s a gooey mixture more akin to that of the orange chocolates in a box of Roses or similar. It’s odd, but not in a bad way, and in fact feels rather good to eat, the way the jelly oozes out as your teeth crack the chocolate shell. On top of that, you’ve got the smooth, creamy white and milk chocolate that Whittakers are known for. The Jelly Tip block can’t be faulted on texture.
Jaffas
The Jaffas block is full of bits – whole mini-Jaffas, orange chips – which gives it a rough, almost aggressive feeling. These bits are, of course, the defining factor of the Jaffas block, and there could be no removing them. It’s not better or worse than the Jelly Tip, just… different. Jelly Tip is smooth and relaxing enough to lull you to sleep, but for Jaffas, you’ll want to be very much awake when you tuck in.
Draw
Taste
The grand final! The taste test.
Jelly Tip
As much as I don’t like Jelly Tip ice creams, the chocolate was pleasantly surprising in that it wasn’t awful. It has an almost Turkish Delight-like taste, only sweeter, somehow. (And don’t let the haters tell you otherwise, Turkish Delight is great.) I managed to polish off a half block or so, and only stopped because it ran out, while Jelly Tip ice creams have me looking up banishing spells online, so I guess that’s a good sign.
In saying that, I don’t think I’ll be buying it again.
Jaffas
For all its lack of grandeur, the Dairy Milk Jaffas block is absolutely, uncompromisingly delicious. It’s two great things – Jaffas, and Dairy Milk – smashed together, and the results are everything we were promised and more. This, I think, will be my go-to chocolate of choice (when Cadbury’s the brand that’s on sale, at least!) for as long as it’s available. It’s in the esteemed company of Cadbury Top Deck, Whittakers Hazelnut, and Nestle Milkybar Cookies & Cream.
Winner: Jaffas
Overall
And the big winner is… *drumroll*
JAFFAS DAIRY MILK!
Given my disclaimer earlier on, this likely won’t come as a surprise, but Jaffas is easily the superior chocolate block. It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing block, but it has deliciousness in spades, and then some – and that’s what counts.
Jelly Tip is a chocolate I’d want to freeze (for the sake of the gooey jelly), frame, and admire; Jaffas Dairy Milk is a chocolate I want to shove into my face over, and over, and over again. And chocolate is for face-shoving, not looking at.
