I Tried 23 "Banned" Cadbury Chocolate Bars You Can't Get In The US — Here Are The Best (And Worst) Ones

Hey! I'm Spencer, and I recently toured Cadbury World while on a trip through England. I got a first-hand look at how the original Cadbury factory makes their chocolate, but more importantly I also got to eat a bunch of it myself.

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The factory is located in Birmingham, and aside from the many free samples each person gets upon entering, there are rides, interactive elements (like above, where I'm attempting [and failing] to write my name in chocolate), and pretty much anything else you could think of. If you're ever in the area as a family or with kids then I highly recommend it.

UK Cadbury bars have been banned from being imported into the US since 2015, after a settlement with Hershey, so I wanted to taste-test as many different chocolates as I could find in their gift shop. Hershey owns the rights to make and sell Cadbury in the US, but their recipe is a bit different, so what better place to try all of these "banned" bars than at their birthplace in England?

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If you live in the US then you may have had Cadbury chocolates before, but according to my tour guide they taste a little different in every country you're in, mostly due to location and temperature (i.e. how close or far each factory is from the equator).

Also, every country has different standards for chocolate: in the UK, it isn't considered chocolate unless the product contains at least 20% of cocoa solids, but in the US the minimum is only 10%. That's why Cadbury in the UK tastes soooooo much better (at least in my opinion!).

Here's a photo of everything I picked up at Cadbury World. It somehow only cost ₤16.49 (or $21), which genuinely made my jaw drop. Like, if I bought all 20+ items at a regular US grocery store then it easily would have cost at least twice as much. Anyway, let's get on to the results!

1.Fruit & Nut – 6.2/10

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What is it: "A bar of Cadbury milk chocolate filled with juicy sultanas (golden raisins) and whole almonds"

My review: I was told by all of my UK and Aussie friends that this is the most controversial and polarizing bar from Cadbury. I love raisins, and I love almonds, so I went into this thinking it'd be great, but I was a little underwhelmed. It had wayyyy more nuts than fruit, to the point where I thought they should change its name to a One Raisin & Nut bar. There are finer raisin + nut bars from Cadbury (I'm looking at you, Picnic bars), so I'll be sticking with them instead.

2.Marvellous Creations – 9.4/10

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What is it: "Fruit-flavored jellies, crispy sugar-coated cocoa candies, and crackling popping candy, all wrapped in Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: I can't get over how original and inventive this candy bar is. Like, it's genuinely fun to eat. The chocolate is delicious, and the "jelly-popping candies" scattered throughout remind me of Pop Rocks. They pair super well together, and hearing + feeling them crackle in my mouth is so cool. This bar feels like something Willy Wonka would have created himself, and I wish I bought more than one.

3.Orange Buttons – 10/10

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What is it: "Flat, circular, button-shaped bites of orange-flavored Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: A perfect bite. I found myself trying to stop eating these, but I was constantly going back for more, and I finished them all in one sitting. The only thing I can compare them to is Terry's chocolate orange that you smash to "peel," except this chocolate is even smoother and more rich. I can't recommend these enough, and the next time I find myself in England I'll be buying several bags.

4.Curly Wurly Squirlies – 3.4/10

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What is it: "Bite-size, fun-shaped pieces of Cadbury milk chocolate with a caramel center"

My review: I love caramel, I love chocolate, and I love them together, but something about this just didn't work. I did leave these in the fridge before eating them, so maybe that's my fault because the cold caramel wasn't doing this candy any justice. I tried to remedy the situation by waiting until they got back to room temperature, but I was still disappointed. No matter what temperature these candies are at, the caramel is just too thick and is impossible to get out of your teeth, which kind of takes the fun out of eating them. I do prefer them chilled, though, so you can suck on them instead of chew, but, yeah, there are better treats to get in my opinion. Sorry!

5.Starbar – 6.7/10

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What is it: "A chocolate covering filled with caramel and crushed, roasted peanuts"

My review: The Starbar (referred to as a Wunderbar in Canada and Germany) reminded me of a Butterfinger with some caramel inside, which made it WAY less flaky or dry. The first few bites were great, but I will admit that there's a tinnnnny bit of a weird aftertaste. Would I eat it again if someone was offering? Absolutely. Would I pay for it? Eh, probably not. But only because I've had better Cadbury bars that take priority!

6.Dairy Milk – 9.4/10

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What is it: "A classic, solid bar of Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: Look, you really can't go wrong with a regular chocolate bar. If you're a fan of milk chocolate and aren't in the mood for any other flavors or ingredients then you'll love this. But how does it rate against other chocolate companies? Well, let me put it this way: I'm a fan of Hershey's, but if I could only pick one then I'd go with this Cadbury bar any day of the week. The chocolate isn't too sweet, and I don't feel gross after eating an entire bar like I might with other brands. Soooooo good.

7.Twirl – 7.3/10

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What is it: "Chocolate swirls and curls that are covered with Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: These are totally fine! I think I was expecting two chocolates stuck together, sort of like a KitKat, and tbh these just seem like Cadbury Flake bars but with a different name. Nothing inherently special about this one, but it does taste good, so I won't complain.

8.Fudge – 4.2/10

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What is it: "A bar of soft fudge that's covered in Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: There's something a bit off about this one, but maybe it's my fault for assuming it'd be more chocolaty. Like, I was genuinely surprised to take a bit and see a white center. I didn't get any flavor of chocolate hitting my tastebuds. Instead, it tasted like I was eating a can of sweetened condensed milk, only in bar form. I'm sure some people will love this one, but I'd personally opt for a different bar.

9.Caramel Egg – 8.5/10

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What is it: "Egg-shaped milk chocolate vessel with gooey caramel at the center"

My review: The first bite of this candy is incredible, no surprise. It also feels like such a quintessential Easter snack, so it did make me feel a bit nostalgic. However, it is extremely messy if you don't scarf it down in one or two bites max – otherwise it just crumbles in your hand, and the caramel gets everywhere. I also think there's a bit too much caramel in here, as it really overpowers the chocolate, but, hey, if you love caramel then this should be your go-to.

Because of the mess and the amount of caramel, I do think this particular candy could be even better if it was just a little smaller and more bite-size. With all of that said, it's my favorite of the caramel chocolates from Cadbury so far, and I wish I bought more.

10.Flake – 7/10

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What is it: "Delicate strands of crumbly Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: The Flake bar certainly lives up to its name. Like, it's very flaky, and you'll probably have a pile of delicious crumbs by your feet when you're finished eating it.

Does it taste good? Yes. Is it better than, say, a solid version of the same bar? No. This is something that pairs perfectly with an ice cream cone (as is served all around the UK!), but I had to dock a few points because it's not my favorite standalone bar. It's still a damn-good piece of chocolate, but I prefer other bites from Cadbury.

11.Daim – 9.5/10

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What is it: "Solid milk chocolate eggs with crunchy almond caramel pieces"

My review: This is easily my favorite egg candy that I've tried from Cadbury. The tiny almond pieces in the center give this a tiny crunch, and the caramel inside isn't too overpowering. Silky, smooth, and so freaking tasty. I'm glad these come in a larger pack because I wanted to eat 50 in one sitting. More, please.

12.Picnic – 8.2/10

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What is it: "Crispy cereal and chewy caramel covered in a combo of crunchy peanuts and juicy, dried grapes, all covered in a layer of Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: Crunchy, peanut-y goodness. To me, this tastes like if a Payday bar was actually good. The chocolate coating really makes this and helps to even out the amount of peanuts, so they're not overwhelming, and the occasional raisin in here provides an extra nice bite. It's not my absolute favorite bar from Cadbury, but, dang, I'd definitely buy it again.

13.Plant Bar – 8.8/10

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What is it: "A smooth and creamy chocolate bar made from almond paste and cocoa butter"

My review: This vegan chocolate bar has no right to be this good. I've never been a vegan or vegetarian before, but, damn, I'd happily buy this bar again. It's made with almonds and is so freaking smooth and delicious. If I could only choose between this or the regular Cadbury bar then the regular one does slightly pull out ahead, but not by much. Truly impressive.

14.Freddo Caramel – 8.1/10

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What is it: "A treat-size bar of Cadbury milk chocolate with a caramel center in the shape of Freddo Frog"

My review: I can't put my finger on it, but the chocolate in this bar didn't taste like the other Cadbury chocolates to me. Something about it was a little off. I do think it had a great chocolate-to-caramel ratio though. In fact, I think it had the best ratio of any other caramel bar I've tasted so far. If the chocolate in this particular bar tasted better then I'd rate it much higher, but maybe I just got a bad batch or something.

Sidenote: I love that Freddo's pose on the chocolate looks like he's slowly backing away in an attempt to not get eaten. Sorry, Freddo.

15.Buttons – 9.6/10

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What is it: "Flat, circular, button-shaped bites of Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: We should start using Cadbury's Buttons as an official currency – they're that good. If you're not into flavored chocolates then you should definitely get these instead of the orange-flavored ones. I personally think Orange Buttons are a little better, but you can't go wrong with either. Would happily take a bath in these, to be honest.

16.Mini Eggs – 5.5/10

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What is it: "Creamy Cadbury milk chocolate that's wrapped in a crunchy, lightly speckled sugar shell"

My review: Some people love these, and those people are entitled to their wrong opinions. To me, they're just fine. The outer shell does give them a nice crunch, but there's nothing inherently special about the candies. This is one of the few Cadbury products where I don't find myself reaching for more and more...and more. I'd probably only buy them for Easter, but outside of that I'll leave them on the store shelves for the millions of people who do appreciate them. They're just not my thing!

17.Boost – 7.3/10

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What is it: "A smooth, chocolate center that's packed with biscuits and rolled in chewy caramel, all covered in Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: This bar is even more chocolaty than I thought it'd be, which I like. The cocoa cookie in the center reminds me of an Oreo cookie, except this one is covered in both chocolate and caramel. It tastes great, and it's a solid choice, but I think Cadbury makes better bars.

18.Wispa — 8.7/10

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What is it: "A bar of velvety, bubbly milk chocolate that's wrapped in even more creamy Cadbury chocolate"

My review: I love the Wispa bar. It's light and airy and just overall super tasty. In my mind, this is everything the Flake bar wishes it was. Give me more, please.

19.Wispa Gold – 7.7/10

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What is it: "Cadbury milk chocolate with a layer of golden caramel that's coated in a layer of even more chocolate"

My review: I wanted to be super fair in my judgment of both the Wispa and Wispa Gold bars, so I ate them together to compare. Both are delicious, but I actually preferred the plain bar over the one with caramel. I found the Gold bar to be a bit too messy, and even though I loved the flavor I think the caramel was a bit too overbearing. I'd happily eat both again, but if I could only choose one I'll be grabbing the regular Wispa.

20.Crunchie – 6/10

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What is it: "A golden honeycomb center surrounded by delicious Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: This candy certainly delivers on the promise of its name: it's crunchy. The center of the bar is super intriguing. Like, on one hand it's crunchy, but on the other it sort of melts in your mouth, almost like cotton candy. It's not my favorite bar, but I'm glad I tried it.

21.Curly Wurly – 4.2/10

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What is it: "A fun-shaped rope of Cadbury milk chocolate with a caramel center"

My review: I was surprised that I like the bigger bar more than the smaller Curly Wurly Squirlies...but it's still not something I'd seek out. I still think that the caramel in this particular candy is just too hard. Like, I'm all for hard candies where the point is to suck on them, but it's just not something I'm looking for in a chocolate bar. Pass.

22.Fudge Minis – 4.7/10

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What is it: "Bite-size pieces of soft fudge, all wrapped in Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: I do like these a little better than the larger Fudge bars, but not by much. They're just not my kinda thing, but, again, I'm sure millions of people love these. Personally, if I'm going to bite into a chocolate bar then I want to taste chocolate.

23.And finally, Dairy Milk Caramel – 8.6/10

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What is it: "A soft, golden caramel center that's wrapped in Cadbury milk chocolate"

My review: Forgive my picture above. The chocolate bar melted a little, and I tried to make it look as appetizing as possible, but I failed. Luckily looks can be deceiving because I loved this bar. Is it as good as the traditional Dairy Milk chocolate bar? No, I don't think so. But if you love caramel or just want a little twist on a classic then you'll really, really, really enjoy this one.

Did your favorite Cadbury bar not make the list? Do you agree or disagree with my reviews above? Let me know in the comments below!