Debbie does Dining: Le Whif: Breathable chocolate and coffee

Le Whif is, it boasts in the sheaf of hyperactive marketing literature it sends out with the product, “a completely new way of tasting chocolate and coffee – by breathing it into your mouth!” Fascinated by the very idea (the very idea!) I got 2 packs – a 3 x coffee, and a mix of chocolate, choc mint and choc raspberry.

The box is clearly cigarette-based, reaching for that odeur de cool we all know smoking still has. Well, if not smoking then at least its paraphernalia. Who hasn’t wanted a cigarette case? The coffee flavour Whifs come in Ziganoff livery of black and gold, and the chocolate in silver with coloured stripes.

The Whifs themselves are cartridge-shaped plastic barrels, about the size of a small lipstick.

Pulling the two ends apart, as instructed by the handy manual inside, I took a puff from the longer end. Ok it tastes like coffee, after a bit. Not too sweet. And it’s caffeinated – I can almost see the point of this, even if it does mean trying to rock the asthmatic look. It's a little boost in your pocket – like a Nicorette inhaler for caffeine addicts.

The chocolate one is a muddier concept. We already have chocolate in inhalable powder form – it’s called instant hot chocolate. You’re not meant to breathe it and when you do it makes you cough, just like this did. Some went to the back of my throat, and the rest landed in a little pile at the front of my mouth. Oh sure, I could taste it, but if that’s the experience I wanted, why wouldn’t I just snuff a pinch of Options? Because the very idea is vile, inhaler or no inhaler.

The chocolate mint and chocolate raspberry are basically the same, but freshly minty and quite distinctly raspberry. But still the powder problem, like breathing in a miniature ashtray.

Basically, this is a stupid concept and it doesn’t work. But I’m an award-winning, card-carrying fan of barmy products and ingenious packaging. I loved this from the moment I ordered it. I love it a whole lot less having tasted it and I certainly won’t buy it again. It’s not useful, flavourful or even much fun – but it is beautiful. And – guys! – it’s called Le Whif. Genius.