XtoysAfter Dinner Willies Review: A Cheeky Chocolate Gift
Editor's opinion
After Dinner Willies are dark chocolate mint fondants in a cheeky shape, dressed up in packaging that mimics a familiar box of after dinner mints. They are ideal for a hen do, a birthday laugh or the end of a romantic meal, but bear in mind they are a consumable gag that will be eaten and gone.
Novelty confectionery lives or dies on the strength of its joke, and After Dinner Willies lean squarely on one everybody will recognise. The packaging apes the classic thin after dinner mint box, so the punchline arrives the instant someone spots it on the table.
What a buyer is really weighing here is not flavour so much as occasion and timing. Eight dark chocolate pieces with a mint centre is a modest amount, this is a shareable moment rather than a box you hoard, and the appeal is almost entirely in the reveal. Judge it as a gift for the right party, not as a serious chocolate purchase.
The good and the bad
What works
- Instantly recognisable packaging makes the joke land straight away
- Dark chocolate with a mint fondant centre, a familiar and crowd friendly flavour
- No batteries or setup, ready to share straight from the box
- Slim box slips easily into a gift bag or the post
- Genuinely versatile for hen dos, birthdays and secret Santa
What to be aware of
- A one-note gag that is eaten and gone in one sitting
- Only 120g across eight pieces, so it goes quickly at a party
- Chocolate needs a cool, dry spot or it will lose its shape
- Humour is very much of the saucy kind and will not suit every recipient
Buy it if
Anyone hunting a low-cost, easy laugh for a hen party, a cheeky birthday, a secret Santa swap or a private end to a romantic dinner where the recipient enjoys a bit of grown-up humour.
Skip it if
Anyone after a lasting keepsake gift, or a recipient who would find the joke more awkward than amusing. If you want something they will still have next month, look to a non-consumable novelty instead.
Design and materials
The premise is simple and well judged. Each box holds eight small willie-shaped chocolates moulded from dark chocolate with a soft mint fondant filling, so the taste is squarely in familiar after dinner mint territory, just in a more amusing form.
The real design work is on the outside. The box deliberately echoes the look of a traditional after dinner mint carton, and that mimicry is the whole point, it does the comedy for you before anyone has opened it. Dark chocolate tends to be the more grown-up choice here, less sweet than milk, which suits the after dinner framing.
How it is meant to be used
This is a gift and a table moment rather than a considered dessert. The intended use is the reveal, someone produces the box, the room clocks the joke, and the pieces get passed around.
With eight pieces to a box and a total of 120g, it is best thought of as enough for a shared laugh among a small group or a treat for two, not a centrepiece for a large gathering. If you are catering a bigger hen do, plan on more than one box.
Care and cleaning
There is nothing to clean, but there is something to mind. As with any chocolate, keep the box somewhere cool, dry and out of direct sunlight so the pieces hold their shape and the fondant stays pleasant.
That matters more than it sounds for a gift. Left in a warm car or a sunny window before the party, dark chocolate can bloom or soften and the moulded shape can suffer, which rather undercuts the joke. Buy reasonably close to the occasion and store it sensibly.
How it compares
Against other adult novelty gifts, the strength here is instant recognition and zero faff, there is no assembly, no batteries and no explaining required. Compared with a non-consumable gag gift, though, the trade-off is obvious, this one disappears the moment it is enjoyed.
Within the confectionery corner of the gifts aisle it holds up well, dark chocolate and mint is a safer, more universally liked flavour than many novelty sweets that sacrifice taste for shock value. If you want the laugh to last beyond the evening, a reusable novelty item is the better route.
The bottom line
After Dinner Willies do exactly what they promise, they turn a familiar box of mints into a reliable, tasteful-enough laugh for the right adult occasion. Buy them for the moment rather than the memento, store them cool until the big reveal, and match the humour to your recipient.
Frequently asked questions
How many chocolates are in a box?
Each box contains eight willie-shaped dark chocolate pieces with a mint fondant centre, weighing 120g in total.
What do they taste like?
They are made from dark chocolate with a soft mint fondant filling, so the flavour is much like a classic after dinner mint, just in a more amusing shape.
Do they need wrapping?
Not necessarily. The box is styled to look like a traditional after dinner mint carton, which is part of the joke, so many people give it as is. The slim size also fits easily into a gift bag if you prefer.
How should I store them?
Keep the box somewhere cool, dry and out of direct sunlight so the chocolate holds its shape and flavour. Avoid leaving them in a warm room or car before the occasion.
Are they a good hen party gift?
Yes, the recognisable packaging makes the joke land instantly and the eight pieces are easy to share. For a larger group, though, you may want more than one box.