REVIEW: Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolate Meltaway Roses

Hershey s Kisses Milk Chocolate Meltaway Roses Bag

What are Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolate Meltaway Roses?

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Hershey’s has given us Kisses with a meltaway chocolate center, wrapped in rose-print foil with green plumes. (“Plumes” is the official name of the little strips of paper, but if I have to explain it, it’s easier just to call them strips of paper.)

How are they?

These are certainly more interesting than standard Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Kisses. If you simply chomp them, they are much softer.

The shell is the same as other filled Kisses; it’s a little shinier than plain milk chocolate.

Hershey s Kisses Milk Chocolate Meltaway Roses Hearts

As for the filling, “meltaway” is an apt description. It does melt and dissolve faster than regular chocolate (milk or dark). It seems darker, both color-wise and flavor-wise, than regular Hershey’s chocolate, even though it’s still milk chocolate. I wonder if Hershey’s got its inspiration from candy truffles found in those heart-shaped candy boxes.

Really, though, my palate isn’t sophisticated enough to describe or recognize what makes the filling so different. Overall, the effect of these Kisses is “chocolate with other chocolate.”

At first, I was a little disappointed. But after eating more, I really enjoy them. Chocolate with chocolate is not a bad thing, and the textural contrast is more enjoyable than plain chocolate by itself.

Anything else you need to know?

Hershey s Kisses Milk Chocolate Meltaway Roses Bowl

I appreciate the rose-themed wrappers, but I don’t think they’re significant enough for “Roses” to be the product’s name.

Conclusion:

Hershey’s Kisses are a classic Valentine’s Day treat, but these Meltaway Kisses take the holiday standby up a notch.

Purchased Price: $2.98
Size: 9 oz. bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (7 pieces) 160 calories, 10 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 18 grams of sugar, 14 grams of added sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Mtn Dew Major Melon

Mtn Dew Major Melon Bottle

Watermelon is known as a summer fruit because it grows best when the weather is warm. So the season is also when we see watermelon-flavored products hit the shelves and then disappear when it gets cold. But I don’t restrict the showing of my legs to just the summer months, so the same should be said for watermelon-flavored products.

But some brands have moved away from summer releases. Last year, we saw Red Bull Watermelon in February and Monster Ultra Watermelon in September. So here we are in winter, and there’s a new, season-be-damned watermelon-flavored beverage — Mtn Dew Major Melon. It’s a permanent variety, so it’ll be available year-round, like the viewing of my legs.

Its aroma evokes memories of sitting under the hot sun, sweat rolling down every inch of my body, wondering if I should reapply sunscreen, and taking a whiff of a previous Dew flavor that smells just like Major Melon. I can’t quite put my nose on which of the gazillion Dew varieties it is, though.

However, while it smells similar to another, its flavor is definitely a different Dew, and it’s fabulous. My tongue notices the citrus first, and then the watermelon follows soon after. It’s pleasantly sweet, but, and this might just be me, it’s not as cloying as other Dew varieties. There aren’t any artificial sweeteners in it, only HFCS, so I’m not sure why it tastes that way to me. The soda also has a mild tartness, so don’t think of it having a bold sour watermelon taste.

My first sip of Major Melon was like the initial swigs I had of Mountain Dew Code Red and Maui Burst, which left me thinking, “I’m definitely going to overDEW it with this Dew.” Although, if I’m ranking flavors, this would be slightly below Code Red and Maui Burst.

Mtn Dew Major Melon and Zero Sugar Cans

Major Melon is also available in a Zero Sugar version, but I’m less enamored with it. It’s okay, but its watermelon flavor mixed with the artificial sweeteners makes it taste a bit floral. The sugar-free soda’s flavor also reminds me of non-carbonated, sugar-free watermelon beverages I’ve had.

Overall, the HFCS-sweetened version of Mtn Dew Major Melon is a major success, but not so much with the Zero Sugar one.

Purchased Price: More than one should pay on eBay
Size: 20 oz bottle and 12 oz cans
Purchased at: eBay
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Regular), 6 out of 10 (Zero Sugar)
Nutrition Facts: (12 ounces) Major Melon – 160 calories, 0 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of sodium, 44 grams of carbohydrates, 44 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein. Zero Sugar – 0 calories, 0 grams of fat, 50 milligrams of sodium, 0 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of sugar, and 0 grams of protein.