Tag: Candy

QUICK REVIEW: Limited Edition Summer Splash Skittles

Sarah

Limited Edition Summer Splash Skittles

What is it?

Summer Splash is a limited edition Skittles variety, sold exclusively at Dollar General. The bag includes Blue Raspberry, Orange, Kiwi Banana, Strawberry, and Watermelon.

Limited Edition Summer Splash Skittles 2

How is it?

Before I tried this, I thought about what a “summer splash” might taste like in candy form. Tropical flavors like piña colada, tropical punch, mango, and key lime first came to mind. I was somewhat surprised that they were not the typical beach-y varieties after all.

Limited Edition Summer Splash Skittles 3

After I tried my first handful, it hit me…Summer Splash Skittles have just a “splash” of flavor! D’oh. The orange one was the most muted of the mix. It vaguely reminded me of a Creamsicle with its subtle orange notes. The yellow kiwi banana was also mild, with an inconspicuous banana taste and only a slight kiwi taste. I would not have guessed either of them in a blind taste test.

The pink strawberry piece tastes just like a pink Starburst, only crunchier. Blue raspberry was the tartest in this exclusive collection with crisper fruit flavors than the others. The strongest was the green watermelon one, though it was still notably less pucker-inducing than its other watermelon Skittle predecessors.

A bonus was that the “splash” of flavor in each piece allowed for combinations of different Skittles to be nuanced without being overpowering. Overall, these were quite enjoyable.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Summer Splash Skittles are only available at Dollar General (where everything is not a dollar) and for a limited time, so if you like these, I’d recommend stocking up on them while you can. Also, pairing them with other Skittles varieties would be fun.

Conclusion:

With a splash of subtle fruit flavors, Summer Splash Skittles are a lighter tasting candy treat when you need a sugar fix while you’re enjoying the other splashes of summer from the pool or beach.

Purchased Price: 85 cents
Size: 2 oz. bag
Purchased at: Dollar General (Exclusive)
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2 oz. bag) 230 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 10 milligrams of sodium, 52 grams of carbohydrates, 42 grams of sugars, and 0 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Snickers Salty & Sweet, Espresso, and Fiery Intense Flavors

Rachel 17 Comments

Snickers Salty Sweet Espresso and Fiery Intense Flavors

When Snickers announced back in October that they would release three new varieties – “Intense Flavors,” I was intrigued. Salty & Sweet, Espresso, and Fiery sounded interesting. But that was crisp, cool autumn. Now it’s sweaty June, the Intense Flavors are here, and it seems like a curious move. Who wants melty chocolate all over their hot fingers? I’m guessing this release might have been timed to defeat the summer chocolate slump and tear us away from our ice cream cones. Could be a smart move – it got me on board at a time when I’d be more likely to reach for the freezer.

The Snickers Intense flavors packaging is a subtle shift from the usual Snickers wrapper – so subtle that in a bin of bars, I had to dig around to locate each flavor. They looked like a pile of the same product. But this similarity did effectively communicate one thing – these are essentially Snickers bars with flavors added.

Snickers Salty Sweet Espresso and Fiery Intense Flavors 2

Also, they’ve stuck with the “You’re Not You When You’re Hungry” themed logos. The Sweet & Salty bar says “Indecisive?” instead of “Snickers.” The Espresso says “Irritable?” and Fiery asks if you’re “Wimpy?” I hate this particular gimmick – the visual of all the different words offends my sense of graphic cohesion – so that definitely made me “Irritable.”

Snickers Salty Sweet Espresso and Fiery Intense Flavors 3

Snickers Intense flavors are slightly smaller than the basic Snickers. Now .04oz lighter doesn’t sound like much, but when I lined them up next to the Snick OG, it’s noticeable. The silver lining is that they’re 10 calories less than the original!

Snickers Salty Sweet Espresso and Fiery Intense Flavors 4

Aroma-wise, only the Snickers Espresso had a unique smell layered on top of the usual choco-nuttiness. The unmistakable scent of coffee.

Snickers Salty & Sweet tasted like a basic Snickers with a pinch of salt. That was the only difference I detected, but it was a welcome addition. It makes so much sense that I questioned for a hot second whether original Snickers had a salty kick all along. I had to go back and sample one to make sure. It may not be revolutionary, but it was delicious. Like a Snickers+.

Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: What can’t be improved with a pinch of salt? Just make this the default Snickers flavor already.
Cons: It’s so right, it should have existed already…so not surprising at all.
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 240 calories, 11 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 230 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 26 grams of total sugars, 25 grams of added sugars, and 4 grams of protein.

Snickers Salty Sweet Espresso and Fiery Intense Flavors 5

Snickers Espresso was the biggest departure. Coffee isn’t a new or risky flavor these days, but it’s done well here. The espresso was richer than the usual coffee flavor products. It was present from the first bite but didn’t smother the original Snickers combo that I love. This was my favorite of the three and I would definitely buy it again.

Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: Great espresso flavor that works well with the basic Snickers formula.
Cons: Makes me ashamed of how much I hate coffee (the drink).
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 240 calories, 11 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 27 grams of total sugars, 25 grams of added sugars, and 4 grams of protein.

Snickers Fiery was disappointing. It felt like ages until the chili pepper heat hit me. I’d finished chewing and started swallowing when the back of my throat lit up and stayed that way for longer than I’d have liked. The heat level was about 3, which is fine for me, but it felt out of place. It didn’t have the fun flavor whiplash of the Skittles and Starburst Sweet Heat candies. Fiery is great for people who love low-level peppers that stick around like unwelcome houseguests.

Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: I ate it, so I must not be wimpy, as the logo implies.
Cons: Implying I’m wimpy. Heat that shows up to the party late, then refuses to leave – even after you’ve turned the music off and yawned loudly.
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 240 calories, 12 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 26 grams of total sugars, 24 grams of added sugars, and 4 grams of protein

Purchased Price: $1.25
Size: 1.82 oz. bars
Purchased at: CVS

QUICK REVIEW: Milka Double Chocolate Oreo Candy Bar

Mike 1 Comment

Milka Double Chocolate Oreo Chocolate Candy Bar

What is it?

The Milka Double Chocolate Oreo Candy Bar features bits of Oreo cookies in chocolate crème and covered in European Milka chocolate.

So, it’s chocolate inside of chocolate covered in even more chocolate. I’m guessing a person’s opinion on the bar will depend on two things: do they believe there is such a thing as “too chocolatey” and just how fancy in this European candy anyway?

How is it?

Milka Double Chocolate Oreo Chocolate Candy Bar 2

As expected, this bar is very chocolate-forward. There’s a surprisingly sharp dark chocolate bite, but as a fan of the stuff, it isn’t unwelcome. The crème adds to the choco-overload nature of the bar, with a pleasing smooth texture. At least, it would be smooth if not for the Oreo bits. They’re too small to add any real textural interest, instead contributing a gritty mouthfeel. If there’s anything special about the Milka chocolate, it’s lost in the other elements.

This bar is missing balance. The other Oreo candy bars, cookies & crème and mint, succeed because the flavored crème balance the chocolate. Oreo cookies work for the same reason (Keep your Double Stuf. I need the perfect cookie-to-crème ratio of the original). The crème here doesn’t offer any complimentary flavor, so I’m left thinking I’d be better off just eating a plain chocolate bar for my fix. Or an Oreo.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Milka Double Chocolate Oreo Chocolate Candy Bar 4

How do you like to eat your chocolate? Do you chomp down on it with wild abandon, munching it in an attempt to shove as much of it in your face in as short a time as possible? Or do you like to let it slowly melt in your mouth, luxuriating in the silken texture as your body heat slowly releases the subtle flavors and aromas of your single source free trade organic bar?

I tried both ways, and this is a bar made for munching. The problem is that single note chocolate flavor doesn’t offer enough excitement as compared to other candy bars.

Conclusion:

The Milka Double Chocolate Oreo Candy Bar is missing the balance of the other Oreo candy bars, and of the Oreo cookie itself. It’s a decent product that won’t totally satisfy anyone.

Purchased Price: $1.50
Size: 3.52 oz. bar
Purchased at:
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (5 pieces) 190 calories, 12 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 mg milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

QUICK REVIEW: The Simpsons Donut, Bubble Gum, and Blueberry Tic Tacs

Vin 7 Comments

The Simpsons Tic Tacs

What are they?

The Simpsons and Tic Tac have partnered on three new flavors – Donut (Homer), Blueberry (Marge), and Bubble Gum (Bart). Each package contains yellow mints with various expressions of each character. In the spirit of the show, we’ll call them “meh-mojis.” Or “e-DOH-jis!” Or, “shut up and get on with the review, Vin.”

The Simpsons Tic Tacs 2

How are they?

The Simpsons Tic Tacs 3

Donut is probably the flavor you’re wondering about most, so I’ll go more in depth on it. It smells like maple and is the least “minty” of the three. My flavor parallel might sound weird, but it reminds me of Toasted Marshmallow Jelly Belly with a touch of chocolatey leaning sweetness. Don’t expect the flavor of Homer’s favorite pink (Strawberry?) glazed donut. Once you chew ’em, a little menthol mint kicks in.

The Simpsons Tic Tacs 4

Blueberry is along the lines of Tic Tac’s normal fruit efforts, starting out authentic and sweet but then getting bitter. There is more of a lingering minty-ness to these that I could’ve lived without.

The Simpsons Tic Tacs 5

Bubble Gum is the best of the three by a decent margin. It tastes exactly like the Orbit Bubblemint chiclet style bubble gum if you’ve ever had those. There is a big menthol finish that cools the mouth and is the most successful mint integration of the bunch.

Is there anything else I need to know?

A donut-flavored Tic Tac is a cute little gimmick, it serves as much purpose to me as that “single serve” indentation on the Tic Tac lid. Blueberry is decent, but it falls near the bottom of Tic Tac’s fruit efforts.

Conclusion:

For a show that has been on for approximately 63 years, the only food brands I can even remember The Simpsons pairing with without looking are Butterfinger and 7-Eleven, so I’m glad I bought these. I’m enough of a Simpsons nerd that I’m keeping the boxes as “collector’s items,” because why not? Grab the Bart Bubble Gum pack.

Purchased Price: $1.19 each
Size: 1 oz.
Purchased at: Harmon Drug
Rating: 5 out of 10 (Donut)
Rating: 6 ouf ot 10 (Blueberry)
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Bubble Gum)
Nutrition Facts: (1 mint) They are usually 2 calories per mint without much else.

QUICK REVIEW: Milky Way Fudge Minis

Rachel

Milky Way Fudge Minis

What is it?

A Milky Way with the usual chocolate malt nougat swapped out for chocolate fudge nougat. That’s about it.

Milky Way Fudge Minis 2

How is it?

These are delicious, much the same way a regular Milky Way is. The fudge nougat has a slightly more pronounced cocoa flavor and the texture is a hair denser, the effect of which is 10 percent more chocolateness – not a huge bump. If I was blindfolded and someone handed me these and said “Here’s a Milky Way,” I likely wouldn’t be able to tell it was different.

Milky Way Fudge Minis 3

These made me ask “why?” in a way no other product variation has. It’s too similar to the original. When I bite into a Milky Way Caramel Apple or Midnight, I’m getting a materially different experience. I would give a plain Milky Way a 9, but I’m deducting a point for lack of originality here. They taste good, but a variant should stand apart from the original.

Is there anything else I need to know?

The package makes a bold promise on the stretchiness of the caramel.

Milky Way Fudge Minis 4

I tried to recreate it, but only got this far:

Milky Way Fudge Minis 5

Conclusion:

If you’re a Milky Way fan, just buy a Milky Way. The experience is so close, there’s kind of no point in these existing.

Purchased Price: $2.98
Size: 8.9 oz. bag
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (4 pieces) 150 calories, 6 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 24 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 20 grams of sugar, 19 grams of added sugars, and 1 gram of protein.