Kanro Pure Lemon Cola

Pure is one of my favorite Japanese candy brands. If you like sour gummies, Pure is definitely worth a look. It's very cheap in Japan (around 100 to 120 yen, if my memory is correct), and pretty cheap in import stores in the USA, too. I bought this flavor at Mitsuwa Marketplace for just under $2.

Since I'm not a big soda drinker, I'm not sure if I've ever had actual lemon cola. I will have to give it a taste on my next Sonic run (preferable to committing to a 2-liter bottle or a 12-pack of cans).


These gummies did not smell good. The lemon scent seemed artificial and bordering on floor cleaner. Thankfully, they tasted much better than they smelled. Both the lemon and cola flavors were distinct and well-executed.

Both flavors were tart and tasty, and the gummies had that firm but chewy texture that I've come to love. The lemon cola flavor was different and fun, and these would be sure to please sour gummy fans.

A-

Pure website

Hubba Bubba Max Mystery Flavor

Back in elementary school, when I got an allowance of 2 dollars a week, much of that money was spent on bubble gum from the grocery store a couple blocks from my house. There's just something so fun and frivolous about bubble gum, and I still blow bubbles to this day, no matter what kind of gum I'm chewing.

These days, I tend to stick to sugarfree gum, but every now and then, something like Hubba Bubba will jump out at me. When I bought this gum at the supermarket last week, my exact words to my husband were, "This girl I can't resist a mystery flavor." I love a good gimmick, and I think I have a pretty good guess at this flavor.


The two-toned gum smelled like almond extract. Right away, it tasted like lemonade, and as I chewed, cherry flavor emerged. My guess is Cherry Lemonade. It was juicy and sour, and not too sweet. When I blew bubbles, the woodsy cherry flavors really emerged, reminding me of amaretto and cherry Starbursts. The lemon wasn't at all like a cleaning product, just sour and tangy.

The gum itself was large and very soft, making it easy to chew and blow bubbles. I had to be careful of my glasses, because the bubbles I could blow could have easily overtaken my nose. As expected, the flavor started to wear thin after just a couple minutes, but the delicious initial favor won me over.

Check out another review at Gum Alert, and from reading the comments, it seems like this "mystery flavor" is a simple re-release. Well, it worked on me.
B+

Hubba Bubba website

Gimbal's Sour Lovers

My candy stash has been woefully low for the past month, and my blogging has suffered as a result. Well, this review is just the thing to recharge my blogging spirit. Not long after posting a review of the highly disappointing Nobel Blueberry Sours, a PR representative for Gimbal's candy offered me samples of Sour Lovers gummies. In other words, the product in this review was provided by a PR company, but I promise that I treated it just like any other candy I review.

I had never seen Gimbal's products in stores and only vaguely remembered reading a review of earlier products on Candy Blog, but now that I've had Sour Lovers, I'm afraid I'm hooked. Sour gummies have been one of my favorite candy categories since I was a kid, and Gimbal's did an amazing job. There were 12 distinct flavors, and I liked every single one of them.


Meyer Lemon was tart and tangy, with just the right amount of sour - enough to make you pucker just a tad, but in a pleasant way. The flavor had a zesty, citrus feel without tasting at all like a cleaning product.

Georgia Peach had a distinct peach flavor, and while it was sour, it was a bit sweeter and fruitier than many of the other flavors.

Watermelon had that classic watermelon candy flavor (real watermelon never tastes that intense), charged up with a nice sourness. That's another great thing about these candies - they are sour throughout, not just in the outer sugar coating.

Bing Cherry fell somewhere between real cherries and cherry Kool-Aid. It had a nice, rich flavor and a great sour/sweet balance.

Mango was one of my favorites of the bunch. It reminded me so much of real mango that it almost seemed pulpy.

I'm not sure why Sour Blueberry was named as it was; all of the flavors are sour! But anyhow, this one was tart and just a bit bitter (but in a good way, like real berries). It was a good blueberry, but if I didn't know, my guess would have been raspberry.

Strawberry Daiquiri had a lovely sweet strawberry flavor, and it felt pretty authentic. It seemed to have some citrus as well, making it extra sour.

Fuji Apple tasted a lot like apple juice. It was sour and fruity, but if I had to pick a least favorite flavor, this would be it. I didn't have any trouble eating it, though.

Baja Margarita tasted just like margarita mixers from grocery stores. To give you an idea of the flavor authenticity, if you are nursing a hangover, you may want to skip this one until you feel better. It definitely packed more than just lime flavor!

Pomegranate had an earthy, juicy flavor that was richer than the cherry. It was the least sweet of the bag, but I'm afraid it's been so long since I've had pomegranate seeds that I can't comment on the flavor well.

Tangerine was extra sour and extra citrusy. It had that classic vitamin C-laden flavor I used to crave as a child and still enjoy. This was another top flavor.

Grapefruit was sweeter than the real thing. It was tart, but less so than Tangerine or Meyer Lemon. It had just enough grapefruit bitterness to give the right effect.

I'm so glad I got to try these. As a sour candy lover, I can say Sour Loves definitely got it right. The texture of the gummies was thick and sticky, a bit like a fruit gem. I found that about 6-8 gummies at a time hit the spot, so I took several days to review these properly. Every single time I tried them, I was impressed.

I should also mention that both Gimbal's Sour Lovers and the Gimbal's factory are free of just about every common food allergen (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, gluten, soy, fish, and shell fish), and Sour Lovers are kosher pareve.

The only minor annoyance was that they got stuck in my teeth, making me want to brush. I can certainly forgive that - it's candy, after all. Everyone I shared these with (my husband, my father, my boss, and some coworkers) enjoyed them - though my husband wanted me to leave the bag open and let them get a little stale because he claims it improves the texture. Honestly, once the bag is open, I'm not sure I could make them last long enough to get stale!

A

Gimbal's Fine Candies website

Mars Starburst GummiBursts Flavor Duos

Yet another Mars review! It takes time for new candy to work its way into my local grocery stores, and it looks like all the Mars products hit at once. Again, it's a familiar product with new fusion flavors.

Starburst GummiBursts haven't been around as long as some other classic Mars fruit candies like Starburst fruit chews and Skittles, but they seem to be doing well. Flavor Duos is the third variety of GummiBursts (after regular and sour) I've seen, and there are probably more. There were four flavor combinations: Green Apple Strawberry, Cherry Fruit Punch, Strawberry Watermelon, and Lemon Cherry.


Green Apple Strawberry was dominated by the crisp, tart green apple flavor. It was good, but I could hardly taste the strawberry! The firm texture of the gummy part made for an enjoyable chew.

Cherry Fruit Punch had a yummy classic red fruit snack taste. It was both tart and sweet with a hint of a vitamin flavor. Also, the colors of this piece reminded me of a red blood cell.

Strawberry Watermelon was the star of the bunch. The watermelon center was sour and fantastic, and it went well with the fairly authentic flavor of the strawberry gummy.

Lemon Cherry had the same zesty lemon flavor as a regular lemon Starburst, but the cherry center tasted a bit medicinal to me. Still, this one was enjoyable, it just wasn't my favorite (and lemon flavors are usually a sure bet for me).

All in all, these GummiBursts were sweet but not cloying, tart but not sour, and the slightly firm, bouncy texture of the gummies was just right. The flavor combinations weren't all that new or exciting, but the Strawberry Melon and Cherry Fruit punch were particularly well done.

B

Starburst website

Mars Skittles Blenders

Did anyone else use M&Ms or Smarties in their elementary school math classes? I think it was third grade when my teacher presented every student in the class with their own bag of M&Ms to illustrate simple lessons in percentages and probability. I'm not sure if it was effective, but it was a lot of fun. I still remember that most of the M&Ms in my bag were light brown (I'm dating myself here - this was before the blue M&M).

There are five new flavors in this mix: Melon Berry Burst, Strawberry Lime Blast, Watermelon Green Apple Freeze, Cherry Tropicolada, and Mango Lemonade Freeze. I'm sure it's no accident that those names sound like they came straight off a Sonic Drive-in menu. Now, I mention M&M math because I applied some of the same principles when I sampled this bag of Skittles Blenders. It was immediately apparent that my bag did not contain an even flavor distribution (Mango Lemonade Freeze in particular was underrepresented). Here's a chart to illustrate my point.



Strawberry Lime Blast was similar to a normal red Skittle with a hint of sour lime. It was fruity, tart, and tasty, but it wasn't terribly exciting or special.

Cherry Tropicolada reminded me of cough syrup. The pineapple and coconut flavors were present along with the strong cherry, but it really rubbed me the wrong way.


witness the distinct lack of mango
Watermelon Green Apple Freeze worked well. The initial flavor was an artificial but tasty watermelon, followed by a green apple tartness. I'm not usually a fan of these flavors, but I liked them both here.

Melon Berry Burst reminded me of grape Nerds, but with more of a blueberry flavor. I didn't get much of a sense of melon flavor from this one, and it seemed to just be a rehash of a flavor from Wild Berry Skittles.

Mango Lemonade Freeze reminded me of my favorite smoothie (I've mentioned it before), so it was a bit nostalgic (especially since I just found out that shop is closed). The lemon flavor was sour and almost hit some floor cleaner notes, but it was saved by a good, distinct mango taste. Of all the flavors, this was the most unexpected.

Overall, Skittles Blenders is a decent mix, but it didn't really offer anything new or exciting. Still, it's worth a taste for fans of Skittles and fruity candy in general. Also, it seems like every time I review Skittles, their website just gets more and more cumbersome to navigate. I guess I'm not the target demographic.

B-

Skittles Website

Damian Allsop CH2OCOLATES Cinnamon & Lemon (Cola) Compact Bar

When my sister-in-law visited London, she said she took great care in finding me a special treat as a souvenir. She's such a sweetheart, and she found the perfect thing: chocolate made without cream and butter! She picked up this bar with the help of a gracious employee at Liberty, and it was made by Damian Allsop Chocolates.

The idea that such a thing exists had never even occurred to me, but this chocolate is made with water. In addition, the flavor combination of lemon, cinnamon, and cola felt fresh and unique. The chocolate was a lovely taupe color, freckled with cinnamon and popping candy.


The chocolate itself was firm with a light, soft melt. The first flavor I tasted was a mildly sour lemon. As the white chocolate melted, its flavor emerged, along with a hint of cinnamon, reminding me of a cinnamon roll. The white chocolate was unlike any other white chocolate I've had. It wasn't too sweet, and had a rich vanilla flavor that went well with the cinnamon.

Finally, the cola flavor was present in crunchy popping candy. It had a fruity, cola flavor with a hint of molasses, and the gentle popping candy made for a fun finish. The chocolate wasn't sticky and had a clean finish. The CD-style shape and packaging were cute, but with a product this tasty and unique, it felt like a bit much; the chocolate spoke for itself.

A

Damian Allsop Chocolates website

Fujiya LOOK Italian Dolce

First, I hope all readers living in Japan are all right after the horrible earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear instability, and that those with friends and family in Japan have made contact with them. Thankfully, my friends and coworkers in Japan are all right, as many of them live south of the devastated areas. My heart and thoughts are with those who were not so lucky. It will probably be a long time before the damage to the country can really be assessed.


Chocolate and chocolate reviews are definite mood boosters, so I'll get right back on track. Even though I posted reviews of other LOOK assortments first, this is the first LOOK assortment I tried after my long LOOK boycott.

The package contained four flavors: Tiramisu, Mont Bianco, Espresso Mousse, and Delectica Limone. I think that last one is basically a lemon tart. I've always been wary of coffee and espresso flavored candy, but it has been growing on me lately.


Delizia Limone seemed like my safest bet, so I started with that. The milk chocolate coating was sticky, but the lemon cream center was tart and cakey with crunchy candy bits. It was really tasty, and my favorite of the bunch.

Espresso Mousse had a good, slightly bitter espresso flavor and a truffle-like filling, but it didn't wow me like the lemon flavor did. Again, the milk chocolate was sticky and sweet, but the bitter-sweet balance was all right.


Mont Bianco was delicious with a delicate chestnut flavor. It wasn't too sweet or too subtle, and it had a very refined feel. It was a close second favorite!

Tiramisu was my husband's favorite. Of all the tiramisu chocolates I've tried recently, it was probably the best. Though sweeter that the other flavors in the pack, the mascarpone cheese flavor was just right, and the milky, creamy center was delicious.

To sum it up, if you can still find this LOOK assortment, get it! Here are reviews from Japanese Snack Reviews and Sweets Blog.

A-

Fujiya LOOK website

Kabaya Kakigori Gummies

Kabaya isn't the biggest name in the Japanese snack business, but they do make excellent gummies. These are based on kakigori, a popular Japanese summer treat that is basically a snow cone. These came in four flavors: Soda, Melon, Lemon, and Strawberry Milk. They were even shaped like little mounds of shaved ice!

Soda smelled strongly of ramune. The texture was really neat! The coating and bottom half was a little crunchy and grainy (sort of like ice) but the top of the inside was soft, sticky, and gooey. It had just a hint of a fizz to it and a good citrus flavor.


Melon smelled a little floral, and the flavor was a very convincing, mellow honeydew. It had the same interesting shaved ice-like texture, and I had no complaints.

Lemon smelled like a cleaner, and although it tasted a little more like a lemon than it smelled, it still wasn't too authentic. It was floral and sweet, but my least favorite of the flavors. Although the textures were similar, the flavor was not as good as the other Kabaya lemon gummies I tried.

Strawberry Milk was very authentic! It smelled and tasted just like strawberries and condensed milk. It was one of the sweetest of the bunch, but the favor was so good that I didn't mind.

B+

Kabaya website

Metromint Peppermint, Lemonmint, and Chocolatemint Water

Metromint was something I first saw on the show Unwrapped on the Food Network. The secret method by which this water is infused with mint and flavors without adding any calories piqued my interest, but I thought it'd be yet another product on that show I'd never see.

To my surprise, the fancy grocer down the street carried several varieties of this yuppie water. I got these flavors on sale for 3 for $5, but I don't remember what full price was.

Peppermint (not pictured) had a supposed chill factor of -9 degrees below regular cold water, and it was quite chilly. The mint reminded me of toothpaste, and it certainly seemed like a good thing to drink after eating something with a lot of garlic. The mint was cool and refreshing, but as a result, it seemed incompatible with a lot of foods (think drinking orange juice after brushing your teeth). By itself, it was a nice substitute for gum or a mint, but I can't see myself drinking it often. B

Lemonmint had a chill factor of -4 degrees, and it smelled a bit like a cough drop. It tasted like one, too. The water was a mild mint with just a hint of lemon, and even though the flavors seem at odds, it worked. This water was milder than the peppermint, and was quite refreshing. B

Chocolatemint smelled weird and a bit like a peppermint patty, but it was surprisingly good. Somehow, without any sweeteners (natural or otherwise), it tasted sweet. The water was lightly minty (just -2 degrees on the chill factor scale) with hints of cocoa, and overall, it was literally a very cool drink. B+

Metromint website

Godiva Ice Cream Parlor Truffles + 1 Bonus Truffle

That Godiva Chocolate Rewards free truffle every month program is still working out in Godiva's favor, and this surprises no one. This review includes my free truffles for May and June, plus some others I just had to try. Most of these come from Godiva's new Ice Cream Parlor Truffles line, along with one random truffle that sounded good.

Long ago, I regarded Godiva as the best of the best, then after starting this blog, I saw their chocolate as not-so-good. Now, after sampling many truffles, I do have more respect for Godiva. Not all of their truffles are winners, but they make some superb pieces.


First, my selections from the Ice Cream Parlor line, starting with Pistachio. It was subtly sweet with an ultra soft and creamy ganache. The pistachio flavor was quite subdued, but it was still very good. Pistachios are my favorite nuts, so I wish the flavor would have been a bit stronger. A-

Oranges & Creme was creamsicle all the way, but it was very sweet. It was like super sweet orange frosting, with a mild citrus and tons of creme. The cloying sweetness was too much for me, though. C+


Neapolitan was a favorite ice cream flavor of mine growing up, and Godiva definitely nailed it. The strawberry flavor was distinct and delicious, and the vanilla portion was not too sweet. Despite these distinctions, somehow, the special Neapolitan taste when all the flavors come together was still there. This was my favorite piece out of the line. A

Mint Chocolate Chip was a very good interpretation of the ice cream of the same name, but since I'm not a huge fan of that ice cream, it didn't stand out for me. The mint was cool and creamy, and the sweetness was well balanced. B+


Lemon Sherbet was very tart and had an authentic lemon flavor, but like the Orange & Creme, the sweetness far outweighed the sourness. It seems like they overcompensated for the sour lemon, and it ruined this truffle for me. B-


Hazelnut Gelato (pictured above on the right) was quite unique; it had a very smooth and almost whipped mousse ganache center like no truffle I've had before. The hazelnut flavor was very mild, but that suited me fine. A hazelnut lover might be a bit disappointed. B+

I didn't try all the flavors from the Ice Cream Parlor line; I'm missing Double Dark Chocolate, Rocky Road, and Coffee Gelato. UPDATE: I tried Pecan Sundae!


Pecan Sundae was very sweet, but pretty good. It was another double-chamber chocolate, with caramel and vanilla cream sections. The candied pecans on top were delicious, and the texture of the caramel was like a Caramello - soft and runny. Still, it was a bit too sweet for me. B+


Finally, the bonus truffle! Extra Dark was literally amazing. The ganache was thick and bitter and the texture reminded me of the center a brownie. The balance of sweet and bitter was perfect, and the dark cocoa flavor was just right. I would definitely buy this truffle again! A+

Check out more reviews of the Ice Cream Parlor Truffles at Chocolate Obsession and Sugar Pressure.

Godiva website

Orbit Mist Raspberry Lemon Dew

It's been a little while since I've done an Orbit review, but I am still on track for my goal of trying every flavor of Orbit available in the US. Raspberry Lemon is from the somewhat recent Orbit Mist line, which is supposed to be juicier than the regular Orbit gum.

I love the swirly fun inner packaging, but I don't love that all the boxes are the same shade of blue. One of my favorite things about Orbit is the fun, distinctive colors of the packaging. I love seeing a rainbow of colored gum packages in the checkout lane, and Orbit Mist just doesn't stand out as much.


The gum smelled like a fake lemony raspberry, leaning a little towards cleaning solution. The gum seemed crispy as I chewed it, and it was very juicy. The flavor wasn't realistic, but still pretty good. I was reminded of the flavored lemonades sold at American restaurant chains like Applebee's or Red Robin.

This was not a long-lasting flavor gum, and after a few minutes, I had to resist the urge to pop another piece. The flavor was definitely enjoyable, but once it was gone, the remaining flavor was very non-descript and mediocre.

The ladies at Gum Alert adored this gum, so be sure to check out their review.

B+

Orbit website

Godiva Spring Chocolates + 1 Summer Truffle

This free truffle every month at Godiva thing isn't working out too well for me. At the end of April, I went in with the intention of getting two truffles (one being the freebie), and I came out with six. They had an assortment of new spring chocolates, but instead of the round truffle, these were flattened chocolates stamped with a pretty floral pattern. Finally, because I can't resist mango anything, I also got a mango summer truffle for "free."

I forgot to write down the flavors when I was at the shop, but according to some post-tasting research on a non-Godiva website, they are mandarin orange, pina colada, black raspberry, green pear, and lemon chiffon. I'm not sure I agree, and I plan on double checking, but please correct me in the meantime. You can think of this as a blind taste test.


I'll start with some controversy. Supposedly, the piece with the green and white pattern was Green Pear, but when I tasted it, it felt very apple. It was delicious - my favorite of them bunch - as it had a nice, subtle cinnamon flavor and a lovely caramel texture. It tasted like a rich apple cider in a melty milk chocolate shell. A+

There was no mistaking Black Raspberry (purple flowers). It was full of seeds! So many seeds, actually, that it was distracting. The dark chocolate shell was nice, but the filling was just a bit weak and didn't have the bite I look for in a raspberry sweet. The plentiful seeds were too much for me, but they did convey the feeling of jam. C+

The only white chocolate piece in the bunch, Pina Colada didn't have much flavor at all. All I could taste was a sweet white chocolate at first, then hints of coconut milk and a tiny bit of citrus. It was so very mild, and was my least favorite. C-

I believe the orange and yellow chocolate was Mandarin Orange, but it could have passed for lemon. The milk chocolate was quite good, but despite a crisp citrus flavor, the center was just a bit too sweet. Still, it was probably my third favorite out of the five. B

The last of the spring chocolates was Lemon Chiffon, in yellow and white flowers (I think). I know I said the green one was my favorite, but I may have to reconsider, because this chocolate was amazing. The filling tasted just like fresh lemon pie filling. I could taste the lemon juice, and the zesty, tart filling was just perfect with the buttery chocolate shell. A+


Finally, here's the bonus summer truffle: Mango. The dark chocolate shell had a nice snap, leading to a citrusy mango filling with a surprisingly authentic flavor. It was sweet and delicious, and even had some of the smooth, thick texture of mango. A

There were some outstanding chocolates in this bunch, and though I'm not sure I needed all of them, even the not-so-stellar flavors were fun to try (especially since I was guessing at flavors).

Wonka Pink Lemonade Kazoozles

Like many kids, I used to like sour, fruity candy much better than chocolate. My tastes have since changed, but I still hold a spot in my heart for goofy candy like Wonka Kazoozles. They also spoke to my love of Anatomy and Physiology, one of my favorite subjects in both high school and college, but more on that later.

Along with Pink Lemonade, Kazoozles also come in Cherry Punch. A Kazoozle is basically a licorice-style tube filled with soft, fruit punch flavored candy. The colors were bright and bold, and definitely earned some fun points. "Kazoozle" is also fun to say and type.


The tubes didn't have much of a scent, at least not a fruity one. The main tastes were sour and sweet, but I couldn't detect much of a lemon flavor. The center tasted a little like cherry, but overall, flavors were weak. On taste alone, Kazoozles were a C at best, but they did have other things going for them.

The texture, at least, was interesting. The tougher exterior went well with the soft center. I was expecting the center to be tougher, like taffy, but it had a consistency more like that of nougat. To be honest, my inner biology nerd was reminded of bone marrow, but that's not to say that the outside was crunchy (ew). Kazoozles were definitely a fun distraction, but I don't see myself buying them again.

C+

Have a look at what Candy Blog and I Heart Candies had to say about them.

Wonka website

Meiji Lemon Pupurun

The second of three Pupurun flavors I bought is lemon, a flavor I usually enjoy. A few weeks ago, I saw an adorable Pupurun commercial on YouTube, but didn't realize that it was the same candy I bought.

I'm glad I didn't make the commercial connection right away, as it's harder to eat something once it's been personified. Still, I wouldn't hesitate to eat them in the future.


The scent in the bag was not nearly as overwhelming as the tropical flavor, but it still smelled sour. I was used to the texture, so I could focus on the flavor. It was quite tasty, and the lemon was fairly authentic. It was tart and slightly floral, but managed to avoid tasting like cleaner or cough drops.

I should mention the texture again, as it is what really sets Pupurun apart from other gummies. The skin is just a little tough and the center is amazingly soft and glossy. This time, I took a picture of a gummy cross-section to try and get that point across. It was the blend of those textures, coupled with the solid lemon flavor, that made these gummies another winning Pupurun variety.

A-

Pupurun website

Sour Mamba

Mamba is a little hard to find in my area, but I found these at the check-out counter in Home Depot (a hardware superstore) and couldn't resist. The last time I had tried Mamba was almost 10 years ago, and I didn't even know Sour Mamba existed.

Along the lines of Starburst, Mamba are fruit chews. The pack I bought came with lemon, strawberry, and orange, but there is also a raspberry flavor that I didn't get, and I was a little bummed to miss out on it.


The chews were all a bit hard to chew at first, but once they warmed up, they softened. As promised on the package, they are sour all the way to the end, which I enjoyed. Lemon was my least favorite of the three, as it was quite tart but tasted a bit too artificial and chemical-laden to me. Orange tasted a lot like an orange Starburst, in that it was a watered down orange drink (Tang or Hi-C) flavor rather than orange juice. Still, it was tart and tasty.

Strawberry was my favorite, even though it didn't taste much like the actual fruit at all. The flavor was more like a berry punch, with a tart and juicy bite and no aftertaste. I think I will stick with Starburst (better texture) or Hi-chew (better texture and flavor) in the future if I want a chewy candy, but I wouldn't hesitate to eat Mamba or Sour Mamba if it was in front of me.

Cybele has also reviewed these at Candy Blog.

B

Storck website

Kabaya Lemon Pure R

I will admit without hesitation that I purchased these Kabaya lemon gummies purely because Hello Kitty was on the package. I am a fan. But, according to my past experience, Kabaya does gummies quite well. Pure R is a line I've never tried before, and according to the Kaybaya site, the current flavors are grape, strawberry, and ruby grapefruit. This lemon flavor doesn't seem to be available anymore.

These were a little old when I purchased them, but not expired. However, the website shown on the package, advertising a Pure R/Pureal and Hello Kitty cell phone campaign, is no longer working. I'm not sure how to romanize the name of this candy, and it seems Kabaya isn't sure, either because this package says Pureal but their website says Pure R.


At first, I was worried, because the open package smelled like lemon cleaner. Thankfully, the gummies themselves (which were pretty big) didn't taste like lemon. They were nice and sour, and with a fairly authentic lemon flavor.

Where these got interesting was the texture. There was a somewhat hard shell (which can be seen in the photo above) around a soft, sticky gel center. The shell reminded me of a skin that might form over pudding if it sits too long. It didn't detract from the flavor, but it put me off a little bit. These were addictive, but not as good as other Japanese gummies. My husband couldn't get enough of them, and loved the flavor and texture.

B+

Kabaya website

Wonka Everlasting Gobstopper Snow Balls

Despite my irrational childhood fear of the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I loved Everlasting Gobstoppers. In the US, we call this type of candy a Jawbreaker, but Everlasting Gobstoppers suit me better because they are chewable. It was great fun to check what color they were, and taste the different flavors. However, when I had some a few years ago, I noticed they were smaller than they used to be, and had fewer layers.

These holiday "Snow Balls" are actually just Gobstoppers with Christmas colors, and the flavors are the same as the original. On a side note, the snowman on the front looks like he might have something extra in his pipe, if you catch my meaning.


Red was the normal red Gobstopper, a weak cherry flavor (I think), then it changed to a mild, sour, citrusy orange. After just 2 layers, I was at the center, which tasted mostly like citric acid and just a bit like banana. The texture of the center was harder and chalkier than a Sweetart. Maybe some good comparisons would be antacids or chewable vitamins.

Green seemed like watermelon to me, but it was hard to identify. I think it changed to orange as well, which was a bit of a let down. The white tasted familiar (lemony), but I couldn't place it. The next layer was definitely lemon, although it only tasted like a cleaning product.

These were pretty disappointing. I would have liked a bigger flavor variety (grape, for example), and more layers. The flavors left something to be desired as well, especially the lemon. Although these brought back memories of my childhood, they just weren't as good as I remembered. Whether the flavors have actually changed, I'm not sure, but the size change alone detracts from the novelty value.

C+

Wonka Website

Sour Razzles

Another birthday has passed for me, and I received a new crop of candy from two friends who obviously have a good handle on my interests. The stash included these Sour Razzles, a sour version of the famous candy that becomes gum. Despite growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, I had never tried these before, so I didn't know what to expect.

From looking at the package, I think I assumed that they would be like miniature Blow Pops - a hard candy shell with gum inside - but this assumption was incorrect. Razzles look nothing like they do on the box. They reminded me of the dye tablets that come in Easter Egg decorating kits.


The Razzles smelled like citric acid and came in five flavors: Orange, Lime, Cherry, Blue Raspberry, and Lemon. They all had the texture of Sweet Tarts (or chewable vitamins) at first, and the nubs on the one side reminded me of candy blocks. It only takes about 10-15 seconds of chewing for the candy to turn into a soft gum. Here's a rundown of each flavor.

Orange packed a serious sour punch. This was the first one I tried, and after just a couple chews, I was puckering. It had a strong vitamin C flavor, but (as with all the flavors) shortly after becoming gum, had very little flavor at all. It was my favorite of the bunch.

Lime was much less sour and lacked the punch of the orange (or maybe I was used to it). When I spit this piece out to move onto the next, the gum was an intense shade of forest green.

Cherry was a full bodied, decent sour cherry flavor that had the same powerful tang as the orange. The sourness had a bit of a delay, but then came on very strong.

Blue Raspberry was sweet and blue-flavored at first, and then the punch of sour had a strong raspberry candy flavor. The height of the sour flavor was great, but then it faded to sweet. I should also mention that when I brushed my teeth that night before bed, my white toothpaste turned blue.

Lemon, which I had saved for last, was a disappointment. It was sour, but the flavor was completely fake and reminiscent of cleaning products. This was my least favorite of the bunch.

I would never choose these as a gum, but as a sour candy, the intensity of the sour flavors surprised me. Despite the weakness of the lemon and lime, I found it hard to stop eating these, and didn't mind spitting them out once they become gum and lost their flavor. They were fun to eat, and definitely would please kids (and adults) with a sour craving.

B

Razzles section of Tootsie Roll website

Summer Tirol

These summer Tirol chocolates came in a fancy cup, and I bought them in a grocery store for about 300 yen. There were 12 designs (one for each Zodiac sign), but only 3 flavors: acerola, lemon, and coconut.

I love the pastel metallic colors, and even though I'm not into astrology, the package designs were pretty neat. Also, there were a lot of chocolates in this. Eating the whole cup would set you back about 1000 calories. On their own, they are about 30 calories each.


Coconut was half white and half milk chocolate. It smelled like coconut, but a little bit too much like sunscreen. Thankfully, it didn't taste like sunscreen, but the coconut flavor was very mild. Actually, I wished that the coconut flavor was stronger. It had a biscuit center, adding a nice texture. B

Acerola (cherry) was my favorite of the flavors. It smelled very fruity, and had a bright, strong cherry Starburst-like flavor. The white chocolate was light and smooth and didn't get in the way of the delicious, tart cherry gummy center. The gummy texture was sticky and chewy like a fruit gem. A+

Lemon smelled a little bit like cleaner, but tasted good. It reminded me of a lemon bar, because the chocolate was buttery and the gummy center was sour. The gummy had the same texture as the acerola. My sister didn't like the combination, but my husband and I did. B+

The lemon and acerola were nice and bold, so the coconut was disappointing by comparison. Overall, though, this was a nice variety pack, and there was something for everyone.

Tirol Chocolate website

Mars Starburst GummiBursts

Here is yet another fairly new product from a familiar brand. I heard about these sometime last year and had been seeing commercials for a few months before I actually saw them at a convenience store near work.

Having grown up loving Gushers fruit snacks, I imagined (hoped) that these GummiBursts would be like Gushers. It seemed weird to see these in the candy aisle, since they look more like fruit snacks, but maybe they are too sugary to be considered fruit snacks (not that those are all good for you).


The bag smelled exactly like fruit snacks that I used to take to school in my lunch. The pieces even had that waxy, firm, slightly sticky feel of fruit snacks. Also, I was really surprised how much juice was in each piece! The pieces may be small, but they are pretty packed. Here's what I thought of each flavor.

Orange was sour, sweet, and burned my throat a little. It didn't taste much like orange Starburst, but it reminded me of orange Dum Dum suckers.

Lemon had better tasting juice - nice and sour, but a little less sweet. The outside gummy didn't taste very lemony, though.

Cherry was the only flavor that genuinely matched its Starburst original cousin. The flavor was exactly the same. Also, it wasn't painfully sweet. I liked it best.

Strawberry had tasty fake strawberry juice, and even though it wasn't as good as a pink Starburst, it was still pretty enjoyable.

Overall, I would have to say that these were worth trying, but maybe not worth buying again. I loved how packed with juice they were, but the gummy part was a little too firm for my liking. Definitely took me back to the old days of lunchboxes, peanut butter and jelly, and quieting down in the cafeteria, though!

B

Starburst website