Stride Whitemint

The Olympics Games are a big deal in my house. Professional sports just don't interest me, and my lack of knowledge of team sports is almost embarrassing. The Olympics are different. I will watch any (or every, if possible) Olympic event, and the way I track medal standings is borderline obsessive. I know the Winter Olympics have a lackluster reputation in comparison to the Summer Olympics, but I like the Winter Games better.

So, when Shaun White puts his name and face on a product, it totally works for me. The man is a snowboarding god. These samples were kindly sent to me for review by a PR representative, but just so you know, I would have bought this gum anyway. May I also add that the PR sample packaging was the cutest I've ever seen?


The bold colors on the outer package were very eye catching and tied into the promotion nicely. The gum wrappers themselves were pretty, too! I loved the metallic white and blue motif. The gum itself was a cool and sweet mint. There were no hints of wintergreen or spearmint, just a nice, easy peppermint. I liked the sweetness, but some of my coworkers found it to be too sweet.

The texture was great: soft but not mooshy, and it didn't seem to harden as I chewed. The cooling effect was pretty strong, and I found it to be a good after-meal breath freshener. Stride delivered on the long-lasting flavor, too. I was sick of chewing gum before the mint had completely worn off (probably about 10 to 15 minutes - gotta start timing these chews better). Whitemint is a safe flavor, but with the fun celebrity tie-in, it certainly left a good impression on me.

B+

Stride website

Juicy Fruit Groovy Fruity

In keeping with that gum theme, I bought myself this cute little cup of Juicy Fruit Groovy Fruity because I was attracted to the funky, colorful packaging. Despite nostalgic jingles about the moving taste of Juicy Fruit, I was never a big fan, simply because I couldn't really tell exactly which fruit it was supposed to taste like.

Well, neither of the two flavors in Groovy Fruity were well identified, either. They didn't taste like the original, vaguely tropical Juicy Fruit. Since I'm not sure what the two flavors were, I'll go by color: white and red. In my cup, there seemed to be more white than red.


The red pieces had an artificial cherry-like flavor, so what I'm really saying is that they tasted red. The tabs were firm at first, but they softened as the crunchy shell dissolved. Red was sweet, juicy, and just a tiny bit tart. It wasn't minty but did have a slight cooling effect. The flavor lasted five minutes or so before becoming a dull hint of fruity sweetness. At this point, the gum had a firmer, denser chew than I prefer.

The white tabs were a little more like the original Juicy Fruit, only with a very strong minty flavor and intense cooling effect. These chewed softer than the red gum, but didn't taste as fruity. The flavor was longer lasting, but neither flavor was all that good. I still like the container, but I wouldn't buy this again.

C+

Juicy Fruit website

Vitamingum Fresh Peppermint

Like many other residents of the Midwest, USA, I was snowed in yesterday. This would have been the perfect time to catch up on some blogging, right? Although I had the motivation to work from home (I kind of have to, since I'm salaried), I never got around to blogging. Did anyone else get snowed in?

In case you didn't catch my recent review of Vitamingum Fresh Spearmint, Vitaball, Inc. kindly sent me samples of three flavors of Vitamingum Fresh. Today, let's look at Peppermint.


The packaging was nearly identical to the Spearmint flavor, only with oddly bright blue mint leaves for color consistency. Like the Spearmint, Peppermint had a strong minty burst, and a thoroughly chilled, fresh flavor. Again, it was an excellent breath freshener, though I prefer spearmint to plain mint.

The texture was bouncy and not too hard or too soft, and the minty flavor, somewhat subdued after the initial intensity, lasted well over 20 minutes. I'm still not a vitamin taker, and I don't know if this gum will change that, but I was pleasantly surprised that Peppermint (and Spearmint) Vitamingum is a good gum and not just a multivitamin.

B+

Vitamingum website

Lotte Green Gum

Another item in my package from Tsunami.hk was this Green Gum. With only that name to go on, I assumed it would be mint, but it was hard to be sure. The simple, old fashioned, and, of course, green packaging didn't give much away.

Green Gum is one of Lotte's signature gum flavors, and according to their Let's Chewing website, it contains chlorophyll and green tea flavonoids, giving the chewer minty and woodsy sensations.


The gum gave me deja vu; it smelled just like the candy cane page in a Christmas scratch and sniff book I had as a child. The mint flavor different, but it was fresh and a little sweet; it reminded me most of spearmint. There was a hint of evergreen, making for a woodsy, refreshing mint flavor.

The texture was soft and bouncy at first, and the cooling effect was pleasant. I loved it at first, but within 2 or 3 minutes, it lost most of its flavor, then became firmer as I chewed. Still, the initial flavor was unique and tasty and it was a good breath freshener, but it wasn't a long lasting chewing gum.

B+

Lotte gum website

Trident Layers Cool Mint + Melon Fresco

Sometimes, a gum just sounds right from the get-go. Cool Mint + Melon Fresco called out to me in the check out lane, as gums often do, and I answered. I love a good fruity mint, and melon is a great companion for mint. Maybe I wouldn't mind getting paid in this flavor...

For any readers in the New York city area, Trident is doing a bit of exciting non-traditional marketing in Times Square today from 6:30 AM until 2:00 PM. At Broadway and 42nd street, a fleet of taxis will give rides in exchange for a pack of this gum. There will also be celebrity appearances (Bethenny Frankel and Wendy Williams), free samples of the new flavor, and chances to win prizes instantly, or by snatching as many mint leaves in a "Grab for Mint" cyclone booth. It sounds pretty refreshing!


The gum smells like mint, and if I had to nail it down, I'd say spearmint. As I chewed, the melon flavor came out from the sticky center. It was like an extra tart almost honeydew, and it went very well with the mint. The sourness made the melon come off a bit like lime, but it was very subtle.

It's definitely my favorite of the Trident Layers flavors, and it's something I would buy again. The refreshing flavor lasted a very long time (probably around 20 minutes), and the gum had a good texture throughout the chew. If fruity-mint gum is not your thing, you may not like this one, but this gum was really well received by my friends and coworkers when I shared the pack.

A

Trident Website

Note: A PR company representative provided information about the promotional event, but I had already tried the gum, and this contact did not influence my review (not that it would have if I hadn't tried the gum). On a side note, I wish cool promotional events took place in the midwest...

Oral Fixation Mojito Mints

The other night, my husband was making beer chili, and when he was almost done adding the ingredients, we realized that we didn't have any beer. I dashed out to the little local grocery store, but even though I only needed one thing, I got a little distracted in the candy aisle just before checking out.

I was vaguely aware of the gourmet chocolate and candy selection at this particular store, but I hadn't looked in a while. The sexy, elegant packaging of Oral Fixation sugar free mints ($1.99 US) called out to me, and I knew I had to try them. I went with Mojito, but there were at least 4 other flavors available. For the record, I also took home some Tazo Mexican chocolate and a Lake Champlain chocolate bar, but I'll review those later.


Each mint had a star on one side and the word "FIX" on the other. They were about the same size and shape as Altoids, but Oral Fix mints were uniform. Each mint was easy to get at once the stylish but slightly annoying wax paper insert was pushed out of the way. Immediately, I noticed was how nice and smooth the mints felt on my tongue. I haven't had too many actual mojitos, so it was hard to judge the authenticity of the flavor.

The lime flavor was mild just a bit tangy on the tongue happy to take a backseat to the very cool, slightly sweet mint. The mints did a pretty good job of freshening my breath without feeling sever or painful. The Oral Fixation brand name was quite appropriate, because it was tough for me to eat just one mint. I was popping 3 to 4 in a row, sometimes 2 at a time. I'd love to try other flavors, especially since I'll be out of the Mojito very soon. Tip: when you're done, the tin makes a great business car holder!

A-

Oral Fixation website

Thorntons Chocolate Bars

These bars were a gift from my boss, as a thank-you for watering her plants while she was away. I'm not sure it was fair, because all I had to do was water a couple tiny pots and she gave me all this chocolate! I'm not going to argue, though.

Thorntons chocolate isn't available in the United States, so whenever my boss and her husband return to the UK, they stock up. It's not a brand I've seen in import stores, either, so this was my first time tasting Thorntons. These three bars are Cappuccino, Whipped Fudge, and Mint.


The first bar I tried was Cappuccino, and the first thing I noticed is that it was incredibly soft! It wasn't that it was melted, it was just that the white chocolate coating and the center were light and airy. It had a strong coffee scent, and the center had a strong cappuccino flavor, with a smooth, almost minty coating. The flavors went together well, and overall it wasn't too sweet but a nice and balanced bitter. It melted in my fingers, because the center was almost like whipped truffle ganache. I saved half to take home, but it got a bit melted during the 15 minute drive from work. I should probably mention that my air conditioning is broken... B


Next, I tried the Whipped Fudge Bar. It smelled like fudge, and had a vein of caramel running through the center. This caramel was the best part of this bar! It was oozy and sticky, and just the perfect level of sweetness. The fudge center was gritty, and it had the texture of faux cookie dough. It felt a little heavy for something with "whipped" in the title, and it was a bit too sweet, but since I'm a sucker for cookie dough, I didn't mind. My husband wasn't too fond of this one, though. B-


I saved the Mint Bar for last, and it was worth it. The bar smelled so very minty, and it delivered. There were crunchy peppermint bits in the center of the bar that reminded me of crushed candy canes. The chocolate on the outside was firm, and it was a fantastic pair for the creamy, cool mint ganache-like center. It was a lovely bar, and my favorite of the three. A-

Thorntons 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

Stride Shift Flavor Changing Gum

Despite its permanent place in my purse, it's been a while since I have reviewed chewing gum. Recently, it seems like gum companies are branching out with some interesting new products, Stride Shift gum included. My conscience dictates me to mention that these were free marketing samples, and that I am not being paid to write this (or any) review.

The packages certainly are eye-catching, and the colors had a very 1990s feel, probably to appeal to people of a certain age. I wasn't sure how Stride would pull off the flavor changing, but I'm a fan of fruit-mint combination gum, so I approached them without fear.


The initial orangey flavor of Citrus -> Mint was a mild citrus with hints of tropical fruit. It reminded me of orange suckers (specifically Dum Dums), especially because there were little crunchy bits in the gum. The mystery of the Shift was solved! The crunchy bits had a tart, citrus zip to them, and the chewier bits carried the mint. I suspect the food chemistry here aims to have the fruity bits dissolve before the mint, which was a sweet peppermint that I couldn't quite place. For a bit, I was getting punches of both flavors, but it only took a couple minutes to transition completely from orange to mint. From then on, the mint flavor lasted a very long time, and I was sick of chewing gum before the flavor was gone. B-


The Berry -> Mint smelled like strawberry and grape. At first, it tasted very sugarfree, but the initial flavor wasn't bad. I tasted blueberry and strawberry with a hint og mint. Again, most of the berry flavor was gone after a few minutes, leaving the gum minty with bursts of non-descript tartness. The final mint was the same sweet peppermint as the citrus, and again, the flavor lasted quite a while. B

I was a little obsessive about chewing up all of the flavor bits, so I could see that if you weren't, the gum might taste a bit weird. Still, Stride tried something new, which is always commendable. But unlike Stride's Eternal Melon (which I should review), I can't say that I'd seek these flavors out again.

Check out reviews of Citrus and Berry at GumAlert for another point of view.

Stride Gum Website

Green & Black's Organic Mint

My mother is a big fan of York Peppermint Patties, so mint chocolate was always around when I was younger. This might explain why mint chocolate is such a nostalgic taste for me. In particular, there was a candy store called Fanny Farmer (quite appropriate) that carried a bright green mint "chocolate" bar that perfectly suited my childhood tastes.

I doubt I would like it now, but I seem to always compare mint chocolate bars to how I think that one tasted. This Green & Black's bar came from a local Target, and as of February of this year, it's 100% fair trade certified.


Both the foil wrapper and the bar inside were simply stunning. The gorgeous bar had a nice peppermint oil aroma with just a hint of earthiness. It had a good snap and the perforations actually seemed to work. Both the texture and melt of the chocolate were nice.

The chocolate was just a bit sour and tangy, and those fruity notes made the 60% cocoa bar seem darker than it was. I found the mint to be quite mild. According to the website, neither the mint nor the chocolate is supposed to dominate, though I felt the chocolate was more prominent. It's definitely more grown up than my "dream" bar, but I could have done with more mint and fewer sour notes in the dark chocolate.

B

Green & Black's Website

Altoids Cool Honey

Honey is something that I've only recently learned to enjoy. It seems strange, since my father always bought honey by the liters when I was a kid, but I never liked the taste. As I get older, though, it's definitely becoming sweet on me.

Altoids never had to grow on me, because I liked them the first time I tried one. Previously, I had been a loyal fan of the white TicTac, but Altoids were far mintier, and my sister and I used to go through tins much quicker than we should have.


Opening the tin, I could definitely smell the floral notes of the honey, as well as the cool mint. It was a nice, refreshing scent. The mints were a pale yellow instead of the usual white. I could just barely taste the honey in the mints themselves, and only for a split second. After that, I could hardly distinguish them from regular Altoids.

The Cool Honey mints were definitely good, but I wished I could taste the honey just a bit better. I suppose I'm glad that they didn't taste like cough drops, but aside from the cute bee-themed tin and the aroma, there was almost no difference between these and the standard version.

These have also been reviewed at Candy Blog and Gigi-Reviews.

B

Altoids website

Bissinger's Peppermint Chocolate Bar

Peppermint bark is a classic holiday treat. It's pretty easy to make, too. Usually, it's a layer of milk or dark chocolate, followed by white chocolate, topped with crushed peppermint candy. With all that white chocolate, it can often be cloyingly sweet.

This bar pretty much solves that problem. I picked it up at Whole Foods for about $3, drawn in once again by the swirly design. There's no white chocolate here, just dark(ish) chocolate and peppermint candy bits.

The bar had a mild and pleasant minty scent. The first thing I noted was that the dark chocolate had a nice snap and was sweet and velvety on the tongue. The peppermint pieces added a good level of crunch, and the mint/dark combination reminded me of a peppermint patty.

I liked it much better than the other Bissinger's bar I tried (key lime), but chocolate and mint is a much safer combination. I bought another bar to give away as part of a gift, since it seemed like a decent value for the quality of the chocolate. Did I mention how pretty it looks?

A-

Godiva Holiday Truffles

Godiva may not be the best boutique chocolate, but it is readily available. It feels like I'm eating a lot of Godiva chocolate these days, but when I bought those Halloween truffles, I signed up for their Chocolate Rewards Club. It's free, and you can get a free truffle from their stores every month. There are other perks, but the free truffle is the only one I have used.


It's nice that there's no purchase required to sign up or get the free monthly truffle, but only certain truffles are available for free. Special molded ones tend not to be, but they do offer some seasonal ones! Here, I have Candy Cane and Gingerbread (acquired November 27 and December 6). I had meant to get Egg Nog for December, but it was sold out. The foil wrappers were cute and festive, but not as impressive to behold as the molded chocolates (see the link to their home page below).


First, the Candy Cane had a strongly minty smell when unwrapped. It tasted a lot like peppermint ice cream, the pink kind with the red and green candy bits inside. I was impressed with it because the white chocolate was quite tasty. It was well balanced and very fresh, and not too sweet at all.


The Gingerbread smelled like ginger and other cookie-type spices. My husband and I were both surprised to find that it actually tasted like a mild gingerbread! Despite having the potential to be sickeningly sweet, it wasn't. This was a nice, fudgey truffle. I was pleased that neither of them exhibited the oiliness that Godiva truffles sometimes do.

I may be inflating the rating simply because these were free, but they were both very pleasing truffles.

A-

Godiva website

Wrigley Eclipse Breeze Exotic Mint

Cardamom is one of my favorite spices. I don't know about it being exotic, but it is fairly common in Indian cuisine. It's great on rice pudding and in chai tea, but you do have to be careful how much you put in. Once, I made brownies and added too much cardamom, rendering them inedible.

This is the first cardamom gum I've ever seen. There was a berry flavor available as well, but the mint sounded better to me. I had seen pictures of this gum on Flickr, but didn't know it contained cardamom until seeing it at the store. I figured the cardamom wouldn't be distinguishable from the mint.


The gum didn't really smell like anything special at all, but from the first chew, the cardamom was obvious. It made for a spicy cooling sensation that was just a tiny bit hot on the tongue. It was very fresh and authentic.

This is unlike any other mint gum I've tried, and I have to hand it to Eclipse for that. The flavor lasted a long time, and the texture was just about right. My husband and I were in agreement - this is a great gum.

The Impulsive Buy and Gigi-Reviews also reviewed this one (and they both liked it).

A

Eclipse website

Ferrero Melon Mango Tic Tacs

Here we have yet another impulse buy of mine. This seems to be how I acquire most of my candy. I grabbed this at the last moment with some other essentials. Melon is one of my favorite flavors, and I'm pretty fond of mango, too, so I was curious to see how they would translate to Tic Tac.

Although both colors could have been melon, only one could have been mango. Surprisingly, it was very easy to tell the two flavors apart by taste. I'll start with melon.


Melon was green, and it had a nice sour honeydew flavor. It reminded me of melon soda, which is one of my favorite beverages. It's probably not that authentic, because I don't like real honeydew melon very much. The flavor of this Tic Tac was consistent throughout. There was a slight minty aftertaste, but nothing too major for my taste.

Mango, the orange one, was a pretty decent representation of mango with a hint of orange. To me, it seemed like this flavor had less of a minty aftertaste. My husband thought both flavors reminded him of Nerds. This flavor was good, but I liked the melon better.

As with most fruity Tic Tacs, these aren't great breath fresheners, but I enjoyed them. The melon in particular was tasty, and the slight minty finish was a plus for me, because it didn't leave me with a stale aftertaste like the melon did.

B

Ferrero Website

Ferrero Tic Tac Pink Grapefruit

My older sister and I were big Tic Tac eaters when we were younger. We both liked the orange ones best, even though it was common knowledge that they actually made breath worse.

I first heard about these from a candy blog, but when I searched the Internet, I couldn't find it, so I can't remember which it was. Anyhow, they were released a while ago, but it takes some things a while to get to my town.


They look like standard Tic Tacs, despite coming in a bigger box. At first, the taste is very similar to orange, but once a little of the coating is gone, the grapefruit notes really kick in. It's sour, a little bitter, and fairly authentic ("dry pink grapefruit juice" is listed in the ingredients). There's also a mintiness in the background, but I wouldn't choose these as a breath freshener.

The taste was very similar to grapefruit Jelly Belly jelly beans, or grapefruit e-ma, which also has a minty kick. The mintiness did remind me of a throat lozenge, but I still enjoyed these. They went over well at work, too.

B+

Tic Tac website

Tic Tac Chill Exotic Cherry

This little guy was a pain to open. It called to me at the gas station one day, so I bought it. It came in clear plastic wrap that was quite hard to remove, and even then, I couldn't figure out how to open it. Finally, I slid the front panel down (see photo below) and was able to access the Tic Tacs inside.

Later, I saw a commercial on TV that showed me that the top opens, too, like regular Tic Tacs (see photo above). A diagram or something on the box would have helped.

Both the box and the Tic Tacs themselves are larger than regular Tic Tacs. The shape is still the same, and, despite the fancy box, it doesn't feel like much has changed.


The Tic Tac felt really cold in my mouth, and had a slight cherry flavor, but wasn't too strong (or exotic). I don't know if it would be a great breath mint, but it tasted okay. I chewed it up after about a minute, and it was very sour, but not terribly cherry. It didn't really do much for me, but it wasn't bad.

Although it suffers from the same problem as orange Tic Tacs (as in it makes your breath worse), Exotic Cherry just didn't taste as good as orange to me, so I doubt I'll buy it again.

C

Ferrero Website

Hershey's Miniatures Mint Collection

Apparently, these have been around for years, and I either don't remember them or never saw them at all, but this year, they are new to me. I usually don't choose Hershey's chocolate, but it's limited edition, so I felt compelled.

If you haven't already, I recommend reading Cybele's reviews on and articles about the reformulation of Hershey's chocolate. For example, here's one about the standard Hershey's Miniatures. She's done a lot of delving into the situation, and it's very interesting, to say the least. I can only assume that these Mint Miniatures were affected, too.


First, I tried the Mint White Creme. If this were a beauty contest, this would be the hands-down winner! It's so festive! But unfortunately, the white chocolate was chalky. The mint was nice, and it reminded me of those pastel meltaway mints with sprinkles, but the white chocolate wasn't creamy enough. At least it was pretty! B-


Next up was the Mint Sweet Chocolate. I used to like Hershey Special Dark, but lately, it tastes pretty bland. It wasn't much better with mint. The chocolate itself was grainy, and it didn't really go with the Special Dark taste too terribly well. A York Peppermint Patty would be a much more pleasing dark/mint treat. My husband liked this one, though. C-


Finally, I tried the Mint Milk Chocolate. Surprisingly, this was the best of the bunch for me. It had a mint taste reminiscent of an Andes mint, but again, had a chalky texture. The flavor was good, but I wish the chocolate was smoother. My father also liked this one best. B

Overall, these were pretty unremarkable. I can't say any of them tasted bad, but I certainly wouldn't buy them again. It was the texture that really got me, since all of them were grainy or chalky. Maybe that can be blamed on the temperature when I tasted them, though, so I'd be interested in hearing what other people think of these.

C

Hershey's Website (English)

Nestle Mint Aero

More candy from my husband's and my trip to Toronto! I took a picture of both milk and mint Aero bars, but we gave away the milk chocolate one. This picture was taken in the car because I knew we wouldn't wait to try the mint flavor.

I had heard of Aero before in Japan but never tried it. Apparently, it was sold in the US in the 1980s, but unfortunately didn't catch on. While in Toronto, I spied caramel and dark chocolate flavors, too, but had already spent way too much money on candy.


Aero was not at all like I thought it would be! It was so light, airy (hence Aero, I imagine), and smooth. For some reason, I was expecting it to be more like Nestle Crunch or Lotte Crunky, but it wasn't at all crunchy. I can't say I really "felt the bubbles melt" because I didn't really feel the bubbles, but it was quite a pleasant experience.

The taste was a lot like a giant Andes mint, but a little milder. I was glad my husband and I split the bar because I don't think I could have finished it, but it was delicious. Great for mint chocolate fans. However, it did upset my stomach, and I later noticed that milk was pretty high on the ingredients list. So next time, I'll come prepared.

B+

Nestle Website