Project 7 Sour Caramel Apple Gourmet Gum

Place purchased: Meijer 

Price:$1.00

Number of reviewers: 3

Appearance - 6.0

Each pack of Project 7 gum contains 12 unwrapped pieces of pellet gum. Both the exterior shell and interior are white. 

Flavor and Taste - 7.0

The Sour Caramel Apple flavor comes on strong in the first few chews. The flavor starts out as a bright green apple flavor with a more subtle sweet caramel flavor. There is some initial acidity, but not enough to be considered sour. Also, the acidity vanishes within the first minute of chewing. The apple flavor also disappears quickly, leaving the caramel flavor and a faint bitterness. 

B: Strong sweet taste from gum. Smells better than it tastes. 

E: Immediate burst of flavor - definitely caramel apple - acidic and fresh/green. 

Texture - 6.7

The Sour Caramel Apple gum has a normal, chewy gum texture. 

B: Standard gum.

E: Crunchy shell and normal gum center. 

Aftertaste - 6.3

The aftertaste is mostly sweet, with a faint caramel flavor and bitterness. 

B: Not really present. 

E: Caramel apple-y? Flavor fades pretty fast. 

Overall - 6.7

Overall, the Project 7 Sour Caramel Apple gum pulls off the caramel apple flavor quite well and is a great offering for the fall season. The only downfall is the bitterness that develops while chewing the gum. 

E: Surprisingly good! 

Seattle Chocolates Devil's Delight

Place purchased: World Market 

Price: $3.49

Number of reviewers: 3

Appearance - 6.0

The Seattle Chocolates Devil's Delight bar has a white chocolate/peanut butter filling with whole, knotted pretzels in a dark chocolate shell. The underside of the bar was completely coated in bloom. 

B: The bloom! 

E: Super bloomed, but cool design. 

Flavor and Taste - 7.0

The flavor of the dark chocolate is initially dominated by the sweetness of the filling and saltiness of the pretzels. Once those tastes subside, the rich and somewhat bitter taste of the dark chocolate comes through. The peanut butter flavor is definitely there, but it tastes muted since it is mixed with white chocolate. The pretzels do not have much flavor but add a substantial saltiness to the bar. 

B: Peanut butter overwhelms the chocolate. 

E: A little waxy at first, but then the creamy peanut butter flavor develops. Good flavor balance and salty/sweet. 

Texture - 7.0

The crunchiness of the pretzels and salt granules provide a satisfying contrast to the creamy filling. The texture of the dark chocolate is difficult to distinguish from the filling. 

B: A bit too soft. 

E: Firm chocolate with creamy filling and crunchy pretzel. 

Aftertaste - 7.0

The aftertaste is of salty dark chocolate. 

B: Peanut butter and a bit burnt. 

E: Buttery and creamy. 

Overall - 7.0

Overall, the Seattle Chocolates Devil's Delight bar is quite enjoyable with its myriad of tastes and textures.This is the best Seattle Chocolates bar I have tried to date. Though, the bar could be improved if the filling consisted of peanut butter rather than a peanut butter and white chocolate mixture.

B: More chocolate flavor would have been better. 

E: Great salty/sweet snack. 

Harry Potter Jelly Slugs

Harry Potter Jelly Slugs are the newest Harry Potter candy made by Jelly Belly. Unlike the Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Jelly Slugs were not a candy in the wizarding world. Ron, however, did vomit slugs during this scene in Chamber of Secrets. 

Place purchased: Lolli & Pops 

Price: $3.25

Number of reviewers: 3

Appearance - 4.7

The Jelly Slugs differ from the image on the wrapper; the slugs are straight rather than curvy. They remind me more of crocodiles or Battleship pieces than slugs. The slugs come in five different colors/flavors, as listed on the 'menu' above. Red is sour cherry, orange is tangerine, bright green is pear, green is watermelon, and yellow is banana. Unfortunately, my bag of slugs did not contain any of the banana slugs, the only flavor that is also a real type of slug. Additionally, several of the jelly slugs had snapped into pieces, which seems odd for a candy described as "jelly." 

B: These do not look like slugs.
E: Not particularly slug-like. 

Flavor and Taste - 3.0

Red - Sour Cherry 
This is one of the most medicinal cherry flavored candies I have ever eaten. I only made about six or seven noises of disgust while eating this flavor. 

B: Medicine. 
E: Like cough medicine. 

Orange - Tangerine
The orange flavor is very one-note. The flavor is exactly like those orange slice candies that are coated in sugar. 

B: Acceptable. 
E: Tastes like a tangerine peel. Pretty sour. 

Bright Green - Pear
This is the same flavor that Jelly Belly uses for their Juicy Pear Jelly Bellys. 

B: Too sweet. 
E: Very pear-y! Like Jelly Belly pear. 

Green - Watermelon
These do not taste like watermelon or even a typical artificial watermelon flavor. They taste fruity, but not like a specific type of fruit. 

B: Not watermelony. 
E: Weak flavor. Vaguely reminiscent of artificial watermelon.

Yellow - Banana 
Sadly, these were not in the bag. If the flavor is the same as Jelly Belly's Top Banana, these would be my favorite. 

Texture - 3.3

The Jelly Slugs have a soft bite and are somewhat grainy. 

B: Hard and chalky. I want soft and chewy.
E: Pretty grainy for a gummy. More like a chew. 

Aftertaste - 3.7

The aftertastes for all of the Jelly Slugs are sweet with a lingering flavor. 

B: Loses all flavor, but sweet. Not distinct for any fruit. 
E: Kinda... fruity? A little medicinal for some. 

Overall - 3.0

Overall, the flavors which ranged from unexciting to revolting. There are Bertie Bott's Beans that I enjoy more than these Jelly Slugs. I expect better from Jelly Belly. 

B: Would not eat.
E: Texture is off and flavors aren't great. 

Candy Hunting - Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cups Minis

Butterfinger Peanut Butter Cups Minis

Release: January 2015
SRP: $1.89 for a 2.83 oz share pack, $3.89 for an 8 oz stand up bag

Culinaria Pumpkin Spice

Culinaria is a store brand exclusive to Schnucks grocery stores, which are located in Illinois and Missouri. I normally would turn down any store brand candy, but it's pumpkin spice season and the only pumpkin spice products I have reviewed are gum. 

Place purchased: Schnucks 

Price: $1.00

Number of reviewers: 3

Appearance - 6.7

The Culinaria Pumpkin Spice bar consists of milk chocolate with a thin, caramel-colored, pumpkin spice flavored layer. 

Flavor and Taste - 4.7

The bar has an overwhelming sweetness and sour dairy flavor from the milk chocolate. The spice flavor develops while chewing, though it never reaches the intensity of the milk chocolate. 

B: Sour dairy, no pumpkin flavor, more caramelly. 

E: Spices dominate, very reminiscent of pumpkin pie spice, but it overshadows the chocolate. 

Texture - 6.3

The chocolate has a firm bite and smooth melt, while the filling is thick and gooey. 

B: Standard chocolate.

E: Firm-ish chocolate with creamy filling. 

Aftertaste - 4.3

The aftertaste is very sweet with a strong sour dairy flavor and more subtle spice notes. 

B: Long sour dairy. 

E: Spicy, sour dairy, mouthcoating. 

Overall - 5.0

Overall, the taste of the milk chocolate was too overpowering and ruined the potential of the pumpkin spice filling. You are not missing out if you do not live close enough to a Schnucks to try this chocolate bar. 

B: Not really pumpkin. 

E: It's meh. 

Candyology 101 - Episode 1 - Halloween Candy

I am excited to announce the debut of the podcast Candyology 101, where co-hosts Cybele from Candy Blog, Maria from Sometimes Foodie, and I geek out and discuss all things candy. The podcast is produced by Marvo from The Impulsive Buy and The Nosh Show. Halloween Candy is the topic of the first episode. You can listen below or download the episode from iTunes. Enjoy! 

Brach's Caramel Macchiato Candy Corn

Place purchased: Free sample from the Sweets & Snacks Expo

Number of reviewers: 5

Appearance - 5.6

The Caramel Macchiato candy corn is similar to normal candy corn in that it is a tri-colored triangle. Instead of white, yellow, and orange, the Caramel Macchiato candy corn stripes are white, caramel color brown, and medium brown. 

E: Like normal candy corn, but browner. 
E2: Looks sophisticated. 
J: Nice color combination. 

N: Looks like spoiled candy corn.

Flavor and Taste - 4.6

The initial flavor is of old coffee, caramel, and something reminiscent of potpourri. The flavor then fades and gives way to the honey flavor typical of candy corn. The strength of the coffee and caramel flavor seems to differ from piece to piece. Some pieces have a strong flavor, while others taste like regular candy corn. 

E: Tastes like a caramel macchiato Yankee Candle would smell. 
E2: Imitation caramel and coffee. Sooo sweet! 
J: Coffee with honey aftertaste. The coffee is so artificial. 

N: It has an almost smoke flavor but in a good way.

Texture - 5.8

It has the same chewy, waxy, grainy texture common to all candy corn. 

E: Kind of chewy/grainy like candy corn always is. 
E2: Chewy, grainy, waxy. 

Aftertaste - 4.6

The aftertaste is mostly a sweet honey flavor. There is also a subtle, yet persistent, bitterness. 

E: Very sweet, with a perfume/coffee-like flavor.
E2: SUGAR! 
J: Mostly sweet/honey. 
N: Bland aftertaste. 

Overall - 4.6

While the Caramel Macchiato candy corn does take a step in the right direction to improve candy corn by adding flavor, the flavor Brach's chose was subpar. Brach's makes many more flavors of candy corn, most of which I would expect to taste better than this flavor. If you really like candy corn or coffee flavored candies, then you might like this. If not, stay clear of this product. 

E: It's not good, but I'm not disappointed. Exactly what you'd expect. 

Candy Hunting - Hershey's Caramels

Hershey's Milk Chocolate Caramels

Release: April 2015
SRP: $1.19

Candy Apple M&M's

Place purchased: Walmart (Exclusive) 

Price: $2.88

Number of reviewers: 6

Appearance - 6.7

The Candy Apple M&M's have candy apple flavored milk chocolate centers with either bright red or dark red candy shells. 

E: BIG! Large size discrepancy. Nice color. 
E2: Very large for an M&M! But I like the fall colors. 
J: Nice deep red colors. Seem larger than normal. 
S: Large M&M's. 

Flavor and Taste - 6.4

The only apple flavor detectable is at the very beginning, during the first chew. The milk chocolate quickly overpowers any apple flavor in the M&M's. Furthermore, when eating the Candy Apple M&M's consecutively, the chocolate aftertaste from the previous M&M interferes with the apple flavor of the next M&M. So, the only time I was able to taste the apple was from the first Candy Apple M&M I ate. 

C: Chocolate is very apparent. Get a little bit of apple at the beginning, but not very strong. 
E: Definitely has an apple taste, but comes off stale with the sour chocolate. 
E2: Very little apple flavor, only a teeny hint of sour apple at the beginning. Otherwise, it just tastes like an M&M.
J: Good fresh red apple flavor. Chocolate flavor is also strong. 
S: Light apple flavor. 

Texture - 6.8

The M&M's have a crunchy candy shell and smooth milk chocolate, like regular M&M's. 

C: Good texture, same as regular M&M's. 
E: Crisp shell, chocolate melts nicely. 
E2: Like a normal M&M. Crispy, crunchy, slightly melt in the mouth. 

Aftertaste - 6.1

The aftertaste is very sweet with a lingering milk chocolate flavor. 

C: Chocolate, get a little of the apple. 
E: Weird sour apple, fatty. 
E2: M&M. 
J: I wish it was more apple. 

Overall - 6.3

Overall, the Candy Apple M&M's were lacking in apple flavor. If more apple flavor had been used or white chocolate instead of milk chocolate, the product would have done better at living up to its name. 

E: Worse than plain M&M's. 
E2: Disappointing. 
J: They could sell this all year and call it Apple M&M's. But they are good!