04.30.11
Jack ‘n Jill X.O. Classics Coffee Candy
My love for coffee candy and my quest to find the perfect example of said candy should not be a surprise to anyone who has read this blog for a while. What is kind of surprising is that I keep running across new coffee candy I haven’t yet reviewed so imagine my delight when I found these. Out of the Philippines, these coffee candies start with an awesomely delicious coffee smell. Still in their wrappers I was olfactorily assaulted by rampaging COFFEE! Plus pea points for that because the wrappers aren’t thin little wimpy things either; I had to wrestle mine open and yet the smell just flies through like they were covered in cheesecloth or something. That’s one hardy smell.
I’m also amused by the packaging. I was under the impression X.O. was a hug and a kiss – or at least that’s what it read to me at first. But then I flipped the package over and read: “X.O. Coffee candy…Smooth, rich, as real as it gets. It’s extraordinary!” Ah. (X)tra (O)rdinary. I liked the hug and kiss better. The outer packaging does have a neat little window panel on the back (which is an odd location, but it’s right under the “It’s extraordinary” bit so it makes some sense) that you can peek at the little wrapped candies. Hi candies!
When Guinea Pig Patti and I tasted the candies it got real all right. About as real as “skimmed milk powder, coffee powder, natural and artificial coffee flavors” can get. I suppose it is some comfort that ‘natural’ coffee flavor weighs in ahead of ‘artificial’ coffee flavors but it is still behind coffee powder and you know what? These kinda taste like powdered coffee candies. Maybe with a hint of instant lab coffee taste. It’s certainly better than some office coffee I’ve had but then again I’ve also had better office coffee than these candies.
In looking at my array of coffee candies, I think these are probably not quite a 3 pea taste but they aren’t hideous either. Plus, the smell is really kicking so think of these as 2.75 tasting candy with an extra added oomph for the nice coffee odor.
Rating of 3 Wasabi Peas out of a possible 5.
