Since licorice is one of my favorite varieties of candies I’m always looking to try new kinds and brands. Licorice isn’t very popular in the USA, so it’s somewhat tricky to find a good selection. That’s why import stores have become a to-go to place, since they often the only stores where I can get my fix. This tube of VanSlooten’s Flowers & Butterflies licorice was a recent find from Cost Plus World Market, which is a store that has yet to disappoint me with their licorice selection. So far my experience has taught me that Dutch and German licorice brands are my favorites, so I was very excited about finding these since they’re Dutch.

I like the packaging. It allows for you to have some licorice and save the rest for later a lot more easily than the bag styles. Especially since certain types of licorice can go stale. These licorice candies are all covered in pretty sanded sugar, so they don’t look so intense and black like some licorice can appear. The tube smells rich and herbal, which is an aroma I love and usually is a good sign for the candy.

The shapes of these licorices are pretty cute! The light colored ones are all butterflies, and all the flowers are black. I noticed two different molds for the butterflies, or it maybe have been how the one style has been squished and shaped in the can.

Butterflies: Same as a type of licorice called “Groitten” which are licorice sugar cubes. The flavor is nice and mild and a strong flavor of molasses with a subtle edge of salt. the texture is soft and chewy and has a nice give to it.

Daisy Flower: Much chewier in texture than the others. The flavor is sweet and very mildly of licorice. Like the butterfly, it has a strong flavor of molasses, but it doesn’t have the salty kick to it. Very tasty, I’m a fan!

Sunflower: The texture here is also pretty chewy, the flavor is similar to the daisy with strong molasses notes to it and mild licorice taste.

Tulip: This one is my favorite. The texture is chewy and you immediately get a wonderful strong, sweet licorice flavor. It’s herbal, it’s sweet, and it’s just wonderful.

I really loved this collection of licorice. Each piece varies in flavor slightly so if you’re in the mood for one type you can just pick out that specific flavor. I really liked the whole selection and feel it’s a solid assortment. It was easily gone in a week. A must for any licorice lover.

Rating: Will Buy Again

I’ve heard about these Sour Punch Bits, a new type of sour candy that’s a spinoff of Sour Punch Straws. I found a box of them in a candy store called Rocket Fizz in old town Pasadena. Unlike Sour Punch Straws that come in a clear cellophane package, these new Bits come in a movie theater sized box. I’m not the biggest fan of Sour Punch Straws, but seeing these new variety I couldn’t help but want to give them a shot. 

The box these Bits come in is very attractive. The box’s design isn’t too busy, it has a bright yellow background with their signature logo and Punch faces puckering. It also has colorful illustrations of strawberries and watermelon on it, so it’s vibrant and delicious looking.

Opening the box, you find a small plastic bag that takes up about half of the box inside. It’s tightly sealed and keeps the candies fresh and safe. Opening the package, I get a whiff of the candies: they smell like cardboard. Ooooh yeah.

The candies are thick little tubes, striped with color and sanded with sour sugar. They clump easily and feel slightly squishy to the touch.

The flavor is tart and fruity, but I wouldn’t call them sour. The sour sugar coating has a sour edge to it, and you really don’t taste it until the end of the candy’s flavor. Speaking of the candies flavor, it’s very…plastic, more so than the original Sour Punch straws. It starts out sweet, then the berry flavor kicks it. It’s…also just sweet. The watermelon shows up giving it a lighter fake “watermelon” taste we know so well. The flavor ends with “red” flavor akin to Twizzlers, then dissipates.

I would eat the normal Sour Punch Straws over these any day. I shared the rest of my package with friends, and they all really liked them, so what do I know. Since buying these I also seen a lemon and tangerine flavor, which, I am interested in trying despite not liking this flavor. It just goes to show that certain candies will speak to some and not others.

Rating: Might Eat Again

Links Sour Punch Website

Last but not least are the Mott’s for Tots fruit snacks. As you might guess, these are fruit snacks meant for toddlers. Not having children myself, I do have to wonder if there’s a need or even room for these in a young child’s diet. You know, since this stuff is candy. I also don’t know anything about parenting so who am I to say.

What makes these snacks “For Tots” I realized is the size. These are much smaller, at least half the size of a normal fruit snack. Which makes it easier for the toddler to chew and not choke on them is my guess. The texture is also different. These are more dense and sticky, while normal fruit snacks are chewier and don’t’ dissolve as easily.

Strawberry Banana: Very starchy and perfumy of bananas. Really tasty actually, I like it a lot.

Apple White Grape: The plain apple had grape notes to me, so I got this one confused with the other apple flavor.

Fruit Punch: The taste is similar to fake pink lemonade. I taste fruit flavors, but they’re metallic and somewhat sour. It does give off that “punch” vibe.

Apple: The plain apple had grape notes to me, so I got this one confused with the other apple flavor.

Out of all the Mott’s flavors I liked these the best since they were the most flavorful.

When I gave some of these to my boyfriend, he immediately noticed the texture difference and the more intense flavors. So it looks like it’s not just me being really picky! Out of all the Mott’s fruit snacks these are easily my favorite. I’m not saying go buy them for your toddlers since I feel weird doing that, but hey, they are tasty if you want some yourself.

Rating: Will Eat Again

Links Mott’s for Tots Webpage

This second variety of fruit snacks by Mott’s is Mott’s Medley’s. These fruit snacks flavors are a combination of flavors in one piece to make something harmonious and delicious. I am hoping since I didn’t really like the mildness of the normal Mott’s flavors from the last variety I tried, that make this “medley” of flavors will make something punchier and more flavorful to me.

Since these are “Medley” flavors, there’s only four different types this time around:

Apple Blend: The flavor is very punchy, and tastes like a sharp apple cider right away. I like it!

Grape Blend: This one is also flavorful, you get juicy notes of concord and muscat grapes.

Tropical Blend: This one actually has some pineapple/peach flavors to it. I liked how I can detect two different fruits here.

Berry Blend: The flavor here is mild and jammy, and I do get notes of blackberries and raspberries.

I feel that with this flavor set, Mott’s certainly improved themselves. The taste is much more intense and real than their plain “all natural” fruit snack variety. I like this one much more and if I was into the fruit snack market, this one would be on my list to buy.

Rating: Will Eat Again

Links Mott’s Medley’s Webpage

The last variety of fruit snacks I have to review are from Mott’s. The first thing that come to mind when I think of Mott’s is their apple juice and sauces. So it’s interesting that they’re like Hawaiian Punch in the sense they’re trying to expand their product base with fruit snacks.

Right away the Mott’s fruit snacks come across as “healthier” and more “wholesome” than the Hawaiian Punch variety. It probably has something to do with their base drink product being fire engine red in color. Still it means I’m also going to expect more realistic flavors from them.

Banana Strawberry: Light yellow in color, the flavor is mild and somewhat starchy, which I feel it supposed to be the banana. I do taste some light strawberry notes, but they’re an afterthought I think in order to get some banana flavors in there.

Grape: Surprisingly hard to tell apart from the mixed berry flavor. This one also tastes just sweet a first, then you get some light concord grape flavors.

Apple: The taste is very mild. It almost just taste lightly sweet. I suppose there’s some light apple juice notes here, but it’s so hard to say.

Strawberry: Ah, this one actually has something to it! This has a nice sweet, jammy strawberry flavor which is pretty good.

Mixed Berry: This one also has some nice distinct flavors. You get some sweetness, followed by some light flowery flavors which reminds me of blueberries.

Pineapple: I was excited about this one since I love pineapple. Alas, it’s similar to the others: mildly sweet with no real specific flavor to it.

I was kinda disappointed with these. They really didn’t have much flavor to deliver, and isn’t that the whole point of a fruit snack? To taste yummy and fruity? If you like your sweets milder than most these are for you, but personally I like something more intense. 

Rating: Might Eat Again

Links Mott’s Fruit Snacks Webpage