Sometimes Foodie: Heads or Tails?

Swedish Fish Tails

Is there anyone out there that prefers the mixed-flavor Swedish Fish to the original red?

Maybe I'm just a Swedish Fish purist, but red fishies are the only fishies for me. However, it seems like Swedish Fish as a brand are changing with the times and branching out. We now have tropical fish, Crush Soda fish, and these fruity two-toned fish joining the...ocean? Tank? Family?

Whatever the terminology, It's nice to see a classic candy changing with the times, but will these new flavors live up to the original?

Inside the bag we have three different fish, but 6 different fruity flavors.

Blue Raspberry (solo): The perfect representation of blue candy. Tangy, sweet and artificial. Think of blue freezer popsicles, blue Jolly Ranchers, blue Icees and Slurpees.

Strawberry (solo): Again, artificial, in no way realistic, but still it's familiar. These remind me of Brach's strawberry fruit snacks, and off-brand Fruit Roll-Ups. They aren't as tangy as real Fruit Roll-Ups, these remind more more of the ones I used to get at Save-A-Lot as a kid.

Blue Raspberry and Strawberry Combo: Since both flavors are already sweet with fake berry-notes, the combination of the two is pretty lack-luster. It's a sweet, indistinct, fake berry flavor that makes me think of Juicy Juice (Is that still a thing?) Honestly, I think this is a combo that is best enjoyed eaten separately so each flavor can truly shine.

Watermelon (solo): Ooh, okay, this is very similar to the gummy base of Trolli's sour watermelon slices, which I absolutely love, so that was a really pleasant surprise. It's sweet, slightly tangy, and has a tiny hint of cotton candy. Absolutely love it!

Pineapple (solo): (Interesting how pineapple is green.) This flavor is bright, tropical, and bold, well, there are much bolder pineapple candies out there, but so far this mix has been very sweet, so by comparison this is a pretty big change of pace. The flavoring is only slightly more intense than a clear Haribo gummy bear. It's a refreshing addition to this mix and easily recognizable.

Watermelon and Pineapple Combo: I think pineapple and watermelon have been combined in gummy candies before, without Googling, I am 75% sure there is a Gummi Lifesaver out there with this combo, because this tastes familiar, and yet, unremarkable at the same time. Another lack-luster combo for me. Again, I prefer to eat these two flavors separately

Raspberry (solo): Only slightly different from the classic red Swedish Fish flavor. I believe normal Swedish Fish taste like Lingonberry, which you can find at Ikea in both drink and jam-form. This tastes a lot like the classic red we all know and love, but with a slight raspberry finish. Again, it's a sweet berry flavoring with little to no tanginess, so it's pleasant, and reminds me of red Haribo gummi bears, but not unique enough for it to be it's own stand alone flavor.

Mango (solo): Oh no. This is the kind of mango candy that tastes like pine trees. Sometimes I am able to find awesome mango flavored sweets, like the Trader Joe's Mango, Mango gummies I absolutely loved, and other times the mango flavoring ends up tasting line Pinesol and other cleaning products. This is a case o the latter. Pickled ginger that comes with my sushi gives me the same sensation, and I am not here for it. Easily my least favorite flavor.

Raspberry and Mango Combo: Combined, the cleaning-product taste is mellowed out for me, making this a lot more tolerable. It tastes like a weird mango-infused normal Swedish Fish which really isn't half bad. Not something I would buy a full solo bag of for sure, but this is the only combo that is actually better when eaten together.

There are a few highlights here, I love the watermelon and pineapple as stand alone flavors and would gladly welcome them into the non-Red-flavored-fish family, but the whole point of having combos is to experience the flavors together, and that is where this fell flat. Only the mango/raspberry version was better combined. Other than that particular flavor, I was half-biting fish and then eating the combined centers as if it were a chore. Candy shouldn't be a chore.

I think I'll be sticking to the normal red fish for my snacking needs in the future, BUT if they were to release an all watermelon bag...it might become my new favorite.