Sometimes Foodie: Laffy Taffy Explores Citrus - Orange Sherbet and Lemon-Raspberry

Laffy Taffy - Orange Sherbet & Lemon-Raspberry

When I saw these, I thought I had already reviewed them, specifically in some kind of Easter-themed mix. Searching through my blog, there was no sign of them. Did I imagine it? Was it something I ate and never wrote up? Are these completely new and my brain is finally at the point where I've forgotten what I've tried and what I haven't?

Time to fix that.

As far as I can tell, this is some kind of spring/summer themed mix, because of the flower shaped graphics, but these flavors have been around since 2019, so they're not new or limited edition. Actually, I'm not sure when I bought these, I thought it wasn't that long ago, but they seem hard to find online. A lot of places are sold out, especially of the small 12-bar bags like this one. Bulk 2lb quantities are still available, but are the flavors really good enough to warrant buying 2lbs of them?

Orange Sherbet: Wow, unwrapped it's a much bolder orange color than I expected. When I think "sherbet" I think of creamy pastels, but this is practically highlighter-orange. It doesn't smell like much, but taking a bite it does have some zesty, but slightly off, orange flavoring. Back when I was in high school I had these orange flavored calcium chews I used to take, and this flavor is definitely reminding me of that. It's orange alright, and slightly creamy, but there's something about it that is medicinal, similar to the aforementioned chews and orange Flinstones vitamins. It's okay, not great, and far from my favorite Laffy Taffy flavor. I don't think I'll be getting 2lbs of this any time soon.

According to the internet, there is a normal orange flavored Laffy Taffy, but I've never seen it in real life. Is it a stand alone you have to order online in 2lb quantities? I might have to track some down to see how orange sherbet compares...but the skeptic in me thinks this might get be normal orange with a trendy "sherbet" name tacked on for marketability.

Lemon-Raspberry: Another bright, vibrant color. It's almost neon, but not as bold as the orange flavor. This time around there is a tart and tangy lemon aroma that reminds me of powdered drink mix. Country Time lemonade meets generic red-Kool-Aid. I had high hopes for this flavor, because you never see lemon flavored Laffy Taffy, but it's another let down. I get a tart, kind of floral, raspberry mixed with an artificial lemon that slightly burns the back of my throat. The burning is the same that I get with some freezer popsicles and powdered drink mixes, that burning/tingle that sometimes makes me cough. As a flavor, I was hoping for zesty citrusy notes, like a Starburst, but better. This is more like a knock-off Slurpee flavor you might find at a gas station or at K-Mart's snack station back in the 90's. (I used to get a churro and piña colda there with my mom as a kid.)

I would love to see lemon, lime, lemonade and even grapefruit offerings from Laffy Taffy in the future, but if these two citrus flavors are any indication of how they could be executed, they might be better off sticking to the safe fruits we already know and love.