Can you improve upon Skittles? Apparently they think so!
I have three different Skittles themed products, each one has the same OG flavor line-up, but they're in a new format: mini, jellybeans, and chewing gum. Can any of these surpass my love for the original version? Are they even necessary? We'll see what I think...
Skittles Littles - This is the least exciting product of the three. It's the same product, same flavor line-up, same exact formula, just half the size. Since I am the kind of person who likes to eat my Skittles intentionally, flavor-by-flavor, occasionally mixing two here and there, the thought of popping the top and just dumping them into my mouth all at once horrifies me. Also, what are these for? Skittles aren't something I use to top cookies or ice cream, like mini m&m's, so I don't really get the appeal of the product in this format.
That said, these are significantly softer in texture than normal full-size Skittles. I can smash them between my fingers with ease, which makes them feel fresher than usual. I like the fresh feeling, but other than that attribute, I would prefer the normal size. These are cute, but kind of pointless to me.
Skittles Jellybeans - I still remember the first time I had Starburst Jellybeans as a kid, they blew my mind, so I was really hoping that a Skittles version would be similar in terms of quality.
Going from my least favorite Skittle flavor to most...
Grape (purple) - Very mild, and more generic than I expected. This doesn't taste like Skittle's grape, this tastes more like grape Kool-Aid, made with too much water. I don't hate it, but I definitely don't like it. I'm very disappointed by the quality, and hope the rest of the flavors are better.
Orange (orange) - It's a zesty orange, but like the grape it's mild and gumdrop-like. Kind of like Dots. Certainly better than the grape in terms of quality, but nothing about this is "Skittles." I'm getting the feeling this is a case where they used specific branding on a very generic product.
Lemon (yellow) - For me, lemon lime and strawberry are top-tier flavors. And this does NOT live up to Skittles Lemon. It's another generic gumdrop flavor. I'm getting Dots, and that's fine when I am craving Dots, but this is supposed to be Skittles. With that expectation, this is a major let-down.
Lime (green) - Probably the best of the bunch, and arguably the most Skittle-like. Easily the best flavor in this jellybean bag. It's sweet, slightly zesty, and creamy.
Strawberry (pink) - Red is a top-tier Skittle, and this is close to it's namesake, like the lime, but it isn't enough for me to truly enjoy this bag of jellybeans. It's sweet and cotton candy-like with a hint if fruitiness.
These were a major let-down. Three out of five flavors were generic, and while the lime and the strawberry are enjoyable, they aren't enough to sell me on the whole bag. Another no-buy for me.
Lastly, we have the gum version.Hubba Bubba Skittles gum is the same flavors, again, this time in gum form. Hopefully it's better than the Jellybeans.
I'll do favorites to least favorite this time.Strawberry (pink) - I didn't look at the labeling before hand, and I should have. The first ingredient is xylitol, and it definitely tastes like it. It has that cooling feeling most artificial sweeteners have, and I am aware that xylitol is a better-for-your-teeth option, but flavor-wise, this is giving me dentist office. It's a fake sweet, artificially flavored gum that tastes "pink," but definitely not like red Skittles.Lime (green) - Better than the strawberry, but still so fake. I definitely should have read the ingredients. I feel like "xylitol" should have been front and center in the packaging and branding. Lime is kind Skittle-y, but still super fake sugar forward.Lemon (yellow) - Seems more cooling than the other flavors. It's lemon flavoring is more Skittle like than the jellybeans, but I still don't vibe with the fake sugar.Orange (orange) - This one takes a lot of chewing for the orange flavoring to come forward. I actually like this one better than the jellybeans, but it does lean a little baby Aspirin. It actually masks the artificial sweeteners the best of all 5 flavors.Grape (purple) - Oof. What went so so wrong here? This tastes like medicine, not candy. Grape may not be my favorite, but this is next level awful. I spat this out ASAP.
The gum is another NO for me. Probably the worst of the bunch because the xylitol made my stomach feel sick after a few pieces.
Outside of a one-off seasonal novelty, or those awful Chocolate Skittles from the early 2000's, this brand doesn't miss. And yet, all three of these products are a no for me. Littles are the best of the bunch, and I like them, but if all three of these got discontinued I wouldn't mind one bit.
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