
It’s a happy day in Caitlinland when the monthly selections from the Licorice of the Month Club arrive. This month brought two American creations: Black and White Mix and licorice flavored Starlite Mints.
I started with the Black and White Mix, since I tend to enjoy the softer, more gummy type candies. The mix consists of five different candies – small, soft gum drop shapes in black and white, larger soft balls with a crunchy outside coating, also in black and white, and a gummy-type drop with black and white sugar seeds coating it.
The small drops taste identical, and are probably the least licorice flavored of the lot. They’re a bit sticky, but overall not a bad texture. The balls have barely any stickiness to them, and have a decent licorice flavor. Again I could detect little difference between the two colors. The candy coating is only lightly crunchy, and blends in with the interior nicely to slightly temper the licorice flavor. The drops with sugar seeds also have only a light licorice kick to them. They are sweet, but the sugar seeds don’t make them too sweet. Licorice flavor is certainly discernible, but not overpowering. Overall, the different components of the mix were very tasty, with the balls being my favorite. They had a very nice licorice flavor and a texture I really enjoyed.

Next up came the Starlite Mints. I wasn’t sure what to think at first; I was a bit concerned they were going to be a strange licorice/mint mix. However, they appear to be entirely licorice flavored. Unfortunately, it’s not a licorice flavor that I love. Looking at the ingredients, licorice or anise isn’t even mentioned, so it’s definitely some other sort of flavoring as a substitute. In terms of texture, they’re just like other, similar mints – suck on them for a while and you should be able to wear them down enough to start chewing. A fan of hard candies who is looking for something to occupy their mouth might just find an acceptable choice in these, but the licorice flavor is off just a bit too much for my tastes.
As a little extra treat, some Licorice Tire Tread was included with the month’s main selections. Made in Finland, these little squares are quite tasty. They are the typical black licorice texture – slightly sticky to the touch, but very chewy in the mouth. They have a very nice licorice flavor that is neither too strong nor too sweet. Peeling them apart can be a bit messy, but the flavor is definitely worth it.
Buy these candies at Licorice International:
(Editor’s note: These candies were given to us free as review samples, though this fact does not in any way affect our review.)
Thanks for being such a careful reviewer. I agree with your assessment of each of the pieces that we sent. My all-time favorite (up to this point) is the Tire Tread . . . but I really like the black and white balls in the mix, too. So again, thanks for taking time to review our treats. You do an excellent job.
October 16th, 2006 at 6:37 pm