Candy Review: Archie McPhee Bubble Gum Cigarettes

Wednesday, August 6, 2008 - by Mariko

I fondly recall candy cigarettes, both the gum and the chocolate versions, but I now wonder if it was some sort of ploy by the cigarette manufacturers to attract future users. Well, no matter! That was then, and this is now, and NOW there are wacky bubble gum cigarettes in interesting flavors from Archie McPhee.

I received four packs to review: Roller Derby (cherry-flavored bubble gum cigarettes), Captain Black’s Pirate (citrus-flavored bubble gum cigarettes), Hobo (campfire coffee bubble gum cigarettes), and El Diablo (cinnamon-flavored bubble gum cigarillos). Each box contains 12 pieces. The boxes, as you can see, sport appealing and quirky designs.

Here is a breakdown of the flavors I tasted:

Roller Derby (cherry flavor): I don’t know if these cigarettes had been sitting around a while, but the paper wrapper was a little difficult to remove. The bubblegum is pretty solid and pretty hard to bite into at first. It softens up quickly, though, and has a pretty decent cherry flavor. The flavor doesn’t last long, but the gum has a nice elasticity and snap to it, so it’s kind of fun to chew.

Captain Black’s Pirate (citrus flavor): Again, the paper was a bear to remove, and the first few bites were real jaw breakers, but the gum softened quickly. The citrus flavor is, well, I wouldn’t exactly describe it as lemony, but I suppose it is citrusy, with hints of lime. Also has that nice snap to it and is very chewy.

Hobo (campfire coffee flavor): I am a big coffee drinker, and I have to say that the odor given off by the cigarettes as I opened the box was not at all reminiscent of coffee. They smelled kind of burned and musky, so I was a bit apprehensive about actually consuming these, but no worries! The cigarettes taste like a gum version of coffee candy – sweet and syrupy. The flavor isn’t terribly strong, but you know, I kind of like these!

El Diablo (cinnamon flavor): I like cinnamon in baked goods, but I have to say I have never been a big fan of cinnamon-flavored candies. These cigarettes don’t have a particularly strong cinnamon scent, though, so I thought they might be okay. I was right! The flavor is not too strong and not at all spicy, but it’s definitely cinnamon. One odd thing, though, is that this gum stuck to my molars and left a gummy residue. I assume (and hope) this is an isolated incident.

So, all in all, these are fun novelty candies. I don’t know if they would be appropriate for daily rotation for hardcore gum chewers, but they are clever and fun and taste pretty good!

• Archie McPhee Candy
• More Archie McPhee Products at Candy Addict