My favorite candy company that I can never remember is Perfetti Van Melle. Born out of the fusion of Perfetti (Italy) and Van Melle (Netherlands), this company boasts one of the largest confectionery operations in the world.

But, if you don’t recognize the name, you might be wondering what they make. Well, aside from their long list of gums and mints that enjoy mostly a European audience, Americans can buy their famous Mentos and Chupa Chups quite easily in their hometowns.

Oh yeah, they also make Airheads. For those who aren’t familiar with Airheads, they’re an elongated strip (as opposed to a circular blob) of taffy/chew known for their sweet flavors. I’ve actually been a fan of this candy for some years, finding it to be a perfect snack when you don’t want something as filling as a candy bar.

So I was eager to try these new Airhead Pops when I spotted them at Walgreens. Airheads have always been good on delivering flavor, so I reasoned that since the most important aspect of a lollipop is its flavor, these might stack up pretty well.

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I’ve gotten a little tired of candy companies fiddling with their basic products and calling them by a hybrid name, so I let a pack of Airheads Xtremes Sweetly Sour Belts rest on my kitchen counter for two weeks. It’s not that I don’t love trying new candy—I definitely do—but sometimes I get overwhelmed by all the choices under one label, like Airheads. I expected the Xtremes to taste like most other sour belts out there, but they weren’t at all what I expected.

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