Category Archives: Licorice

New sizes, prices, and no shipping and handling costs!

Have you ever been shopping for your favorite candy on-line and thought to yourself, “What in the world do I need 5 pounds of candy for?!” You know that when you shop in bulk you save money, but it has never seemed practical to buy 5 pounds of candy for personal or family consumption. Not only is there a good chance that some of it may go bad, but you also have to pay the increased shipping fee, which sometimes can be as expensive as the candy itself!

Well look no further, CandyDirect.com is here for you! At CandyDirect.com we now offer more conveniently sized bulk candy. Your favorite candy is now available in sizes approximately equal to 2.5 pounds! And do you want to know the best part of this promotion from CandyDirect.com? Shipping is included! Can you believe that?! It is like a dream come true! No longer do you need to worry about ordering 5 pounds of bulk candy. You or your family can easily eat 2.5 pounds of your favorite candy!

What’s even more amazing about this promotion from CandyDirect.com is that if you want to try something new and do not want to pay an outrageous amount for it, we have separated the candy by price. That’s right! Candy now available in approximately 2.5 pound bulk bags for under $20, under $30, and under $40! There are even some below $15! This promotion is cleverly called the $20, $30, $40 deal!

Let me say that again so you fully grasp how amazing of a deal this really is: Your favorite bulk candy is now available in more convenient sizes! (Approximately 2.5 pounds) And it is available, with shipping included, conveniently bracketed by price, under $20, under $30, under $40!

This unbelievable deal might not last forever, so make sure to order your favorite candy in bulk, at a reduced price, with shipping included! Unbelievable!

Fascini Creatables

Want candy you can pull apart and play with before you eat it? If you’re a fan of Fruit Roll Ups with pop-out shapes, Twizzler’s Pull-n-Peels and Oreos (the cookie that’s meant for twisting apart and licking the insides), you’ll probably dig Fascini’s Creatables. This candy puts the emphasis on “eat” (Cr-eat-ables), but the wrapper shows that this is meant to be fun for your hands, too. In fact, the company markets this as the candy you absolutely must play with before you eat. Open up a pack of these fruity shoelaces and you’ll chew on strawberry, apple, tutti frutti or blue raspberry fun.

I love the idea of candy that’s multidimensional. If it can provide kids with entertainment, rather than being here today, gone tomorrow, that’s a huge bonus. These candy ropes can be braided into lanyard jewelry, or sculpted into animals, buildings—whatever the mind can dream up. Unfortunately, the taste and the general waxy texture of the candy left something to be desired. These aren’t especially great going down. But then again, kids probably won’t notice. They’re busy having too much fun! Props to Fascini for inspiring creativity in its eaters. This would make a great candy for a special occasion, like Easter or Christmas. If you’re curious and would like to try your hand at lanyard-making, try out a pack of these fruity ropes today.

Based in the Netherlands, the Fascini company is nearly a century old, getting its start not in candies, but in rodent repellent. Now attracting instead of repelling its clients, Fascini has expertise in licorices, peppermint candies and other chewy or gummy treats. The company also makes some great sweet and sour gummy candies like Sour Snagx and Sour Cosmix, made with the same fruitgum recipe. All in all, Creatables get an “A” for fun but a “C” for taste.

RJ’s Natural Licorice Logs

The mysterious RJ claims to “scour the world” to find the best natural ingredients to use in this licorice. (Who is this guy anyway?) The end result sure tastes natural, but in a very good, non-wheat-germ-kind-of way. RJ’s Natural Licorice Logs are smooth in texture and taste, not waxy-tasting or artificially flavored like most licorice produced in the U.S. Soft and easy to chew, RJ’s Licorice Logs come in black and raspberry, but also in chocolate, apricot and orange chocolate varieties.

The raspberry flavor is not phony in taste, but closer to what a real raspberry delivers the taste buds. Fans of black licorice will appreciate the natural, velvety texture of RJ’s blend. Whether you buy the individually wrapped logs or the packs of three, these licorice logs are a hearty treat, and much more filling than Twizzlers. Maybe that’s because the wrapper lists it’s “energy” content on the nutrition facts—not calorie count. This company makes everything, even candy, sound healthy and good for you. Vegetarians and vegans will be happy to chow down on this licorice, but the main ingredient is gluten—so gluten-free dieters will need to steer clear. All in all, the ingredient list is impressive, and you really feel like you’re eating something good for you in this candy gone natural.

RJ’s is based out of New Zealand and is family operated. Do they make other candy products, you may ask? No. Licorice is their passion, their one and only. And with this focus on one product, they hope to bring innovation to the field as they “take licorice into the future.” I think there is something to be said for a company to specialize in one product and do it well. That is what RJ’s has done, and it truly shows in every bite.

Twizzlers Pull & Peel Cherry


Under the Hershey’s umbrella since 1977, Twizzlers have been around since the beginning of the 20th century. People love licorice because it is fat free, tastes great, and is fun to chew on. In 1994, Hershey’s decided to take Twizzlers to the next level, letting customers interact with the product. Twizzlers Pull & Peel candies are a similar concept to fruit roll-ups, in that kids (and kid-like adults) love to take them apart and play with them as part of the eating process. You can unravel the strands and braid them, make jewelry out of them, or just slurp them up like a straw.

In cherry, watermelon, and other fruit flavors, Pull & Peel must be an acquired taste, because I just didn’t love them as much as the traditional licorice ropes. But then again, they don’t claim to be licorice just because they share the popular Twizzlers brand. The taste of the cherry ropes is similar to that of some type of cough syrup that’s trying to be appetizing but just doesn’t make it all the way there. It’s not an offensive taste—in fact, I’m sure some people out there love it. No matter what you think of the taste, you will most likely eat the whole bag because these Twizzlers are just so fun to chew. Wrap them around your finger or chomp on the entire licorice braid—There’s no wrong way to do it. One drawback—You’re not going to be able to chew off the ends and use this licorice rope like a straw, which is an oh-so-fun component to traditional Twizzlers.

My expert conclusion: This candy is a lot more fun to eat than its predecessor, Twizzler licorice ropes. But if you’re looking for the same classic taste, you won’t find that here. Pick the flavor that most appeals to you, and try it at least once. The “candy” part of your brain deserves to have some fun.

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Licorice Altoids

Maybe it’s the ultra-clever marketing. Or maybe it’s the crackle of that white protective paper you must peel back to get to the mints inside each nostalgia-inducing tin. Whatever it is, there is a reason why consumers choose Altoids, the “curiously strong mint?? over its competitors. Mint flavors like wintergreen and peppermint aside, Altoids are also available in cinnamon, ginger, and even licorice (or “liquorice,?? as the tin reads). That’s not to mention their newer Altoid raspberry, citrus, and passion fruit sours available in round tins rather than the traditional tins shaped like a deck of cards.

But to zero in on a particular mint, Licorice Altoids are a special candy for a special consumer. Indeed, not every candy connoisseur enjoys the flavor of black licorice. And from a company known for its mints, this is not quite a mint, though one could make a case for the fresh-breath potential. Closet black-licorice fans truly have limited options when it comes to the treat—it’s a rare flavor, and Altoids nearly has the market cornered on licorice mints. Twizzlers still makes black licorice ropes, but you won’t find it in all stores. The red licorice ropes are definitely more popular. In fact, black licorice is usually only enjoyed by mature taste buds, leaving young consumers with more kid-friendly flavors. It carries the flavor of anise, an herb used not only as a cough suppressant but also as a breath sweetener. So maybe there is reason to market licorice as a mint.

These Altoids are potent and packed with flavor, like other Altoid varieties. If you’re mildly fond of licorice, you’ll probably eat a few of these and get bored. If you’re a black licorice fanatic, you’ll ingest the entire can in a week. But don’t expect to offer this treat to unsuspecting friends under the label of a “mint.?? They may be surprised by the taste and spit it out in front of you. As one food reviewer for the Chicago Sun-Times stated, black licorice tastes like “stale tobacco dipped in cough syrup.?? Ouch, that’s harsh. But don’t let one person’s opinion stop you from at least giving Licorice Altoids a try.

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Sip N Chew Straw

A huge candy straw? That’s an odd idea for a candy, but it is very intriguing. I was excited to see it was covered in sugar, though. In fact, it looked like it was just dipped in sugar right before being placed in the package. I think this is a product from the same company that manufactures the Sour Patch Kids candies because of its utterly sour taste and the pictures on the package. Sip N Chew Straws are also made by the American Licorice Company, so you can be sure that there is a reputable candy company behind this great idea.

The flavor of the Sip N Chew straw that I tried was the Chargin’ Cherry flavor. That was a bonus because my favorite flavor of any candy is cherry. I took the first bite, which was kind of tough, but the taste packed quite a punch. It was a strong sour taste, which I expected because the package said so. But other than the sour taste, the sugary coating created a delicious sweet combination to offset the amazingly sour taste. The cherry flavoring was strong, too. This candy was just covered in tasty goodness, but it was so sweet it made my tooth hurt a little bit. It was well worth it, though. It was the perfect relief to my sweet tooth cravings. The problem is, now I want to try the other available flavors. The only other flavor I’ve found, though, is apple. I’m not a big apple fan, but I’d be willing to give the Sour Apple Sip N Chew Straw a try.

Although this candy is marketed as a candy straw, I didn’t try it’s straw qualities. I was too focused on just eating the candy. The long slender shape resembles normal licorice, which I used to use as a straw for fun when I was younger. The fact is, the Sip N Chew Straw didn’t last long enough for me to try it as a straw. Once I took a bite, I didn’t want to take a chance in ruining the taste by putting it in a beverage. This was undoubtedly a pleasant treat that is ideal for candy connoisseurs.

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Dorval’s Sour Power Straws

Ok, when I am not busy munching on chocolate or saving the world from bad guys, from time to time I like to punish my tongue with sour candies. The more sour, the better! And more than anything, I like chewy sour candies. You know the kind I am talking about, right? The little flat or rope shaped numbers that are covered in that delicious sour, sugary “sand”. The kind that you can lick off and then are left with a sweet-ish chewy candy to savor at your leisure.

Well, Sour Power straws give you just that. I have sampled dozens of different chewy or gummy sour candies, but these might be the best. This particular package features candy “straws” that are dual-flavored. One side is cherry while the other is raspberry – double the sour flavor, double the fun, right? RIGHT! And boy, do these little babies pack a sour, powerful punch!  They are chewy, tart, tangy and have a hint of sweetness towards the end. They chewy enough, not too gummy and the sour flavor can be tasted throughout the entire candy, not just the sour-sugar coating. That is a first because most sour candies are just coated with the sour taste (through the sugar) but this sour flavor seems to lie in the gummy candy as well. I also love that you get two flavors in one – the cherry and raspberry combination is great! One half of the candy bright red (cherry) while the hot pink is raspberry. It makes for a great flavor twist. They’re hollow in the middle, so you can always bite off the ends and use it as a soda straw (we used to do this when I was a kid – we thought we were super clever). These are a great sweet treat when you are bored with the same old thing – and after reviewing all that chocolate, my tongue was certainly craving a change!

TWIZZLERS RAINBOW TWISTS

 

Now this is a first. Usually, Twizzlers come in only the standard red (strawberry) flavor. I don’t like them as much as I like the classic Red Vines, but I’m livin’ on the edge today, so let’s give these babies a go!

The pack of Rainbow Twists features six flavors. Red (strawberry), Orange (duh), Yellow (lemonade), Green (watermelon), Blue (blue raspberry), and Purple (grape). The red is the same old strawberry Twizzler. It’s good, but for some reason, never really caught on with me. I guess that it doesn’t taste as strawberry-y as I would like it to. The orange one is good. Sweet and a little tart. The lemonade one tastes like a very sugary lemonade. The watermelon has a pretty good flavor, it’s sweet and tastes the way a watermelon candy should. The blue raspberry is my favorite by far. It’s a little sour, without it being too overpowering and sweet towards the end. The grape is my least favorite, but then again, I am not a big fan of grape flavored candies – they never actually taste like real grapes. This one tastes like purple sugar, which, I’m sure would be a huge hit with the kiddies out there. In all, Twizzlers Rainbow Twists are fruity, fun and sweet. They are very eye-catching and pretty palate pleasing and the variety of fruit flavors makes them a treat, indeed.

Sour Punch Straws Blue Raspberry

Sour candies hit the market in a big way in the early 1990’s. I was a mere smidgen of a girl back then and I too, fell for the sour craze with the zeal that only a kid can have. But I’d be lying if I said that I did not appreciate sour candies now. I do! I love them! I have no idea what the appeal is, but man, do I love to punish my tongue. And the candy I chose to whip it into shape with today is the Sour Punch Straw. The package shows a silly, smiley-faced character with lightening bolts coming out of his mouth. Hmmm…now I don’t know if lightening bolts will shoot out of my mouth when I eat this, but for safety’s sake, let’s say they do. I have cleared my desk of all papers, flammable material, put my phone in a safe place and have a large bottle of water present. Here goes nothing…

I bite, I chew and ladies and gentlemen…no lightening bolts! Huzzah! But what I do get is a sour, fruity treat. A chewy “straw of sour goodness. It tastes just like a blue raspberry should. Wait a minute…aren’t raspberries red? Magenta? Pinkish? Either way, they taste great. Now, being sour candy connoisseurs, we all know that the sour power lies in the sugary coating while the sweet side lies in the gummy candy beneath and Sour Punch Straws are no exception. I happily licked the sour goodness from the straw and chewed the gummy sweetness that was much needed. My tongue is stained a glorious blue, my eyes are tearing up just a little from that tart flavor and now is the time to take advantage of that water bottle. Excuse me, please…