If you’re tired of all the other red flavors of candy that are especially prevalent at Christmas like cherry, cinnamon and peppermint, perhaps you’ll enjoy Jelly Belly’s newest: Tabasco Jelly Beans.
The new flavor is an officially sanctioned Tabasco product, so it’s not just your ordinary spicy pepper jelly bean. The ingredients list Tabasco Brand Pepper Paste in the 2% or less part of the listing, which makes sense since it’s pretty concentrated stuff in its liquid form, a paste must be extra potent.
The do smell a bit like Tabasco, which has a bell pepper and tomato paste sort of scent. They are quite strong and spicy, not just in the sugary shell but clear through to the core. The peppery flavor is a good blend of the cayenne-style heat along with a hatch chili sort of green, earthy flavor with a little hint of a vinegar tang towards the end.
On the whole, very convincing. It does cause a bit of heat in my mouth ... a lasting one for me, so much so that I had to eat some crackers after the build up over about 10 of them. I’m a lightweight when it comes to chili heat though I’m fine with horseradish/wasabi and curry spices being cranked up, so some may find these tame. The only issue is really, are you the sort of person who would enjoy these? They’re not for me, they’re just not “candy” enough to eat one after another and not “snack” enough to be added to some other sort of mix. I don’t expect them to stay around very long, though they are well done for the goals they must have had. (In the sample package Jelly Belly sent me, they included some Citrus Mix ... I’ve finished that bag, but could barely get through five of the Tabasco.)
They’re currently sold as an individual flavor, not in the standard mixes, so no need to be cautious around Jelly Belly varieties. They’re made in a peanut free facility and are gluten free as well. Jelly Belly uses beeswax and confectioners glaze, so these are not a vegetarian product.
Related Candies
- David’s Signature Beans Jelly Bean Sampler
- McIlhenny Co Tabasco Brand Spicy Chocolate
- Jelly Belly Candy Corn Jelly Beans
- Hot Chocolate Mochi Krunch
- Hot Tamales Spice Jelly Beans
- Cowgirl Chocolates Buckin’ Hot Habanero Caramels
- Jolly Rancher Fruitas Enchiladas
- Jelly Belly Soda Pop Shoppe
Name: |
Tabasco Jelly Belly |
RATING:
- SUPERB
- YUMMY
- TASTY
- WORTH IT
- TEMPTING
- PLEASANT
- BENIGN
- UNAPPEALING
- APPALLING
- INEDIBLE
|
Brand: |
Jelly Belly |
Place Purchased: |
Samples from Jelly Belly |
Price: |
$2.25 retail |
Size: |
3.1 ounces |
Calories per ounce: |
99 |
Categories: |
Candy, Jelly Belly, Jelly Candy, 7-Worth It, United States |
Confectioners glaze and beeswax are vegetarian friendly! They aren’t made from actual insects, they are made by them, like milk. So they are veggie but they aren’t vegan.
Are you sure these are new? I think I was given a bag as a gift last year, or the year before, or the year before that.
I thought they were decent—not too spicy.
Yeah, I don’t know why these are being touted as “new.” I bought a bag in New Orleans in 2004. Maybe this is the first national release?
Although come to think of it, the ones I had were a weird blend of cinnamon and Tabasco, so maybe they ARE new.
Hmm, I’m just going off the info they sent with the samples. But they were available in bulk before, but not the branded bags as far as I know. (But that doesn’t mean that they weren’t discontinued and this is the revived/improved product.)
Lindsay - I put the ingredients there for informational purposes - I know that some vegetarians consider it off limits.
I’m certain I bought an identical bag in Florida in 2006/2007
These aren’t new. Tabasco flavored jelly beans were available several years back. They disappeared from the market and were only available in Avery Island, LA. I asked 2-3 years ago while visiting and was told the issue had to do with licensing the product(?). They must have worked out the issues between Jelly Belly and Tabasco and so they are back. Hands down my favorite Jelly Belly!
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