Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Limited Edition Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel Grape

Twizzlers Pull 'n' Peel GrapeI consider myself an expert on candy, not just an expert on eating it, but actually what’s going on with candy and the people who make it. I’m on oodles of mailing lists and I read news feeds and trade magazines voraciously. So I’m always a little surprised and slightly disappointed to see a new candy on the shelves that I didn’t know was coming. Really, why would you sneak a candy onto store shelves without at least including it on your own website or a list that you publish in a trade magazine?

I was at Walgreen’s over the weekend (at regular circuit where I also stop at RiteAid and sometimes 7-11) checking to see if there were any new candies to review. Imagine my surprise when I found Limited Edition Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel Grape actually hiding underneath the Watermelon Pull ‘n’ Peel. Not only was it on sale, but there was also a little coupon dispenser, so the regular price of $2.79 was ultimately $1.65.

The package is about 12 inches long, but the Twizzlers themselves are less than 9.5 inches long ... so there’s a lot of useless and deceptive space in the package.

Twizzlers Pull 'n' Peel Grape

The color is strange and matte, like the other Pull ‘n’ Peel varieties of Twizzlers. (The classic Twizzlers twists look like they’re made of some sort of pliable acrylic.)

Each cable of Pull ‘n’ Peel has nine strands and weighs about an ounce. It’s also only 100 calories, so it’s a lot of candy to indulge in for a very low calorie cost. They’re soft and easy to pull apart (though every once in a while I’d break a string while peeling it from the others). The surface is soft and not at all greasy or sticky unless you get it wet, then it sticks very nicely to itself.

Twizzlers Pull 'n' Peel Grape

Imagine a product that takes the most memorable qualities from PlayDoh and Grape Pixy Stix. You’re thinking, “What fun! It’s candy you can play with!” But it’s not quite an even contribution from its parents, apparently candy genetics has some ideas about which traits are dominant. It has the mild and soft texture of a pliable molding clay but also some of the scent of it. (PlayDoh is also made of a wheat flour base.) But still, it smells like grape drink or Pixy Stix, but the flavor is less grape and more purple. There is some fake grape in there, but mostly the flavor notes come from the strong bitterness and strange inky qualities of the artificial colors. There’s no hint of tartness or anything else, just a mild sweetness.

The chew is good, though the lack of tang gives it a doughy flavor overall. Eventually it dissolves into a pasty puddle in my mouth along with some larger bits that stick to the sides of my molars. There’s a long-lingering aftertaste: a metallic, aluminum flavor.

American Licorice, the West Coast rival of Twizzlers recently re-issued their Grape Vines. I happened to have some sitting around to compare. The flavor of the Grape Vines is actually authentic, it tastes like raisins and concord grape juice, if only slightly. Even eating a few of those couldn’t push that aftertaste of the Twizzlers out of my mouth though.

Twizzlers did a great thing when they made the cinnamon-flavored Twizzlers Fire Pull ‘n’ Peel. Those need to come back and these need to be retired forever. (Except in cases where parents are trying to wean their children off of eating PlayDoh and need these as a positive substitution, but perhaps by prescription from a pediatrician only.)

Related Candies

  1. Jolly Rancher Awesome Twosome Chews
  2. Twizzlers (Strawberry)
  3. Red Vines
  4. Cinnamon Fire Twizzlers
  5. Jones Soda Grape Carbonated Candy
  6. Twizzlers Rainbow Twists
  7. Giant Pixy Stix


Name: Twizzlers Pull ‘n’ Peel Grape
    RATING:
  • SUPERB
  • YUMMY
  • TASTY
  • WORTH IT
  • TEMPTING
  • PLEASANT
  • BENIGN
  • UNAPPEALING
  • APPALLING
  • INEDIBLE
Brand: Hershey’s
Place Purchased: Walgreen's (Echo Park)
Price: $1.65 (on sale + coupon)
Size: 12 ounces
Calories per ounce: 101
Categories: Candy, Hershey's, Chews, Kosher, Limited Edition, 4-Benign, United States, Walgreen's

POSTED BY Cybele AT 12:29 pm Tracker Pixel for Entry     CandyReviewHershey'sChewsKosherLimited Edition5-PleasantUnited StatesWalgreen's

Comments
  1. maybe they knew it was a dud and they only put out the publicity-less “limited edition” to clear out their inventory?

    Comment by moremadder on 7/20/11 at 1:13 pm #
  2. i feel like you’re too nice with your ratings…how does something that “needs to be retired forever” get a pleasant rating?

    Comment by laura on 7/20/11 at 1:26 pm #
  3. Cybele's avatar

    Laura - you’re probably right. I was also told the same by my co-workers who have actually seen (and tasted) it for themselves. I’ve revised it to a 4 out of 10. Only because it is pretty good to play with.

    Comment by Cybele on 7/20/11 at 5:35 pm #
  4. Why don’t Pull ‘n Peels come in strawberry? (If they do, I’ve never seen them.)

    Comment by Alix on 7/21/11 at 6:06 am #
  5. Oh my, the color alone of these is too scary, and I can’t imagine eating them. I loved your comment about Play Doh and Pixie Stix. It looks a bit like modeling clay.

    Comment by Rene S on 7/21/11 at 6:53 am #
  6. Wow, I had no idea these were coming out. They didn’t mention them at Sweets and Snacks. Will have to check them out, though your review makes me less eager to search.  Thanks for the rare find, Cybele!

    Comment by Jay from The Sweet Spot Candy on 7/21/11 at 11:21 am #
  7. I remember these from when I was a kid- yes, the grape flavor. This was the flavor when pull-n-peel FIRST came out.

    Comment by E Pollock on 7/22/11 at 6:15 pm #
  8. I wish that they also sold this in a little package. I want to try it, but I do not want a large pack.

    Comment by Meghan on 7/22/11 at 9:19 pm #
  9. I have tried Twizzlers twice in my life, once the standard red variety and once the rainbow packet of twists. Both tasted like gummy cardboard, personally I’d put the whole line in the ‘appalling’ category, I honestly don’t understand why even children would eat these.

    Comment by Leigh on 7/23/11 at 6:41 am #
  10. These were freaking AWESOME!!!! Oh please, please, please bring them back!!!! I would buy them by the CASE if I could only find them now.

    Comment by Chrys Martin on 11/27/11 at 11:29 am #
  11. I dearly loved the grape variety of twislers. They are the best flavor made. Please bring them back. The only reason I shopped at Walgreens was to get grape twislers.

    Comment by Cindy on 2/01/12 at 2:05 am #
  12. I disagree with your rating- I personally loved these and the flavor and smell- strangely enough, I actually enjoyed the playdoh smell. They have a very unique taste that me and my family really enjoyed. I’d recommend these to anyone.

    Comment by Emily on 3/19/12 at 8:05 pm #
  13. This is the second year in a row that I have found these on the shelves for summer.  They may bring them out every summer, I don’t know. What I do know is that they taste great.  They remind me of grape candy from my childhood and they are way better than the dull watermelon or cherry flavors pull and peel.  And speaking of grape candy, does anyone know if they still make grape swedish fish?

    Comment by Jaime Day on 8/06/12 at 12:56 am #
  14. I completely disagree. Taste is clearly in the mouth of the beholder because I think the cinnamon one you rave over to come back sounds disgusting. lol
    Not every body likes super strong or sweet flavors. To me these grape twizzlers taste just like now and laters. Which is fantastic. Call it fake grape or whatever but I dig it.
    It definitely does not taste like grape juice if that’s what you are expecting then don’t try them. It’s candy though, if you want to taste real grapes…why not just eat grapes? smile
    I realize my opinion is popular maybe but surely I’m not the only one because they are back at Walgreens again 7 mos later so someone is buying them…and with zero promotion or advertising.
    Original twizzlers are so awful…tough and flavorless so your gobbling down pointless calories. To me those ARE like eating playdoh, yet they sell by the tons and most people say they love them. Boggles my mind..and they are supposedly “strawberry” flavored but they taste as much like strawberries as my foot.

    Comment by Kelly pettersen on 1/06/13 at 9:35 pm #
  15. WOW!  I’m just now trying the “Sweet and Sour” filled twists.  They taste ok, but the smell of playdoh is a little overwhelming strong.  When I first opened the bag, I remembered playing with playdoh as a kid and enjoying it; never ate any, but that is a smell that you cannot forget.

    Comment by Freddie the Frog on 5/18/14 at 9:26 pm #
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