One of my favorite Japanese products are the Meiji Poilful. They’re not as easy to find in the United States as some other Japanese candies and are often quite expensive for a sugar candy. Every once in a while Meiji issues a new flavor variety. I found this Poifull Mint at the Japanese grocery store a few weeks ago. It features two flavors, Lemon and Muscat with an added dash of Mint.
These are not mere jelly beans, though they look like it. Instead they’re gummi beans. Inside the typical grainy sugar shell there’s a small gummi. Like gourmet jelly beans, the center is flavored, not just a plain sugary center.
I have to say that I find the flavors a little odd. The idea of mint and lemon is not that uncommon, though it’s something I associate with cough drops more than candy. (Though I admit that I do eat cough drops like candy sometimes.)
Lemon & Mint (yellow) starts out very tangy and zesty but the mint comes in like a strong menthol. It is absolutely like a cough drop but could probably use a little touch of honey to put it over the top. I liked the intensity of it, I was satisfied with one or two of them as the zest and menthol lingered.
Muscat & Mint (green) is much more subdued. The white grape flavor is tart and robust, with notes of grape juice and grape skin in there. The mint tastes more like mint than menthol, though still has that same cooling tingle. I still find it a strange and incongruous combination that I wouldn’t choose as a single flavor package, but I can enjoy as part of a mix.
Overall, I love how intense and authentic Meiji makes all of their fruit flavored candies, these are no exception. They’re a little fringe but make a nice change up for a little mouth freshener that’s different from Altoids. The box is nicely designed, unlike some other Meiji products where the box isn’t full, this one is and has a nice little flip top with a dispenser hole for sharing easily.
On a side note, one of the hazards of buying these import candies are the little translated labels they put on them. The box is quite small, but the label is even smaller with microprint. I had to take this photograph and then zoom in on it in order to read the label.
Related Candies
- Meiji Corot & CoffeeBeat
- Meiji Milk Chocolate
- Tic Tac Pink Grapefruit
- Meiji Poifull
- Russell Stover Pectin Jelly Beans
- Meiji Gummy Choco
- Starburst and Jelly Belly Jelly Beans
Name: |
Poifull Mint |
RATING:
- SUPERB
- YUMMY
- TASTY
- WORTH IT
- TEMPTING
- PLEASANT
- BENIGN
- UNAPPEALING
- APPALLING
- INEDIBLE
|
Brand: |
Meiji |
Place Purchased: |
Nijiya Market (Little Tokyo) |
Price: |
$2.09 |
Size: |
1.4 ounces |
Calories per ounce: |
99 |
Categories: |
All Natural, Meiji, Gummi Candy, Mints, 7-Worth It, Japan |
I love Meiji Poifull any they are not easy to find. I have a few connections in NYC
the texture sounds great(gummy-centered jelly bean-like candies? hell yeah!), but im not too keen on the flavor mix (muscat is high up there in terms of yummy flavors my book, but with mint? ehhh). id like to try these in a non-minty variety! i have to say, japan has some of the most interesting and delicious candies ive had the pleasure of sampling.
Trolli also has a delicious gummi-bean product based on its sour gummy worm flavors: Trolli Sour Brite Crawler Eggs. Hopefully, I can find some of these Meiji gummi beans.
I’d love to know where to find these in NYC!
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