Mentos are the KitKat of chews. There are dozens of flavors worldwide, and of course most of the interesting flavors are found in Asia. This newest version is the oddest one I’ve had to date: Mentos Jam Filled - Strawberry Lemon.
They’re made in China and sold in Southeast Asia and Pacific Islands. I got this package from Santos of Scent of Green Bananas after two failed efforts to buy them on eBay from a Thai seller.
They’re double packaged (like the Sour Mentos often are.) There’s a main package of stiff, thick foil backed paper which is then encased in a plastic sleeve.
Inside the inner package are 8 soft candies. The most noticeable difference is that they don’t have a crunchy shell. They’re a little glossy and might have a bit of wax but are basically shell-less. They’re soft enough that they don’t really have a native shape, they’re a little flat on the sides where they meet and sometimes stick together a bit.
They seem a bit bigger than a traditional Mentos. They’re also more fragrant, authentically strawberry scented.
The outer layer of chew is soft and has a good pliable taffy texture and tangy/sweet strawberry flavor. The inner jam is not very complex, more like a lemon flavored syrup, more like a reduction of lemon drink than lemon marmalade. It’s not as tart as I would have liked and lacked a lot of lemon essence. The texture is sticky but not at all grainy. It didn’t do much for me. The difference in the flavors wasn’t strong enough to be called complementary and wasn’t close enough to match.
I’m not sure why they did this. It’s a lot of packaging and not a lot of excitement inside.
I might have felt differently if it were a uniquely named and branded item, but coming to me with a Mentos logo on it, I expected more authentic flavors and for it to, well, be a fresh take on the goo filled candy field.
Related Candies
- Twizzlers Sweet & Sour Filled Twists
- Fresh Cola Mentos
- Barley Mint Mentos
- Three Pink Bubble Gums
- Banana n Cream & Red Orange Mentos
- Dalandan & Juicy Ponkan Mentos
Too bad. It sounds like it could be fantastic.
I live in the Philippines and I’ve seen these popping everywhere. It sells for a hefty price for candy, so I always had second thoughts about buyin a roll.
Thanks for reviewing them! :3
“Mentos are the KitKat of chews.” That comparison is spot on!
That last picture is horrifying. I think I’ve dreamt of those chasing me down the street. I can neve run fast enough.
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