Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Triple Chocolate Twixels

Twixels Triple ChocolateAt Target over the weekend I stumbled across these. They’re called Twixels and come in three flavor varieties: Triple Chocolate, French Vanilla and Creamy Caramel.

I’ve never seen them before, so I’ve done a little poking around.These were introduced in 2001 or so in Europe. The package says that these were manufactured in Russia ... I’m hoping that’s a temporary thing until Twixels either succeed or fail in the US (as Mars has pledged to support the communities where they make their candy in the United States - Twix are made in Cleveland, Tennessee).

Twix Triple ChocolateI picked out the Triple Chocolate variety which was described as Dark Chocolate with Chocolate flavored Caramel & Chocolate Cookie. This sounds like the limited edition Twix Triple Chocolate from late 2006/early 2007. 

The box is pretty ordinary but has a funky parallelogram shape - bigger on the top than the bottom. The tray inside protects the contents well, after all, they’re coming all the way from Russia. The tray has three discrete sections, but the plastic film seal over the top covers the whole thing, so no way to just open one little bit and save the rest of later.

Twixels Triple Chocolate

Inside are basically mini Twix bars. They’re three inches long and have a similar ripple to the chocolate as in the large Twix.

The little sticks have a crisp bite, the cookie is very firm but not terribly flavorful. The chocolate enrobing says it’s “sweet chocolate” and though it has no milk in it, it does have milkfat. It’s very sweet, but rather rich as well and gives me a satisfying “Dove Chocolate” feeling. The caramel is just a tiny strip on the top of the cookie, so it’s hard to get much chew out of it. It doesn’t have the wonderful pull like the large sized Twix does, but here it gives just a bit of texture.

Overall, I can’t say I liked them any more than any other Twix product (except for the Limited Edition Java Twix).

They’re easy to eat and a nice size for controlled portion snacking. The box recommends four sticks as a serving which is 140 calories (35 calories per stick). Four sticks actually feels like a lot, so for those trying to have a small and satisfying indulgence, these may be a good trick. (Or just eat one Twix out of the pack.)

I paid $2.99 for 4.4 ounces of slenderized Twix bars ... too much for me. Think about it, a regular Twix is 2 ounces and costs less than a dollar. The only reason to buy these is if you actually prefer this flavor profile to the original full-figured bars. (You can stop reading here if you want, that’s about it for the actual product review, the rest is just me ranting.)

imageAs a side note, I find the current version of the Twix.com site as supremely annoying and poorly executed as Mars other “hot” site, Skittles.com.

First, I have to “load” a huge flash thing that takes an actual minute. While I’m waiting there’s a progress tally that has a guy “chewing it over for me” ... one of my least favorite things to do on the web is watch people chew. In fact, I’d say it’s something I actively avoid. If there were a ChewBlock add on for Firefox, I’d be all over it.

Second, once it’s loaded, I go right to the PRODUCTS option because the “game” is going. The products pop over plays AUDIO ... audio which cannot be turned off or controlled in any way.

Finally, as I navigate the products, there are three: Twix with all its different sizes and shapes, Twix PB and Twix Ice Cream. There is no mention of the actual existence of these Twixels. Thanks Mars, thanks for putting a relevant web address on the package.

If you want more snark on their advertising campaign and the other contents of the flash game, please read this Happily Bitter post (some strong language).

Since Mars was unable to help me learn more about their product, I turned to YouTube, where I ended up finding some advertising from Russia’s TBWA agency that made me realize that the whole Fling marketing concept was no accident.

   

The end tag line is “it makes us chat about everything” if by everything you mean “fluff” - let’s see, they have a prince on a white horse, some clothes, an inept plumber, a man’s ass, fighting children, drinks, a manicure, a goat-headed boss/co-worker and a gift car. I guess it’s actually realistic, candy is just about as relevant and important as all those other consumerist nuggets. (Okay, child rearing is important ... and I know that workplace annoyances are, well, annoying, but boiling women down to shopping, image-obsessed daydreamers who want to be rescued is insulting.)

So, to sum up: in a complete vacuum, I found Twixels Triple Chocolate to be okay, regular Twix patrons will probably like the change of proportions & snackability. In the presence of everything else like the current Twix advertising campaign, their equally insulting & unworkable companion website plus the paucity of information about the actual product ... well, I like them slightly less. They get a 6 out of 10 based on the former.

Related Candies

  1. Q.Bel Crispy Wafer Bars
  2. Trader Joe’s Chocolate Covered Gingersnaps
  3. Revisit: Take 5, Sunkist Fruit Gems & Snickers Almond
  4. BonBonBars: Malt Ganache & Scotch
  5. Twix PB
  6. KitKat Caramel
Name: Twixels: Triple Chocolate
    RATING:
  • 10 SUPERB
  • 9 YUMMY
  • 8 TASTY
  • 7 WORTH IT
  • 6 TEMPTING
  • 5 PLEASANT
  • 4 BENIGN
  • 3 UNAPPEALING
  • 2 APPALLING
  • 1 INEDIBLE
Brand: Mars
Place Purchased: Target (Glendale Galleria)
Price: $2.99
Size: 4.4 ounces
Calories per ounce: 140
Categories: Chocolate, Caramel, Cookie, Mars

POSTED BY Cybele AT 10:47 am Tracker Pixel for Entry    

Comments
  1. I really want to try these.  I hope my Target carries them.

    Comment by dawn on 4/15/09 at 12:11 pm #
  2. Now if they’d just bring back the peanut butter Twix.  I liked those.  (The ones with the chocolate cookie, I didn’t like.  It tasted like biting into a used sweat sock.)

    Comment by Cat Skyfire on 4/15/09 at 12:48 pm #
  3. They need to just go back to the classics! I want to see Cookies and Cream Twix back again.

    Comment by Cocoazilla on 4/16/09 at 5:44 am #
  4. Cookies and Cream Twix?? Those sound fantastic.  I have never seen them.

    Comment by Sofa821 on 4/16/09 at 9:12 am #
  5. About a year after Mars introduced the original Twix bar, they introduced three new varieties:  Peanut butter, Chocolate Fudge, and Cookies & Cream.  Unfortunately, the latter two only lasted about a year or so, and haven’t been around since the mid-80s.

    Comment by Johnny Carruthers on 4/16/09 at 1:10 pm #
  6. Are the Twixels a limited edition?  And have you seen them at other Target locations?  For that matter, other stores?

    Comment by Johnny Carruthers on 4/16/09 at 1:13 pm #
  7. Cybele's avatar

    Johnny - I checked at Target again today and saw that not only did they have them at another location (Eagle Rock, CA), they also had them in a more prominent position (perhaps because Easter is over). They’re not limited edition. They were also $3.49.

    I recall Cookies & Cream being around for quite a while, although I never really cared for them. I think they should bring them back, at least as a seasonal offering or as a lt.ed. every few years.

    Comment by Cybele on 4/19/09 at 3:36 pm #
  8. LOVE the cookies and cream twix, LOVE The Cookies and Cream Twix…Did I mention I love the Cookies and Cream twix.  I still wish I could find a package stuck in my couch cushions or something.  And I really Dig the Twixels, I like the fact that they appear to be dark chocolate and when cold, they don’t break teeth.  I do not like the fact there are so few in the box though, AND that they are not easy to find.  Target does not always have them.

    Comment by Tym on 4/06/10 at 6:40 am #
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.

Next entry: Hershey’s Whatchamacallit & Thingamajig

Previous entry: Gourmet Gumdrops




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABOUT

FEEDS

CONTACT

  • .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
  • Here are some frequently asked questions emailed to me you might want to read first.

EMAIL DIGEST

    For a daily update of Candy Blog reviews, enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

CANDY RATINGS

TYPE

BRAND

COUNTRY

ARCHIVES

Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.

 

 

 

 

Facebook IconTwitter IconTumblr IconRSS Feed IconEmail Icon

COUNTDOWN.

Candy Season Ends

-2537 days

Read previous coverage

 

 

Which seasonal candy selection do you prefer?

Choose one or more:

  •   Halloween
  •   Christmas
  •   Valentine's Day
  •   Easter

 

image

ON DECK

These candies will be reviewed shortly:

 

 

image