Not everything we try here at Candygurus is extreme.  Sometimes we find incredible discoveries, sometimes we find total wastes of money that end up as spitters.  The rest of the time?  Stuff ranges from mediocre to “pretty good!”.  Today, we have one of those.   A mid ranger.

For those of you that like licorice and didn’t read my review of Sallos’ “Black & Whites”, you gotta check that out.  Those, as I say in the review, are the best packaged licorice I’ve ever eaten.  So of course, I had high hopes for these hard candies when I found them at Cost Plus World Market.

I like that they’re individually wrapped, too:

They look just about as you’d expect:  hella stark.  EXTRA stark, even!

These have a smooth consistency, and are the right size-not too big.  The taste is powerful, as advertised, with a deep authentic licorice flavor.  As you suck (and I suck, trust me), you also get a mellow herbal flavor, which is what makes these not AS incredible to me.  It almost can take a menthol note, as one of my friends pointed out, which…doesn’t work for me.  Menthol is for smokes, when you’re 15 and “experimenting”.  Menthol aint for candy, as far as I’m concerned.

Yet, having taken that knock, these are pretty darn good.  If you’re a licorice fan, this is an interesting way to get a quick fix at work or on the go.  Popping one of these in your mouth looks decidedly less moronic than walking around unspooling licorice wheels or munching on rRed Vine.

Actually, I DO eat Red Vines at work.  We’ve decided they go VERY well with bourbon.  Just sayin’.

As for the “stark” claim…that means blunt, harsh, or extreme.  I suppose these fit the bill, but they’re not super scary intense, as some licorice and licorice flavored candies are.  Don’t be afraid.

So, to recap:  These are good.  Not great, but the flavor profile is interesting, and many of my non-licorice loving friends actually like these more than I do.  Will I buy them again?  Of course I will, I’m a desperate candy addict.  And in the realm of licorice, it’s nice to have something with a different consistency (hard candy) once in a while.