More Flavours Than You Can Shake A TIC At (Ferrero Tic Tac)

Member Name: mattygroves10

Product:	Ferrero Tic Tac
Date:	26/10/05 (582 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Small, easily portable breath mints

Disadvantages: One is rarely enough, the cinnamon variety has a nasty aftertaste

There I was, rooting through the bottomless pit that is my rucksack; looking for something to snack on. Buried under (amongst other things) various ancient receipts, some cortisone cream, and some painkillers, I find a little box. And that little box has been around a bit...

Pity poor us, here in the UK. TIC TAC mints aren't the same here. For some inexplicable reason, the US 'one and a half calorie breath mint' has TWO calories in the UK ('Freshness in two calories'). And, I've done some research. It seems that the range of flavours of this little 'mint drop' is considerably smaller here, than in the States.

You see, I've been surfing. Sainsbury's, according to their website, only stock the original 'fresh mint' flavour - 30p per 16g box. These are little white mints that taste...well...minty. Asda fares a little better. If you're willing to buy multipacks, you can choose from 'fresh mint', 'lemon and orange' or 'spearmint' (would someone PLEASE explain why the spearmint four pack is so much cheaper than the other two at Asda - 54p for four boxes versus 88p and 87p respectively?)

Each August, I travel to the US. Visiting the local CVS (sort of like Superdrug with knobs on), I spotted a whole plethora of Tic-Tac flavours. That was back, of course, in August. So I paid a little visit to www.tictacusa.com. Cute site. Anyway, there I discover that in the US you can choose from Fresh Mints (white), Lime Mints (light green), Spearmints (green), Orange Mints (yes, orange), Wintergreen Mints (bluey green), and, the variety I have in front of me at the moment, Cinnamon (red). Plus, they have seasonal mints (for Christmas), and mints for candy dishes (Tic Tac Silvers - that's a new one on me).

As an aside, as far as I can work out, Tic-Tacs do not have a UK website.

As you may have guessed, I am going to describe, taste, and write about the Cinnamon variety. For who knows when YOU might find these little red oblong sweets.

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The Box
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OK, you all know that Tic Tacs come in a little clear plastic box. Each box here in the UK is 16g, but, as I have a US box in front of me, it tells me (on the front) that the net weight is half an ounce. It also proudly informs me that it is 'The 1½ calorie breath mint'. It has the familiar logo in lower case, stylised letters, and it informs me that the variety I have in front of me is Cinnamon (and in really, really small letters atop that information, it says 'artificially flavoured mints. What a surprise).

From the top, you flip open the lid, which gives you an aperture that spans just over half the area of the top. The back of the box contains the ingredients (which I won't repeat here), the nutritional information (ditto) and the barcode (big ditto).

Since the box is clear, you can see the dark red tablet-shaped mints inside.

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The Contents
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Yes, inside we have dark red Tic Tacs. I'm sure you all know the shape and size of a Tic Tac - they are small, oval tablet-like things.

Now, for the important bit - the TASTE. I pop one in my mouth (normally, I'd shove two or three in my mouth, but for you, the discerning consumer, we'll sample one at a time).

Although the first ingredient is sugar, there is a distinct bitterness usually typical of artificial sweeteners. I assume this comes from the artificial flavours - either that, or I've had them knocking around in my bag too long.

There is a definite 'tang' - almost spicy (most cinnamon flavoured sweets in the US have that burn) - and yes, it does burn slightly. Does it taste like cinnamon? No, not really. Think the same relationship banana flavoured sweets have to real banana. Although nicer (I hate artificial banana).

Because of their size, I tend to eat them very quickly - sucking initially, allowing the mint to dissolve slightly, then the final chew. On that final crunch, all the flavours are magnified - there is more 'burn', but also more aftertaste. They are smooth on the outside, but roughen during that crunch (not surprisingly).

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The Verdict
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Um...I'm glad I have a can of Diet Coke here next to me. Although the bite of the cinnamon flavour is welcome, the aftertaste of the artificial ingredients is not. It leaves a dry feeling in my mouth, and, as I said, a somewhat unpleasant aftertaste.

Will I finish the box? Yes, eventually. Will I buy this variety again? Probably not.

So...somewhat recommended, is sadly, the best I can do.

Summary: Avoid the cinnamon flavour. It bites!