Flavor: When this gum first came out a couple years ago, I remember thinking it could be my new favorite. It has the same pineapple-citrus-peach flavor as Trident Tropical Twist (an old favorite) with an added bonus coconut undertone. It's a little too sweet for me, and the longer you chew, the more nutri-sweety it seems. After chewing a whole pack, this flavor gets old to me. It's like drinking too many malibu bay breezes at a beach bar-- they're delicious, sure, but it's the sort of thing that's better rotated with other flavors, not dominating your palate for a whole night.
Texture: The texture here is well done. A nice bite, maintains shape and flavor for a long time. But, as with all Stride varieties, I feel it forming sores on my tongue as I write.
Overall: It's a good gum, a vacation gum, if you will. Throw a pack into your weekly rotation, why don't you, and add some zest to your ordinary gum-chewing experience.
Rating:ooo (three gumballs)
Flavor: At first, this gum had a lot of potential, reminiscent of Necco Canada Mints, or Wintergreen Tic Tacs, a nice mellow and subtly sweet mint. But it quickly devolved into your ordinary, run-of-the-line mint flavor, subpar especially for a brand as tried and true as Trident. My roommate described it best after the initial bite, as “a wash of aspartame in my saliva.” His face whilst describing the aftertaste spoke volumes of yuck.
Texture: Here's where Trident really falls short. It's too hard at first, way too chewy, and it quickly is mushed with this rush of cold saliva. I'm not sure what causes it-- to me, it's as if it forms a foam in my mouth, although others didn't agree. The longer you chew, the more foamy it gets, but it does stay rubbery at the core. It's just a sloppy mess in your mouth.
Overall: Blech. I'll have mercy for the initial zing, but this one really falls short. At least chewing Trident helps fight cavities.
Rating: oo two gumballs
Flavor: I must begin by saying that a new colleague of mine told me about this gum after reading this blog, and following up on our conversation purchased me a large car-sized plastic container-full to test it out. And a fine endorsement it was. He and I, along with my new boss, all tried the gum out together, and the result was fairly unanimous. We all recall Juicy Fruit as it was in our childhood when it was made exclusively with sugar, and we all accept and appreciate the Juicy Fruit as it evolves with all the aspartame and malitol (and sorbitol, etc., etc....) That said, this fantastic sugar-free rendition of a classic flavor left us all reminiscing about our pasts, how we ate it when we were kids, warm and gooey out of a grandfather's car or secretly in choir class. The flavor is just really well done.
Flavor: It's a nice, sweet cinnamon. It gives a little bit of tang to your tounge, but it's not too overwhelming that you can't leave it between your gums and teeth for a minute or two if you need to hide the fact that you're chewing. I like that the packaging features actual cinnamon sticks. I feel like most cinnamon candies and gums lose sight of the fact that cinnamon is a spice, instead choosing to market it as some kind of XTREEEEEEM HEAT or something.
Texture: Starts off a little too soft, but rapidly congeals to a fantastic texture for a prolonged chew. It's a bit softer than most gums, but I don't consider that a bad thing, necessarily. It does develop a squeak (I need to rapid-fire test a bunch of cinnamon gums to see if it's a cinnamon thing) but it's nothing that would cause embarrassment in church or anything.
Overall: I had a hankering for some cinnamon gum the other day, and I realized that it's been a while since we've reviewed any cinnamon here at GumAlert, so I picked up a pack of Trident Cinnamon. It's a choice I didn't regret. My pack is a little different than the one pictured above - instead of "Long Lasting Flavor" mine says "A Classic is Back!" I never really noticed its absence, but a quick Google search yeilds much information, including a blog dedicated to "Saving Trident Cinnamon." It had apparently been discontinued a couple years ago. Many thanks, Trident, for bringing it back. It's a valued member of your comprehensive line of gums, and one I will turn to again when a cinnamon craving hits.
Rating: ooooo (five gumballs)
Flavor: What does it matter? It's bubblegum. I'd even go to far as to call it a superior bubblegum. (Most sugarfree versions of sugared brands of gum are superior, as a general rule. I long to find sugarfree bubbletape again.) But, big deal. It's impossible to rate this gum objectively.
The gum itself was wrapped in a paper wrapper that had a printing of a band-aid on it. Why this was awesome, I have no idea, but it was indeed quite awesome. I remember feeling like I was the shizz when a classmate would be all, "Got any gum?" and I'd whip out my band-aid tin of OUCH! gum and hand them a piece of band-aid wrapped sugary goodness. Oh, it was awesome.
So what we can deduce is: OUCH! went corporate, but Hubba Bubba had the brains to, at the very least, continue packaging it in its signature metal band-aid tin. I can't speak to the sugar content (anyone know if the new verson was sugarfree?) or the taste (it looks like there are three flavors in the pack - grape, watermelon and strawberry) but the look new look was fun, whimsical, and nostalgic. 
It's just a friggin' pack of gum! It's a pack. of. sugarfree. bubblegum. Who cares? The only thing reminiscent of the OUCH! gum of my youth is the band-aid on the front of the package, and the OUCH! logo. And that's where it ends. The front of the package proudly declares, "Games INSIDE!" and you open up the pack to reveal:
Oh, big WHOOP. "How Many? How many crutches are outside the emergency room?" And you have to search through the crudely drawn picture to find the 5 obvious crutches. There's a little bubble "LOOK FOR MORE GAMES IN PACKS OF OUCH!" as if the 0.4 seconds of fun I had searching for crudely drawn crutches would be enough to draw me back to buy more OUCH! gum. Hardly. There's not even any band-aid printing on the gum wrappers. It's JUST. GUM. Katie and my husband both think that the "OUCH!" logo on the front of the package actually works as a reason NOT to buy the gum - that it's some kind of super sour gum that will hurt you by chewing it.
Flavor: I've got to say this tastes like a totally new formula, all around. That said, it's probably the most refreshing sugar-based gum around. Unlike its other minty competitors, this gum is not at all sugary-- it's refreshing, cooling and pleasant, no grimy aftertaste that lingers on your teeth and in your salivary glands. I investigated this phenomena and discovered that this gum is quite unique: In addition to sugar, this gum also contains aspartame. It's the hybrid of gumz! Gum goes green.
Texture: I don't ever remember this gum having little green flecks in it, a la Icebreakers. These flecks are not bothersome (as they often are in Icebreakers) however, as they're not at all detectable in the texture of the gum. I must surmise that they therefore simply exist to enhance the flavor (and, perhaps, even the visual aesthetic). The texture of this chew is soft, like a sugar-free gum, but firm, like a sugar gum. The bite, much like the flavor, is long-lasting and enjoyable. (I have to add that when chewed for an extended period of time, it does develop something of a “squeak,” but not too badly.)
Overall: Ladies and gentlemen, sing the lyrics with me, “Double your pleasure, double your fun. It's the right one, the Doublemint gum.” They make a solid case here. But I have to ask-- is it really worth ten calories of sugar? Don't get me wrong, I'm not on a diet, but this gum is really good, and I'd like to eat a lot of it. Does that ten calories of sugar that can rot your teeth and that might count in some people's journals as “points” really bring this gum that far above sugar-free varieties of nearly the same caliber? I guess we'll just have to wait for all those sugar-substitute cancer study results to decide.
Rating: ooooo (five gumballs)
Flavor: Stride Uber Bubble is a nice bubblegum, but that's about as far as it goes. As I've mentioned in past reviews, Katie and I are on an ongoing quest for a gum as good as our long-gone all-time favorite, Extra Original Bubble. Uber Bubble teases you with tanginess, makes you think that it's going to give you a hint of semi-sour, but it just levels out to be your plain old bubblegum. Like I said - it's nice, but I don't see what's so special about this bubble that they felt fit to call it "Uber."
Texture: It's definitely chewable, albeit a little bit too firm for my taste. From a bubblegum, I expect more blow-friendly pliablility to maximize bubbles.
Overall: There's something wrong with this gum. I have meant to review it sooner, but every pack I bought has gone bad somehow. Once the protective plastic is removed from the packaging, you have a period of about two weeks to chew it. (Which, probably, is not a problem for most chewers, but I as a Gum Girl always have no fewer than 5 packs of gum with me at all time.) After a couple weeks, the gum turns like... wet? It gets all sticky and disgusting in the packaging and is completely inedible. It happened to three packs of Uber Bubble I have bought, and if this didn't happen it would have rated at least a 3, but most likely a 4. This weird problem aside, it's one of the better tasting bubblegums on the market right now.
Rating: oo (two gumballs)
Flavor: This is another "classic" flavor, marketed with Beeman's and Blackjack. Clove, much like Blackjack, tastes a lot like black licorice. There's a lot less information about it online, and it seems to be clumped with the other classics without much distinction. It's sort of spicy, has that herbal taste you'd expect from clove gum. Indeed, the longer I chew it, the more the taste replicates those little stems my mom used to stick in the ham at Easter. I wouldn't recommend sticking a piece of gum in your ham, however.
Texture: It's a solid texture, almost too firm. It has that weird foamy-spit side effect though, which kind of grosses me out. But otherwise, it's a chewing gum, not for bubbles, just for a good chew.
Overall: It's ok. Much like my review of Beeman's, I hesitate to really get in there and review this gum beyond the basics. It's a classic, a base from which other gums have gleaned inspiration over the years. But, I must say, I haven't seen "clove" flavor much of anything these days, save the cloves themselves and the cigarettes (which I also wouldn't recommend sticking into your Easter ham).
Rating: ooo (three gumballs)
This review is sponsored by our friends at Trident!
Flavor: Much like it's strawberry-citrus counterpart, this gum starts off with a bang, a super sweet and spot-on flavor that explodes with the first and second bite. I think it's the goop that holds the two pieces of gum together that gives it the kick(pictured, it's the pinapple slice, but in reality I think its just a generic flavor burst). I've got to say that I don't taste much pineapple, really any at all. It's pretty much 100 percent green apple-- and a fine representation of this common sugar-based flavor, don't get me wrong. I'm just not a huge green apple fan, so I'm not crazy about this gum, but I imagine that anyone who prefers green Jolly Ranchers, this gum'll be a refreshing new experience.
Texture: It's pretty much a sandwich, using your tried-and-true Trident for bread and this sticky bright green middle for meat (or cheese or like tempeh or something, if you're a vegetarian). It stands up to the Trident texture, holds its own for a long time, but the flavor does fade rather quickly as I feel like it's mostly packed into the meat-part (or cheese or soy gluten or whatever).
Overall: First of all, let me just say thank you to the folks over at Trident for sending us free samples of their exciting new line of gumz. That said, I must reiterate a very important pact that Shannon and I made a long time ago: we will never allow free samples to sway the honesty of our reviews. (We're professional like that.) So, this gum is pretty good, but I fear it's lost in the marketing... why does it have to be two fruits? The inside part is just a darker color green. I felt cheated out of pineapple, and so I'm left feeling a little unsatisfied. I can't offer any alternate marketing suggestions... as “Meat or Cheese or Veggie Burger on Gumbread Green Apple Sandwich” doesn't sound any better. Or does it? Mmm. Gumbread.
Rating: ooo (three gumballs)
Flavor: I feel like a film critic reviewing Gone With the Wind. Can it be done? Can I make an unbiased judgement on a gum marketed specifically for being a revived classic? Of course I can. Originally invented by Dr. Edward E. Beeman in the late 19th century, the gum was made of pepsin powder and chicle, and was intended to aid to digestion. To be fair, let me just remind the reader that these ingredients are nowhere to be found in this modern concoction. That said, it initially smells and tastes sweet and minty, reminiscent of Canada Mints, of which I am a huge fan. But the flavor fades quickly and leaves that nasty sugar aftertaste-while-chewing that makes you reach for a piece of Trident or a toothbrush.
Texture: It's a decent gum, I imagine a definite upgrade from chicle and pepsin, although it's 
not done much for my rumbling stomach. It was surprisingly soft and the stick itself a lot more malleable than I expected-- I'd thought it would crumble like many other sugar variety sticks. It gets tough quick though, so enjoy it while it lasts.
Overall: In all fairness, this is not the original Beeman's, and I imagine there are some folks out there who remember the original taste and can vouch that this Frankenstein revival doesn't compare at all. (Although, I imagine Dr. Beeman's first followers might be sticking to Freedent, you know, for the dentures.) I won't be buying this again, but maybe someone who remembers original Beeman's might be able to shed some light on the subject and pursuade me to up the rating for reasons of nostalgia or reverence.
Rating:oo two gumballs
Flavor: We've had two separate requests for reviews of Ice Cubes. I hereby apologize for our ignorance in not acknowledging them sooner-- Ice Cubes are good quality sugar-free gum that lots of people really like, and for some reason we've not reviewed it once. I did buy a pack to review one time, and it was gone before I had the chance to do so. That said, I chose the most basic Ice Cube for our first foray into this type of gum. The peppermint is right up there with the best of them-- it is cooling and pleasant (touting “with Cooling Xylitol”) and quite refreshing. The flavor lasts a while, long enough to freshen your breath, and it lingers for a little while after that. It's a solid mint-alternative for folks who chew gum for the obvious reason: to freshen your breath.
Texture: I sort of have always had a problem with Ice Cubes, only because I can't get the thought out of my head that it's just a stick gum that someone played with until it was in the shape of a cube. That neurosis aside, I have to say that the texture of the cube is nice, it has those crunchies that a lot of people are big fans of, although I feel like they could be a little more crystallized so that they crunched more easily-- they seem to get lodged in my teeth for a while, but it's not bad. It has a nice preliminary chew, and tastes actually sugary. It maintains a good bite for a long time, too (as well as flavor), although it is a bit too soft for me after a while-- but to each his own. It's a well-executed concept and final product, through and through.
Overall: There are two reasons why the first pack I bought of this gum didn't last to a review: 1. It was a quick and easy breath freshener that I consumed compulsively, and 2. the packaging totally sucks. Almost invariably, every single time I've had a cardboard box of Ice Cubes in my bag, the unwrapped cubes have come spilling out onto the bottom of my bag. Unlike other less-than-ideal packages, the cubes are practically inedible once they reach the depths of my (admittedly disgusting) purse because they're not wrapped individually. I don't think that each cube needs to be wrapped persay, don't get me wrong-- the fact that they're already unwrapped makes them the quick-and-easy breath mint you love to chew. They have come out with the big plastic container that's become popular with other pellet gums-- but it's a whopping $3 a pack, and besides that, it's really cumbersome and not portable in a pocket or a purse (good for stashing in your desk at the office, but that's about it).
Rating: oooo (four gumballs)
Flavor: As avid (and often compulsive) gumchewers, my sister and I tend to favor sugarfree varieties, to ward off cavities and all that stuff we were taught when we were little. We received an email recently from a reader, TS, who wondered about the absence of cherry gum on the market. He reported that he loves cherry and yet has noticed a definite void in cherry gums. Shannon did some research and found that, indeed, there is quite a lack of cherry varieties, nearly a complete hole in our favorite sugarfree brands. There was once an Eclipse cherry that tasted startlingly of cherry cough syrup and that didn't stay on the shelves for very long. Shannon postulated that perhaps the cherry flavor doesn't translate well to the sugar substitutes, and she's probably right. Hubba bubba tastes exactly like cherry candy-- cherry blow pops, cherry laffy taffy, cherry jolly ranchers. It's delicious, much like other sugary cherry candies, and the flavor actually lasts a fairly long time for a sugar-based kids gum.
Texture: It's extraordinarily meaty, like most sugary gums. The pieces are enormous at first because the sugar tends to dissolve more readily than substitute sweeteners in other gums. I have to say, the sheer girth, and the soft, malleable form was refreshing. We've been blowing these pathetic little bubbles and rating them as excellent, but it's not until now that I am thoroughly enjoying the bubble blowing as much as the chewing. And it's been that way for almost 15 minutes now. It's a hubba bubba of a gum.
Overall: TS, I implore you to seek out this gum, it's a true delight. But, be warned, sugary gum leads to lots of scary things if you chew it to excess (and you'll want to chew this gum to excess), like root canals and fillings (shudder). I'll get off my soap box for this one, though, and commend hubba bubba for a job well done. It might not be sugar free, but it sure is worth it.
Rating: ooooo (five gumballs)
Flavor: When I first put this gum in my mouth, I was zinged with a surprising and pleasant orange flavor reminiscent of orange tic tacs. I immediately texted Shannon and let her know that she would approve of this gum. But the tic tac-y goodness lasted but an instant in my chewing experience. It almost immediately settled into a much more subtle orange, one commonly found in creamsicle orange varieties. Even that flavor doesn't last very long, though. I'm not sure what "Cool Citrus" is trying to say, there's nothing lemony about it, it's straight-up orange, through and through. I guess there aren't many adjectives beginning with "o." Opulent Orange. Outstanding Orange.
Texture: It's better than the other Xtra care gums I've tried, but it leaves you in the end with a grainy sort of texture, a roughness to the gum blob that isn't very pleasing on the tongue.
Overall: I can't really think of any grand, all-encompassing final words on this gum. It's a fair substitute for orange tic tac lovers who need a break from the sugary gunk they leave on your teeth. But for a gum chewer, it leaves something to be desired. It's a good gum, and apparantly it's really good for your teeth. Give it a go.
Rating: ooo (three gumballs)
There used to be a review here, but for reasons better left unsaid, it's not here anymore.
We'd love if any brave quitters would write us a guest review of any flavor of Nicorette gum!
E-mail us at gumgirls@gmail.com and let us know if you're interested!
Flavor: One of the bad things about being a gum connoseiur is that every once in a while, you find a gum that's just perfect, and then they discontinue it. You then spend countless days, weeks, chews, trying to find a comparison to your old favorite. Such is the case with Katie and I, and Extra Original Bubble. It was the perfect gum, and I can still taste it even though it was discontinued years and years ago. Since they discontinued it, we've been on a quest to find a gum with that similar perfect tangy-sweet flavor, and I've gotta say that Orbit Positively Pomegranite actually comes close. As I've said before in another review, I don't get the "pomegranite" craze, mostly because I don't really remember pomegranite having much of a taste. But that being said, the flavor of this gum is fantastic. It starts out with a sweet-tart one-two punch, and fades into a delicate flavor-indescript blend. My only problem with this gum is that it fades TOO much, TOO quickly. What flavor that's left is just fine, there just isn't enough of it.
Texture: The texture is great, this is how gums should chew. It's the slightest bit sticky on the teeth, but certainly not enough to cause any hinderance of enjoyment.
Overall: This is a great gum. I am a little concerned for its future, as I don't really see it very often and this pack I picked up was in a bin, away from the other gums. A trip to the the Orbit page on Wrigley.com tells me that the flavor is indeed still available, and even still being billed as New!, but I am wary nonetheless. Can you find Orbit Positively Pomegranite in your local stores? Anyway, if you see it, pick it up and give it a chew. The only reason it doesn't get the full 5 gumballs is because of the rapid flavor loss. Nicely done.
Rating: oooo (four gumballs)
Dear Readers,
We have been ecstatically overwhelmed lately by the web-wide attention we have gotten in the last couple weeks. We'd like to take this opportunity to say hello and welcome to our new fans, and a big thank you to our friends at Neatorama, Tosh.0 on comedycentral.com, Serious Eats, and boingboing gadgets!
We're excited to announce some exciting new changes to Gum Alert in the next few days, including a fantastic new page design, a special celebrity guest review, contests, and of course more of the gum reviews that you know and love.
To kick-off the expansion and enhancement of Gum Alert, we have joined the Twitter community! Both Katie and I don't really understand it, but we've signed up for a Twitter account and we promise to figure it out soon and "tweet" regularly! We'd love it if you would follow us and help us get started over there.
While you're at, or if you're not a twitterer (tweeter?), Become A Fan of Gum Alert on Facebook!
Again, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We never thought that our little gum blog would take off this way, and we are touched by the outpouring of support. We're always open to suggestions and criticisms, we would love to hear from you, so go on and shoot us an email at gumalert@gmail.com.
Sincerely,
Shannon and Katie
Flavor: Up until now, I’ve felt conflicted in my critiques of the various versions of this classic flavor. Each seemed unfairly delicious, more delicious than the last and yet unique in its own special way. When I chewed my first piece of Trident Xtra Care, I was relieved to discover that it fell so short of its Spearmint competitors that I would have no problem reviewing it. The flavor lacks that special sweet edge typical of other Spearmints, and really just embodies the cold, harsh “other” taste that’s usually softened by the sweetness. And to boot, whatever flavor it does have fades in a matter of seconds.
Texture: Rubbery. Too firm, through and through. It’s as if you’ve already been chewing it for twenty minutes the first time you put it in your mouth. Stale. Fail.
Overall: Once again, as with my review of Trident Xtra Care Cool Mint, I feel as if the only thing this gum has going for it is its “Xtra Care.” When I went to the Web site to read more, as the package indicated, I found that the Spearmint variety wasn’t even listed. When I clicked on the Cool Mint, it provided information about “Recaldent, a unique form of calcium,” that has various positive effects on teeth. I’m no doctor, so I can’t argue with all that scientific jargon. I rate gum, not dental hygiene products. Besides, it can be safely said that all sugar-free gum, particularly Trident, cares a little “extra” for your teeth. I chew gum to strengthen my teeth in the same way that I drink wine for its antioxidants—it’s a nice bonus, but hardly reason for addiction. Super-uber-special-healthy or not, this gum just falls short.
Rating: oo (two gumballs)
Flavor: Solstice is marketed as a "warm and cool winter," and as I chew I struggle with that statement, perhaps so much so that it detracts from my enjoyment of the flavor. Along with Zing, Solstice is one of two new flavors introduced to the Wrigley's 5 lineup this spring. Zing was described as a "sour to sweet bubble," and I went in knowing that, and it was a perfect description. The marketing folks at Wrigley's got Zing spot on, but I think they tried a little too hard with Solstice here. I'm just not getting a "warm and cool winter at all." I just get "mint." That being said, it's a great mint. It's different than your usual mints, I would say somewhere in between a peppermint and a wintermint, with a little more sweetness. It's exhilarating and strong (but not too strong), and as with other 5 gums, the flavor lasts.
Texture: Starts off soft and stays soft without falling apart into nothing. This is what texture is all about. I would trust Solstice to stick with me through a long business meeting if I happened to forget to bring the wrapper or a tissue with me for disposal.
Overall: As a whole, Wrigley's 5 line is impressive, and Solstice does not disappoint. I have to point out the packaging on this one, too - it's one of my favorite gum packagings. While I do have my issues with the popular new "pocket pack" style of gum and still lament the loss of my dear Plen-T-Paks, the ribbed cardstock, combined with the smooth, shiny logo and wispy artwork make for a perfect presentation.
Rating: oooo (four gumballs)
Flavor: First of all, let’s get real here, 5. I’m all for catchy marketing campaigns, but if we’re being honest, this flavor is not “Rain.” It’s Spearmint. Plain and simple. It’s green like spearmint, it’s minty like spearmint, and it’s sweet like spearmint. Now that that’s established, I’ve got to say—it’s one heck of a spearmint. It’s a perfect blend of minty and sweet, it captures that traditional flavor (see Trident Spearmint and Orbit Spearmint blogs) and holds on to it for as long as you choose to chew. It’s long-lasting, refreshing, and pays great homage to its many spearmint original predecessors. It’s been a while since I’ve tried the other spearmint varieties, but I have to say, if I’m in the mood for spearmint from now on, I’m reaching for “Rain.”
Texture: I’m going to have to say that for the first time in a long time, I’ve found a gum with a texture that rivals both Trident and Orbit. Although most of the 5 varieties are less-than-impressive with their texture qualities, Rain is, dare I say, perfect. It’s a big, meaty bite, that decreases in size (as it should, and chemically must), but that maintains a really nice, firm, malleable chew that never really hardens or softens beyond prime. It’s a damn good chew.
Overall: I’ve had good luck with gums lately, I have to say. Rain is one of those gums I looked forward to chewing, a real “end your meal with a bang” kind of treat. One lone stick was taunting me in my bag for two days, begging to be chewed even if reviewing was not possible at that time. I almost went out and bought a second pack just for reviewing purposes. Sorry to ruin your summer, folks, but the forecast is calling for Rain every day.
Rating: ooooo (five gumballs)
Flavor: No. Just, no. Is this supposed to taste like watermelon? Or Mint? Or both? Because it doesn't taste like either. It smells peculiarly like Choward's Violets, and I bet that's what I'm tasting, too. The taste is completely nondescript, vaguely sweet and somewhat bitter. It leaves a gross taste in the back of my mouth that I associate with "aftertaste," but it happens DURING the chew, not after. I don't want aftertaste in mid-chew. Big fail. In fact - once I remove the gum from my mouth, the actual aftertaste is, in fact, more pleasant than the duringtaste itself.
Texture: Like most Orbit, the texture is fine. Starts off soft, and firms up to be the perfect chewable consistency. If this review was based on texture alone, it'd get far more gumballs.
Overall: I cannot recommend Orbit Maui Melon Mint to any sane person. There are far better melony gums on the market, if that's what you're craving for. I'd even suggest resorting to a sugared watermelon-flavored gum - a Hubba Bubba or a BubbleYum - if you absolutely have to. But stay away from this one. Stay far away.
Rating: oo (two gumballs)
Flavor: A delight. It has everything I like about Trident Minty Sweet Twist, but it’s unique in its own way. It’s very accurately named and packaged—Starlight mints are pictured—and I can say that it’s very pleasantly reminiscent of those after-dinner mints you get at the diner that always leave your teeth sort of cruddy. Shannon asked that I mention the liquid center-- so, it's good, but it's not the focal point of the gum, which is a really good thing. This gum is not gimmicky, it doesn't rely on the fleeting burst of liquid to maintain its flavor, but it provides all the bells and whistles (outer candy shell, molten core) that complement a solid, flavorful piece of gum.
Texture: It’s really pleasant for a pellet gum. A nice crunch at first, and the crunch lasts for a fair amount of time before fading into a substantial consistency. I can’t say I’ve done the long-term test on this gum, but I’ve never thrown it out for lack of flavor or for a rubbery texture. Most pellet gums get way too little way too quickly, but this one maintains size and composition eloquently.
Overall: I have to admit that this gum almost didn’t get reviewed this week. I bought it two days ago, in anticipation of my gumblog, and I almost ate the whole pack before it was even my turn to post. There has been one lone pellet sitting in my purse for more than 24 hours, which means two things: 1. ) there’s not enough gum in a pellet pack (only nine pieces?!), and 2.) it was really good for a pellet gum. I’m usually fairly anti-pellet gum, but this gum has all so many of the things I like about gum that I’m willing to excuse its form. Now that I’ve found a pellet gum that I actually enjoy, I’m going to propose that all gums of this variety should be packaged in barrel form—seen in eclipse and some orbit flavors—that lends it self to quantities in the dozens rather than in disappointing pop-out rows of three or four. I’ll definitely buy this one again if my tried-and-true isn’t available, which says something for a gum that’s about 17 cents a piece.
Rating: oooo (four gumballs)
Flavor: Phenomenal. Outstanding. Fantastic. Superb. Awesome. The initial burst of Orbit Mist Peppermint Spray is something a gum lover could only dream of, not quite nasal-passage clearing but certainly breath-freshening, and beyond. This gum is being advertised as "the wettest gum in the world," and while that description doesn't sound very appetizing, I have to say it's spot on. It's salivary gland stimulation goes above and beyond, and it does indeed quench a thirst. The flavor, I might add, has lasted as long as I've kept a piece in my mouth, which would probably be in the neighborhood of 45 minutes or so.
Texture: The "micro-bursts" on first chew are exhilarating and refreshing. They have such a pleasant and unique grainy texture to them, and they last for the perfect amount of time, until you don't feel like crunchy gum anymore, and you are left with the perfect texture through the chew.
Overall: In a word- a masterpiece. Orbit Mist Peppermint Spray is absolutely, without a doubt my #2 favorite gum at the moment, surpassing Trident Passionberry Twist by a long shot. In fact, I would not be surprized if this gum eventually took top billing, bumping my Extra Polar Ice to the silver podium. This is only my second pack, so I'm not quite ready to do that yet, but oh, Orbit, you have outdone yourself here. Your Mist line, I have to say, is extraordinary. Even if the fruity counterparts, Mango Surf and Watermelon Splash fall short, Peppermint Spray makes this new line extention more than worth it.
Rating: ooooo (five gumballs)
Flavor: Much like its Orbit rival, the new Trident Strawberry Twist is reminiscent of a very distinct flavor from my past—not Big League Chew, but McDonald’s Strawberry milkshakes. At first whiff of the gum inside the packaging I sensed that delightful, creamy, strawberry twang of a McShake, but I tried to convince myself it was in my head. Then came the BURST of flavor, and I confirmed its likeness to that milky pink treat. Every so often I’ll smell it wafting from my bag and crave it, yearning to delight its satisfying flavor. I found myself even thinking about the gum as the week went on, looking forward to the burst of milkshaky goodness as many times in a day as I wanted (with no indigestion or brain freeze). Unfortunately it goes downhill from the burst. Surprisingly, the flavor fades in a matter of a minute at most—an unusual characteristic for Trident gums. The flavor is such a pleasure, however, that I usually chew two or three pieces in one sitting, just to enjoy the burst.
Texture: It’s your average Trident at first, but it loses that reliable Trident texture quickly. It decreases in size and becomes rather hard, and if you chew it for long enough (which I’ve only done once) to get past the initial strange hardening, you’ll find that it’s pretty squeaky, much like many pellet gums, also an unusual trait for a stick of this variety.
Overall: It’s delicious. I don’t drink McDonald’s strawberry shakes anymore for one reason or another, but I can definitely see myself buying this gum again for a little after-meal treat. It’s nothing I want on my breath; it’s not a freshener in the least. Nor is it any kind of “Twist"-- I think they were stretching it with the title, but at least they didn’t claim “Mint” like Orbit. I’ll chew it again, just as sure as I’ll someday buy another McMilkShake, at 3 in the morning, on my way home from the bar.
Rating: ooo (three gumballs)
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