Thursday, September 24, 2009

Juicy Fruit



Flavor: I think you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in the US who doesn't know what Juicy Fruit tastes like. I also think you'd he hard-pressed to find someone who'd be able to accurately describe the flavor. What is Juicy Fruit? Wikipedia's theories range from peach and pineapple, to banana. A google search also revealed that there's apparently a fruit called a "jackfruit" that is remarkably similar to the flavor of Juicy Fruit. I've never had a jackfruit, so it's hard to say. If I had to pick one fruit to compare it to, it would probably be banana, but that's pretty big stretch, although the actual pieces of gum themselves are now yellow. I could have sworn growing up that Juicy Fruit was white. Changing them to yellow, I think, lends the chewer to lean towards a banana expectation anyway. At any rate, it's a good flavor, very sweet and very sugary (though Wrigley's has recently added aspartame as a sweetener in addition to sugar, corn syrup, and dextrose, not only to Juicy Fruit, but Big Red and I assume their other classic flavors as well,) but certainly pleasant. It does turn quickly, however, and instead of losing its flavor and becoming tasteless, it leaves a bitter "aftertaste" that lingers on the tongue during the chew, and long after you dispose of it.

Texture: Certainly much softer than sugarfree gums that I am used to, but it's definitely not bad at all. When you chew a too-soft sugarless gum, it tends to fall apart in your mouth, but Juicy Fruit has a nice cohesion to it. It's easy to crack and blow teeny-tiny bubbles with.

Overall: We got a request some time ago from a reader who wanted to see Wrigley's original gums reviewed, and I gotta say that this is harder to do than any Orbit or Extra. I'm reminded of the movie City of Angels, when the dead guy asked the chick what a pear tasted like. She was like, "It tastes like a pear, you don't know what a pear tastes like?" And that's what reviewing Juicy Fruit is like. It tastes like Juicy Fruit, you don't know what Juicy Fruit tastes like?
Rating: oooo (four gumballs)

17 comments:

Chelsea said...

I had just encouraged Katie to review Juicy Fruit this weekend! I used to LOVE this, and now feel the need to pick up a pack again after reading this review. For one part to try to see if I can identify what fruit it is (banana sounds right, but so does pineapple; also, isn't a banana not a particularly juicy fruit?), but also, because I could have sworn it was white, too!

Thanks, Gum Alert!

jchi said...

I had the good fortune to be introduced to fresh jackfruit recently. Difficult to describe the flavor of the fruit -- hints of pineapple, melon, banana. But strangely enough, it did remind me of Juicy Fruit gum.

In its fresh form it's an intimidating produce item but definitely worth trying if you can find it. Apparently it's much easier to find canned jackfruit in stores.

John W. said...

Thank you for reviewing this! And three months between my request and the review isn't that long :)
I realize just how much of a feat it is to define Juicy Fruit. Also, wonderful job on the Double Mint review, these are the gums that got me into chewing gum. (However, I must add, I tried Orbit Mist Peppermint after reading your review on it and absolutely loved it!)

lifeMac said...

I do like Juicy Fruit quite a bit- but there's one issue I take with it. It tastes- to me- exactly like childrens chewable tylenol! Seriously! Try it!

Unknown said...

I just bought a pack of Juicy Fruit. I was dissapointed. It's flavor has changed, I used to love this gum.....I wonder if it's the artificial sweetners that they add now.....Hey Wringley if I wanted those chemicals I would buy sugarless gum......leave my sugar alone!

whitenagel1 said...

Great Review!
The original color of the Juicy Fruit gum was actually a sort of tan color, not white. I clearly remember the color change when i saw someone chewing yellow gum and i asked them what they were chewing. I was surprised when they told me it was Juicy Fruit!

Changeheart said...

Upon finding a small plastic tin of lip-chap in my dad's car, I decided I wanted to smell it. It was called Grape Seed.. something. But it really smelled like Juicy Fruit.

No I wouldn't actually use it, my dad used it for gosh sakes.

Anastaina said...

Guys, i dont even know WHY you are all even TRYING to guess the Juicy Fruit flavour. Its Just Juicy Fruit. Just Juicy Fruit. No banana, melon or even strawberry daiquiri. The flavour of Juicy Fruit isn't some punch or mixed flavour like Stride does. Juicy Fruit has its own unique flavour that almost everyone loves. I doubt it if there was a person in the sothern hemisphere that hasn't tried Juicy Fruit. Ok, with Juicy Fruit Juicy Secret, that has got a flavour. A flavour of another gum, infact. But please, just leave original Juicy Fruit be. Now we all know the flavour of Juicy fruit. The flavour is Juicy Fruit.
Thankyou

Unknown said...

I know a lot of people think this gum is fruity, and with it's rich sweetness it certainly invokes that but I have always gotten a really sweet ginger type taste from it.

Deeg said...

I don't mind Juicy Fruit gum, but, will someone please, please, please, tell Wrigley's to stop recycling that cursed jingle!
Seriously - three guys in a life raft who sing the jingle and dance after starting to chew Juicy Fruit? What is the message here? That only MORONS chew Juicy Fruit gum? Or perhaps the act of chewing Juicy Fruit gum lowers your IQ to the level of a babbling idiot?

Anonymous said...

lt's time I tell someone the truth. juicy fruit is just gum and sugar. there is no flavour. as a kid, I used to chew gum until it was flavourless, then pat more sugar or sweetener into it so I wouldn't have to buy new gum. all wierdness aside, the re-sugared gum would invariably taste indistinguishable from juicy fruit. this goes for sweetener and sugarfree juicyfruit. they've been messing with us this whole time.

Frass said...

Gotta be cardamom. It reminds me a lot of Earl Grey. Coca Cola uses it too. Yum!

Unknown said...

Also try to find out if it tastes anything like bubble gum flavor. Notice none of the original Wrigleys are bubble gum flavored. Could it be that they already had this flavor?

jogos do friv said...

I just bought a pack of Juicy Fruit.
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signature: jogos friv
| jogos de friv | jogos do friv

Unknown said...

Hey Wrigleys, your TV ads for Juicy Fruit features 2 guys doing ARM FARTS? And you think that will inspire us to put a piece of your gum in our mouth? The ad is disgusting and you should fire your marketing manager. You have a good product. Your ads should reflect the good taste, not disgusting fart humour. I can't believe you lowered yourself to cheap childish humour.

Anonymous said...

Im finally switching gum after chewing wrigley' for 20 years....there gum now gets hard as a rock after 10 minutes of chewing..i would call that a poor quality

Anonymous said...

Me too . I've always thought a hint of ginger or clove