Friday, October 28, 2011

Extra Smooth Mint


Flavor: The name says it all. It's a Smooth (dare I say "smoove?") Mint. It's heavier on peppermint than spearmint, but it's a nice mellow coolness that'll freshen your breath without taking your breath away like, say, Extra Polar Ice or a Dentyne pellet would do. The flavor lasts a really long time, too. It's not groundbreaking, but it's definitely nice to have another mint option that won't overwhelm the sinuses.

Texture: Starts off way too soft and a bit gritty, it takes a while for this one to really firm up into a chewable wad. But once it does, it's got a fantastic texture. Of course you can't blow any sort of respectable bubble, but if you're an experienced popper or cracker, you'll be able to annoy your officemate with a symphony of snaps.

Presentation: Nothing to write home about here. As we've said of Extra's packaging before, they let the gum do the legwork and shine for itself. They're certainly not wasting dollars in their graphic design department.

Overall: You know how some smells or tastes stick with you for life? As a Gum Girl, there are some gum flavors that will always take me back. A stick of Carefree Original Bubble will send me straight to the passenger seat of my mom's car. I know that Katie is in Boston at a Dispatch concert when she chews Trident Tropical Twist. And I don't ever think I'll be able to chew Winterfresh again, because it tastes like a badly-masked smoker's kiss to me.

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of traveling for work to Sonoma, California to visit several wineries. It was the business trip of a lifetime. One of the most amazing wineries I went to was St. Francis Winery & Vineyards, in beautiful Santa Rosa. It was truly an awe-inspiring place. The facilities were pristine, the grounds were breathtaking, and the wine was a treat to the taste buds. After a special tour and dinner, our host, President & CEO Chris Silva brought our group into the vineyard where we toasted to good wine and good company. It was a moment that I won't soon forget.

I can always "return" to St. Francis at dinnertime by uncorking a bottle of Red Splash, but during work hours that's not really a possibility. Fortunately for me, just as we were leaving the winery, I popped a piece of Extra Smooth Mint for the car ride through the mountains from Sonoma into Napa. I put my head back and watched the full moon rise out the window, reflecting on St. Francis Winery and the amazing time I just had.

Now, whenever I chew this gum, my mind is transported back to the tranquil grounds of St. Francis, and the feeling of serenity I had while on my trip.


I don't expect you to feel that same feeling when chewing this gum, of course, but aside from the texture at the outset, it's a pretty great gum in an unexpected package.

Rating: oooo (four gumballs)

7 comments:

Kate said...

Thanks for the review! Maybe it's worth a second try on my part.

Unknown said...

Really liked this gum as well. Didn't think much of the presentation, but the minty/cool balance was perfect and the flavor lasted (in a good way). I'll be purchasing more of this gum.

Anonymous said...

it's cool to blow bubbles

Anonymous said...

might want to check out this blog, is relevant to gum chewers
http://dedindenver.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

This is a nice gum. It's probably my second favorite. My all-time favorite is Extra's Polar Ice^^. Anyway, the flavor is pretty smooth. (; I think I've got a thing for wintery, chilly, christmasy kind of flavors. I never liked strong firey mints like 'spearmint,' but yeah. Nice review^^.

العاب تلبيس said...

good scare! thanks!
العاب باربي تجهيز المنزل

Unknown said...

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"Xem clip này, tôi đã khóc. Tôi khóc vì cô đấy là 1 ngôi sao to nhưng lại vô cùng nhỏ bé, giản dị đứng trước mọi người. Tôi khóc vì Mỹ Tâm ko khoe khoang tôi là 1 ca sĩ, ngôi sao. Chỉ đơn thuần chị đấy giới thiệu về tên mình và động viên những người khuyết tật và kêu gọi sự viện trợ và tài trợ gian phoi quan ao. bao lăm đó thôi cũng đủ làm chúng ta ấm lòng giữa đêm đông”.