5 React (Blue)

Flavor: This is my second review of the strange 5 React flavors that nobody can seem to really figure out. This is presumably the last of its kind, as there appears to only be two varieties of these almost-5 flavors. The blue pack, which has no indication of flavor other than "blue," tastes to me an awful lot like Extra Polar Ice (although, that being Shannon's favorite gum, she might violently disagree.) I almost picked up a pack of Polar Ice to compare, but to be fair to 5 Blue, I wanted to judge it on its own. It's cold and minty, and leaves a rather unpleasant cold film in my mouth while chewing. It's not a mint for those of us who favor sweetness, it's a toothpaste-like, standard mint.

Texture: It's got a good bite, and the cold sensation is notable. It does get a little foamy, but for the most part it's an all right chew.

Presentation: Ok, so I don't want to be redundant in my posts, but the gum itself is black-- this is not something that can be overlooked. Some folks think this indicates a sort of classiness, reminiscent of the silver-and-black themed wedding at the Ritz or something. In my review of the orange flavor, I likened this metallic coloring to the cautionary tales about mercury poisoning that I heard as a child. I just can't get that thought out of my head, and besides that-- if anyone were to catch me spitting this hunk of molten metal into the garbage, they might expect I am part Terminator.

Overall: I don't know, I just don't get it. It's ok. But it's silver, and there's this weird trippy marketing scheme that goes along with it. It doesn't fit in with the 5 family (Zing, Rain, etc.), it's not particularly good in any special way. As far as I'm concerned, it's the black sheep of gum-- and although I have a soft spot in my heart for black sheep, this one just doesn't make any sense.
Rating: ?

5 React Orange

Flavor: This gum has caused much controversy, as far as Shannon and I are concerned. We're thoroughly concerned with the marketing tactics that Wrigley's is using here. The "Five" series features seven funky flavors: Zing, Cobalt, Solstice, Rain, Flare, Lush and Elixir. They all seem to hold stereotypical roles in their gum family, there's the spearmint, the cinnamon, the mint, various fruit representatives. And now there's these two nameless cousins, called "React." One is orange, and one is blue, fruity and minty, respectively. But, much like "Cousin Bill" who reintroduces himself at a family wake, no one's quite sure how these flavors fit in the family. The orange React tastes fruity, sort of like mango and that generic fruity gum flavor that shows up a lot these days. The flavor is strong at first but quickly fades and leaves you thinking about another piece. It does last a decent amount of time, though, even if it is a bit dull after a while. The flavor itself leaves a rather undesirable aftertaste of sugar substitute.

Texture: The texture is satisfactory, a nice bite that stays solid for a good amount of time. But it's disconcerting that the React Orange is, in fact, black (as is the React Blue). When you spit it out, it's an alarming shade of silver. My parents warned me against the dangers of playing with mercury when I was a child, and chewing silver gum will just never feel right to me.

Overall: This gum, however sufficient in flavor in texture, is just out of place. I don't understand what "React" means, nor do I understand why it's that startling shade of black and silver. This gum, in effect, is an enigma to me. I just don't get it enough to give it a fair rating.

Rating: ?