Mike & Ike Jelly Beans

         Did Mike and Ike call off the feud for Easter?       

Readers of this blog will (hopefully) know that one of my favorite candies is Mike & Ikes, specifically the cherry ones. I was extremely excited to see the Mike & Ike Jelly Beans and that might be an understatement. Looking at the bag in the store the one thing that stood out was that the jelly beans included a grape flavor, which means this could be a combination of regular Mike & Ikes and Jolly Joes....?

Well it is and it is absolutely glorious. A few friends have commented how Mike & Ikes were sort of elongated jelly beans, so making Mike & Ike flavored jelly beans seems like a no brainer. The flavor line-up for these beans includes the regular Mike & Ike flavors in addition to a pineapple flavor, something new to me. Before I even attempt to review these, I just have to say these beans are a must try for any Mike & Ike lover.

Mike & Ike Jelly Beans

Similarity to traditional beans: 8.0 - The beans are small but the consistency and layering is spot on with traditional beans. The shape of individual beans is less egg shaped and there are many that have flat bottoms. I can't really say more about the appearance because these beans are Mike & Ikes and could be square and I'd still crave them. They are not the traditional jelly bean consistency, but close enough to warrant a high score.

How the taste compares to the original candy: 9.6 - I can't rate this any higher. The cherry is the cherry from the regular Mike & Ikes. The grape is the Jolly Joe flavor. The rest, all almost identical to their non-seasonal candy counterparts. The rating is so high because not only are the flavors so good, they throw in the grape and the pineapple, which isn't bad at all!

Overall taste: 9.0 - I'm biased but I think any candy aficionado would agree there are few jelly beans out there that duplicate their classic taste more than these. I love Mike & Ikes so I do love these. They are not overly sweet, they have a great consistency, and can be eaten by the handful or individually and still pack an amazing flavor.

From left to right: lemon, pineapple, cherry, strawberry, grape, orange and lime

From the company: Serving size 23 pieces - 140 calories, 0g of fat, 36g of carbs, 27g of sugar and 0g of protein.