Limited Edition Carnival Skittles


Savvy consumers know that the phrase “limited edition” is nothing but an easy marketing ploy designed to snare the impulsive shopper. Sugar savvy consumers know this but don’t care - limited edition candies may be a marketing tool, but they’re also a great way to try a new spin on familiar favorites. Limited Edition Carnival Skittles are an interesting change, but I won’t be sad to see them go.

Carnival Skittles

The Carnival flavors are:

Bubble Gum (pink) - Tastes just like sweet, sugary bubble gum. For lack of a better word, this Skittle tastes like pink.

Cotton Candy (turquoise) - This tastes initially like sugar, followed by a hint of artificial blue raspberry (not to be confused with fresh raspberry).

Candy Apple (pale yellow) - This one also tastes initially like sugar but, quite logically, followed by a hint of apple flavor rather than blue raspberry. The apple flavor is actually quite nice and reminds me of apple flavored Fanta.

Red Licorice (red) - I am not a fan of red licorice candy because I think it tastes like wax. Somehow, Skittles managed to encapsulate that waxy essence. I’m impressed, assuming that the waxy taste is not just my imagination.

Green Slushy (light green) - I saved the best for last! On first bite, there’s a sharp lime taste. The lime flavor then mellows out into a sweet lemon-lime. It’s more complex than a regular lime Skittle, and more enjoyable. My favorite normal Skittles are the citrus ones, so it’s no surprise that I liked Green Slushy the best. Candy Apple is okay, but I found the initial sugar taste off-putting and too sweet.

That was my issue with this bunch of Skittles overall - three of the five flavors tasted of mostly sugar, which got bland and cloying. I polished off the Green Slushy ones and left the rest for my family to finish.



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July 3rd, 2007
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Comment Number:
1
Written by:
cybele
Posted on:
July 3, 2007 at 8:54 pm

“Savvy consumers know that the phrase “limited edition” is nothing but an easy marketing ploy designed to snare the impulsive shopper.”

Really? I would agree with you when the limited edition is nothing more than a commemorative package. However, if the product is actually different, like an ENTIRELY new set of flavors, why does it make us chumps to be interested enough to try them?

Yeah, it’s about marketing, but I think it’s also about companies not wanting to take big risks, so they send out these limited editions to test the waters. The Dark Chocolate Snickers is a good example. Limited Edition at first, now a full-fledged member of the Mars family.

Comment Number:
2
Written by:
Nikole
Posted on:
July 4, 2007 at 5:09 pm

Fortunately for Skittles, taste is a very subjective matter. When my friends and I tried them we felt like we were in a scene from Willy Wonka where the “Snozberry tastes like Snozberries.” You sound a little like Veruka Salt and not very thrilled about the whole Limited Edition flavors from the start. I think the flavors were nostalgic and right on target! If it was all in my head then I suppose Skittles pulled the whole marketing ploy off successfully! My mouth sure seemed to enjoy all the flavors I remember as a kid in a Carnival, which, if memory serves me, was mostly SUGAR with vague subtle differences, if not merely its form. Anyone who doesn’t like red licorice shouldn’t be reviewing candy like Skittles. They were definitely worth my buck-something. Delicious and sweet.

Comment Number:
3
Written by:
glenge
Posted on:
July 6, 2007 at 12:09 pm

Even though I don’t like skittles, THIS POST WAS AWESOME!!!!!~

Comment Number:
4
Written by:
Jane
Posted on:
July 6, 2007 at 10:14 pm

Limited-edition or not, Skittles really just aren’t that good, period. Except the red ones, and that’s only because i like red flavor in all candies.
But i think the marketing ploy is going to work because now i want to try these carnival ones.

Comment Number:
5
Written by:
Charlie
Posted on:
July 8, 2007 at 6:58 pm

Thanks for your awesome review! I wasn’t aware that Skittles had that limited edition out until I read this. I too find that licorice tastes like wax, but the green slushy and candy apple sound quite good. Though I’ve never tried a candy apple, I think that I just might have to try that Skittle.

Comment Number:
6
Written by:
Beth
Posted on:
July 25, 2007 at 11:28 pm

Well, I think the lamest thing about Skittles is their advertising agency - worst commercials since the singing rats for Quiznos.

That being said, these are actually very good. And what is different about these, is that they SMELL good too, as soon as you open the bag. They are a little tiny bit tart, which is surprising, but I really liked them, and will definitely buy them again. Skittles should do away with the flagship group of original flavors, which are really pretty awful!

I’d buy these in a heartbeat.
(And yes, I agree with the “limited edition” marketing ploy, but it does get the attention it intended to.) It is a way to test market a new offering, and I hope they keep this one around, like they did the berries.

Dear Skittles - you can lose the original flavors in the red bag, and the “smoothies” flavors, which taste like baby aspirin.

Comment Number:
7
Written by:
alz
Posted on:
October 8, 2007 at 8:02 pm

are they still out
where can i get some