Hi-Chew Premium – Mikan Mandarin Orange

And here we are again, with another stint of me putting chewy balls in my mouth and letting you know how it tastes. Some things never change eh? Ever the sucker for anything Hi-Chew, I do sometimes wonder how much longer before I’m at the end of the rope and I no longer have any more new flavours to try. Though I’m sure Morinaga is a big enough company they can keep that treadmill going.

Boy oh boy would I love to get an air freshener that smells like these – they have just the right hint of rounded, citrus scent that lets you know it’s going to be a bit sour but also a bit sweet. Sort of like a playful house cat.

It’s a little hard to explain or pin point, but for whatever reason these are the optimal shape and format to cause the mouth to water a little when chewing these. In comparison to the stick format, something about these balls triggers the saliva to start flowing and creates the illusion that these are mouth watering. Not in a super tart or mouth puckering way though, these are not that sour.

The best way I can think to describe this is that it’s a bit like taking the rind of a mandarin and chewing it while drinking orange juice. It’s got a very noticeable, tart citrus quality to it that is very strong and leaves no doubt in your mind that it’s derived from some rinds. That’s where the flavour is coming from. Most orange flavours tend to be on the sweeter side, and while this is still sweet, the mandarin peel or rind that’s obviously present gives it marmalade vibes. Except this is chewable and not nearly as sticky. Chewable marmalade sounds like a great snack. Just sayin’.

Texture wise it’s not unlike the typical taffy quality of bouncy chew that Hi-Chew is known for. Really the only difference is the shape and the slightly chalky, thin layer on the outside that keeps things together. I’m not sure how else to describe it other than that. Maybe there’s more to the “premium” moniker that I don’t know about. Maybe there’s some burning information on the label somewhere but given I don’t read or understand Japanese, for all I know I’m just ingesting an extra dose of camel urine. You never know…

I’ve talked at length about my opinions on citrus and how it’s not for me, and sadly it extends to these. They are by no means bad or not delicious, it’s just not the flavour profile I tend to gravitate towards so while I would highly recommend these, they aren’t for me or people like me who just aren’t big fans of citrus. Let there be no mistake though, these are tasty.