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Sunday, June 17, 2007
Skittles from the UK
My friends Bronwen & Jay just returned from Europe and brought this super-sized tub of Skittles for me. So, how different are Euro-Skittles? First, remember that Skittles were first introduced in Europe, so if anything, we’ve corrupted them with our gelatin. I got some American Skittles and did a side by side.
The flavors are the same until you get to purple, which is Black Currant in the UK, grape in the US. The textures are different. American Skittles are firm, have a pretty crispy shell and long chew that’s a little grainy and then descends back into a grainy sugary mess before dissolving. UK Skittles are soft and have what feels like a thinner shell. The flavor seems a bit brighter on the citrus ones, especially the lemon that tastes rather like fresh lemon juice. I’ve never been overly fond of the American Grape Skittle, I eat it, but it’s way down there at the bottom, right after Lime. So I was intrigued by the Black Currant at first. If anything, the whole tub smells like Black Currant (whereas I find American Skittles smell like Strawberry). What I found out is this ... I don’t like Black Currant Skittles. In fact, I might not like Black Currant as a flavor much at all. I did a little reading on Black Currant, because it seems like a rather traditional British flavor and found that it’s one of the few fruits grown in the UK with high levels of Vitamin C, during WWII it was the only reliable local source. On this side of the pond, Currant cultivation was banned because the plants were encouraging the spread of a disease of pine trees needed for the lumber industry. So as they fell out of the American diet, they were practically forced down the throats of the UK kiddies. (See Wikipedia.)
American Skittles.....................UK Skittles
My dislike of Black Currant Skittles certainly wouldn’t dissuade me from eating Skittles in England or anything. The differences between the two, besides that flavor, are marginal at best. The good thing is that I have a huge tub of them. Even though they have no gelatin, they’re not Kosher or Hallal. Related Candies
POSTED BY Cybele AT 12:53 pm 
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Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.
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> It was pretty obvious that the colors aren’t quite the same. The Euro-Skittles are bit dull in comparison, in color and shine.
The same is true for Haribo gummy bears, incidentally. The ones you buy here are much “louder” in color than those you get in Germany.
Oh my God! I never knew they had black currant Skittles! It’s one of my favorite flavors and I’m in a constant state of envy for Brits and Europeans that they get it so often (same goes for muscat and Japan). I really dislike the American grape flavor and I hate black liquorice, too. It seems like in mixed candy, in Britain what would be grape or liquorice here is always black currant. Lucky bastards.
I’m with Grace--I ADORE black currant. In the UK you can get whole delicious rolls of black-currant gumdrops (and black currant ice cream and juice [aka Ribena] and and and...)
So, given that you don’t like the flavor, how does it compare to the grape Skittle, given that you don’t care for it much either?
1) The blackcurrant Skittles suck, and are the worst flavour in the pack.
2) Where on earth did you get that box from? We don’t have those in the UK! Also the colours suck, they look nothing like the UK ones, so I get the feeling you’ve been duped, Cybele.
Maybe I should review Skittles and show you what they really are…
So THAT’S why the Skittles taste so funny here in Germany. I didn’t really pay attention and just wrote it off as one more reason to be homesick for the U.S.
Interesting. I have never really thought about how skittles were introduced.
I really liked the grape Skittle flavour. In Australia it used to be grape when I was a kid but then someone decided to change it to blackcurrant. I really am not a fan I wish they would change it back. The lime flavour too!
I love Black Currant! I only recently tried it. my fiance is from the UK and had me try Ribena (we have found many English things at Harris teeter’s grocery store).
Anyway, I want some of those skittles! =)
save those blackcurrant skittles for me! i will totally trade you for fuji apple mentos.
Elke - I hear it’s the Spanish-made Haribo bears that are really bland. Someday I’ll get a hold of a mess of them and do a comparison.
Grace - see, we’d be best friends because we’d always be able to share a bag of jelly beans or skittles without quarreling!
good enough cook - I think I prefer the grape ones, but it could be that I’m just accustomed to grape as a flavor. I’ve also been eating a tube of Fruitips, which are little sugar coated jellies ... they also have currant ones and I’ve been picking those out. There’s something rather dark and musky about them, like the chalky stuff at the bottom of grape juice.
Terry - as I said, my friends brought them back from Europe, they were Amsterdam and bought them at the Duty Free shop, the label says they were made in the UK. I can hardly feel duped when something is a gift. Please, post about Skittles!
Nance - As Leigh mentioned, the Australian ones don’t even have lime ones, they’re green apple ... plus black currant. That must really throw Americans for a loop ... they look the same.
Alyssa - Mars also introduced Starburst first in Europe (also gelatin free there, I need to get a hold of those too).
leigh - do you guys have the other flavors, like Tropical or Wild Berry?
Divalicious - they also make Cassis Mentos in Japan ... I want to try them, but I’m afraid I won’t like them.
Santos - ooh, more mentos! You’ve got a deal ... especially if you can find any other citrus ones (or the Pineapple ones from Japan). I’ll save the rest of the tub for you!
i’ll be there in july, be ready for a mentos bonanza!
When I went to London last year fro work I was instructed by my sister and then sister-in-law to bring back Skittles because they are kosher there. Didn’t knwo why until now - the no gelatin thing. Didn’t have any so I have no idea how they tasted.
>Even though they have no gelatin, they’re not
Kosher or Hallal.
Why are the Skittles not considered halal even though they are gelatin free?
Khan - the package does not state that they’re Kosher or Hallal certified. I believe that factories need to be inspected to assure not only that the ingredients follow the religious laws but also that the equipment is not used for other purposes (I know Kosher doesn’t allow mixing of equipment that may process dairy with meat). I don’t know the specific requirements for Hallal, I just know that they don’t eat pork products.
I didn’t even know that there was a difference from where the skittle came from.
Where can you buy European Skittles in the US? Or did you get them shipped? I only ask because my girlfriend used to love the wild berry skittles, but then she went vegan and found out that her favorite candy has gelatin in it, so she’s quite bummed and i want to make her happy
so if you could help me out, that would be fantastic!! Thanks 
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