Reese’s seems to really be capitalizing on Halloween. They introduced the new Franken-cup this year, they’ve got some other confections that we’ll review later this month, and they have today’s highlight, the “Reese’s Pumpkins.” So, let’s get on with the review!
- Packaging. Not bad. Once again, it’s the familiar Reese’s orange, and there’s a depiction of the pumpkin in question. Somewhat confusingly, they turned the “pumpkin” into a jack o’lantern. But I think the image is more Halloween-y than an uncarved pumpkin. So we’ll give this 2 points.
- Appearance of the Treat. Once you unwrap the “Reese’s Pumpkins,” you discover three things. First, despite the plural in the name, there is only one pumpkin. That’s a disappointment, especially if your wife (theoretically) is expecting you to give her one of them. Second, you discover that the jack o’lantern face is Fake News. The candy has a blank visage. What’s more, the proportions of the pumpkin (modestly tall, very wide) are disconcerting. I wouldn’t select a pumpkin shaped like this from my local pumpkin patch. 1 point.
3. Taste. As we discussed in an earlier post, Reese’s has mastered the peanut butter and chocolate combination. It’s a match made in heaven. But this particular pumpkin shape seems to have altered the chocolate-peanut butter ratio. That is, the chocolate seems a bit thinner, and the wide pumpkin lends itself to a greater proportion of peanut butter filling. What’s more, the pumpkin lacks the characteristic “pleated” edge that has such an awesome mouthfeel. So, I’m a little disappointed in the taste experience. But, hey, it’s a Reese’s, so I’ll give it 2 points.
4. Value. This 1.2 ounce package cost a buck. Now, one Reese’s pumpkin weighs the same as two Reese’s Franken-cups. But a king-size package of four Franken-cups costs only 1.69 times as much as a Reese’s pumpkin. Got that? Overall, it’s not a tremendous value. But it’s still a pretty satisfying treat. I’ll give it 2 points
Steve’s Sweetober Fest Score: 7 out of 12, which qualifies as a minor TREAT.
Chasing Phantoms 