Christmas Nougats

christmas_nougatsChristmas just isn’t complete without these soft, chewy bits of pepperminty heaven!

This is another of those candies I remember fondly from my childhood, though back then I never knew them as “Peppermint Christmas Nougats”.  (If I had, I might not have liked them so well.  The word “nougat” isn’t quite appealing to most children, and honestly, I’m still not crazy about it, though nougat itself is a delightful thing.)  Instead, they were “chewy peppermints”, which is at least as fitting as “Christmas Nougat”.

This candy has an even stronger glow of nostalgia than most candies from my childhood, because they are a seasonal treat.  (Ask any child.  Rabbit-shaped chocolate is more fun than a plain candy bar.)

So, by now you’ve probably figured out that this will be a glowing review, but we won’t let that stop us from going through the entire process.
The Packaging:

The bag is bright and cheerful in the appropriately seasonal red and green, with nice punches of lime green, purple, and violet.  The candy is advertised as “Quality HANDMADE Nougats”, which is surprising (not the “quality” part, but the bit about “handmade”, I mean).  A good two-thirds of the bag front is clear, so you can see exactly what you’re getting (in case yours was a sad childhood devoid of Christmas nougats, leaving you ignorant of their appearance).

Because these are fairly sticky, soft candies, they are individually wrapped in cellophane with red and green trim.  Removed from the bright outer bag, they look a little old-fashioned– or maybe “timeless” is a better word.
christmas_nougatsThe Nougats:

Each nougat is roughly a 1″ x 1.25″ oval.
(I think they’re meant to be circles, but they tend to get a bit squoosed.)  A maroon striped edging and a simple Christmas tree shape in dark green and brown go all the way through the candy, which is otherwise white.

Aroma:  Pleasantly minty.  It smells like Christmas.
Flavor:  Minty, of course.  Pepperminty.  Sweetly so.  This isn’t a harsh, take-your-breath-away mintiness.  It’s much milder than that, but still refreshingly minty.
Texture:  A little sticky / gooey / chewy.  Melt-in-your-mouth soft.
Conclusion:  These are basically a soft version of the traditional hard peppermint– but that softness makes them much more appealing than regular peppermints.  If you aren’t careful, you can work your way through a bag in no time.
Christmas Nougats
Brand: Brach’s
Weight: 16oz
Price: About $3

Yum: A classic. Soft, minty, sweet, and slightly chewy. For many, reminiscent of Christmases past.

Yuck: Only seasonally available.

Packaging:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
Aroma:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
Texture:5 out of 5 stars (5.0 / 5)
Appearance:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
Flavor:5 out of 5 stars (5.0 / 5)
Value:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)
Overall:4 out of 5 stars (4.0 / 5)

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