Flavors of Spice Drops

Spice drops are the sophisticated candy cousins to classic gumdrops. Thought to be of American origin, these whimsical, colorful jelly chews are widely used to decorate holiday gingerbread houses and top ice cream sundaes. Spice drops hold a special place in the candy universe with distinctive, robust flavor notes of not just spices, but fruits and herbs as well. Whether you eat them one at a time or by the mouthful, there's a bounty of flavors and colors to keep your taste buds busy.

The refreshing, herbal essence of peppermint, wintergreen and spearmint permeate some of the classic gelatin candies in the bag. These minty gels are joined by others boasting the aromatic, robust flavor of anise, cloves and allspice, sometimes referred to as "pimenta." Some candy makers use sassafras and ginger to flavor spice drops, though these aren't as common.

While it's not an exact science, you can generally predict the flavor of your favorite spice drops by their bright colors. In each bag of gummy candy, you'll discover that orange-colored spice drop will most often taste like orange and, occasionally, anise. Yellow will most often taste like lemon and sometimes like allspice. The color red is often reserved for cinnamon, but may taste like cherry. Green is usually peppermint and black is licorice. The flavor-color profile depends on the manufacturer.