Red Vines Red Original Licorice Twists (4 Pound Jar)

Very fresh and tasty

As described, quality!

Love this licorice. So happy to receive this product. Great value and tasty

Delicious and very fresh

In reading the other reviews for Red Vines, it seems to be a product one either loves passionately or hates passionately, with very little middle ground. My order from Amazon is my first time trying Red Vines, and I'm not particularly loyal to any other brand, so here's my honest opinion on them.I'll typically have Twizzlers, Strawberry, 16-Ounce Bags (Pack of 6) because that's what's readily available in the supermarkets around here, or occasionally I'll have Lucky Country Licorice, Strawberry, 16-Ounce Tubs (Pack of 4) when it's available at the local Costco. I'll basically eat the Twizzlers because they're convenient, and the Lucky Country stuff because it's really good.I was looking for a good deal on licorice to have some on hand, and the Red Vines brand was recommended to me by a friend, so I decided to give them a try after reading the reviews on Amazon. So, with an open mind and hoping for the best, I placed my order with Amazon.The consistency of Red Vines is completely different than what I'm used to. They come out of the package with a grainy, dry finish, which is a contrast to the smooth, glossy finish of most other licorice I've had. Also, while Twizzlers and Lucky Country are somewhat thick and chewy, Red Vines are relatively thin, almost hollow. They have a lightness to them that the licorice I'm used to doesn't. They stay chewy in your mouth, but the grainy finish gives a somewhat different texture in your mouth. It's neither good nor bad... just different than what I'm accustomed to.In terms of taste, this is where I was most sorely disappointed. I don't know if it's the packaging or some other issue, but they have a chemical, almost menthol-like taste that isn't at all pleasant. The immediate aftertaste is brutal because it feels like you're breathing chemical fumes (almost like the air inside the individual vines is infused with this chemical taste/odor) but when this wears off (after about 3-5 minutes), there is a somewhat pleasing fruity licorice aftertaste that lingers. I don't know if it's a positive that there's still an aftertaste more than 5 minutes later, but it's certainly not enough to rescue them from the chemical taste.I'm now left with a 4lbs. tub of licorice, minus 4 vines, that I will likely throw out because I cannot return a food product to Amazon, and I honestly don't feel safe ingesting them. I wasn't expecting a health food or a natural or organic food product when ordering licorice, but I certainly wasn't expecting the sensation of breathing and eating something not only artificial, but chemical in nature.UPDATE - My parents came by for a visit, and they've previously had Red Vines, so I had them taste it to judge if there was something wrong with the batch I received. They found that it tasted like what they'd had previously, and did not have an issue with it.So their input confirms that there was nothing wrong with my package of Red Vines, and it seems my problem with them is purely that I find them offensive to my palate, and not any fault in the product.So I didn't have to throw them away, and my parents are enjoying them thoroughly, but I wouldn't buy them again, and I wouldn't recommend them to anyone without having tried them first. Like I said initially, it seems to be a product you either love or hate, with no middle ground.

What's to say, arrived in large clear container. Soft and fresh. Also buy the licorice for my pleasure

Great product but slow shipping

A thank you to Red Vines customer service! I had made an error in my purchase and they were more than helpful! Even after explaining the mistake was on my part they took the time to make sure I was pleased before the conversation was over! Every company should have such great customer service like this company!