If you were a candy company, and you wanted to impress some reviewers, you’d probably send as many different products as you could to them for review, right?  That’s usually what happens : we’ll get 4-6 things from  a confectioner, and a couple will be good.  We’ll write about one, maybe two.

But this time…I’m genuinely impressed.  The Marich Confectionary, around since the 80’s, sent us 8 different delights to try- and try we did.  And like, we did.  I sound like Yoda.

But seriously, this stuff is quality.  You can see it, you can taste it…you can even smell it.  I only wanted to write about one or two of these items, but…for your sake, I’ll throw in four.  First up?  Chocolate Cherries:

No big mystery here-just milk chocolate covered cherries.  Chewy, sweet, with a decent heft to them.  These are a nice sized candy, large even, and they taste amazing. Very…real and hearty.  Chunks of chocolate and cherries.

However, my attention was quickly averted when I caught site of these darlings.  “English Toffee Caramels”:

What’s not to like here? Toffee flavored caramel enrobed in milk chocolate.  It’s not runny caramel-it’s chewy caramel, right in my wheelhouse.  These are scary good.  Backfat enducing. I.e., get them away from me, I’m too fat kinda good.  I’d never had toffee flavored caramel before…very tasty.

However, these are what originally caught my eye on the Marich site- “Holland Mints”:

You’ve had these before, maybe at Grandma’s?  I remember them fondly, and tasting these didn’t disappoint.  If I close my eyes, I can hear “Jeopardy!” on the TV and smell the old lady smell of my late Grandma’s place.  Luv ya, Bubs!  They taste like a thin candy coating over mint chocolate.

Clearly though, when you look at the autopsy (of the CANDY, sicko!), there’s something else going on, some sort of mint creme or something.  Regardless-they taste exactly like I remember them at Grandma’s, and that’s a good thing.  Nostalgia counts when it comes to candy.

Finally, I just had to try the “Mint Maltballs”:

Think Whoppers with a mint accent.  Delightful.  Same malty consistency as Whoppers, same crunch, same way they dissolve.  All that and a touch of mint.  Nothing wrong here.  Not the best of the bunch, but very yummy.

However, perhaps the most impressive thing Marich sent us was their catalog.  My LORD, they make a ton of interesting candies.  Try these names on for size:

Coconut Curry Cashews (yes please, 2 pounds)

White Chocolate Gingerbread Candies

Cheesecake Caramels

Milk Chocolate Tart Cherries (Hello!)

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Cashews (You had me at “hello!

and finally

Chocolate Peanut Butter Caramels (You complete me)

Ummm….word to my “friends” and family- this stuff is good.  This stuff is good enough to get Dad/Hubby/Pal Jonny for special ocassions.  This stuff is good enough that I need to stress to you all…go to www.marich.com.  Peruse their catalog.  Pick out a few items that sound good and give them a whirl.

It’s not terribly often that we stumble across a company with the the 3 most important qualities the Candygurus are looking for:

1.  They make delicious candy.

2.  They take the ingredients seriously, and stress quality.

3.  They’re deluded enough to want to associate with the Candygurus, and send us free stuff.

Ding, ding ding.  Marich fires on all cylinders.  We have a winner.  Check ’em out, and let us know what you think.