When I first heard about the new Snickers Charged candy bar from Mars, I knew it was something I had to try. My love affair with Snickers candy bars goes back to my childhood. I can still remember digging through my bag at Halloween and trading other candies with my friends for a few extra Snickers bars. Now that I’m older the candy bars don’t taste quite the same, but that doesn’t stop me from giving them another shot every now and then. Hence the Snickers Charged.
The Snickers Charged is being hailed as the new way to make candy. Each bar contains caffeine, and other added things to give a boost to each candy bar. In fact, the Snickers Charged has a whopping 60 milligrams of caffeine in every single chocolate candy bar. Chocolate with even more caffeine? That might seem a little excessive to some. However, that is less caffeine than found in a cup of coffee, but more than the caffeine found in a can of soda. The Snickers Charged also has a total of 250 calories in a single serving, which is still less than the regular Snickers candy bar.
I opened up the candy bar, and was relieved to find that it smelled exactly the same as any other Snickers candy bar. For some reason I thought it might smell different, but I guess they saved that for the taste.
At first I noticed an odd taste in the back of my throat, some kind of aftertaste that I usually only associate with Diet Coke. I honestly assumed this was more psychological than physical due to the ingredients listed. Its not often that you find a candy bar that claims to have B-Vitamins inside. Still, I decided to press on.
As you continue to eat the Snickers Charged candy bar, that strange after taste only seems to grow. I can’t exactly decide what it tastes like, but it was slightly bitter and definitely pronounced. Some have claimed that it tastes like coffee, but with the amount of coffee I typically drink, I have to say that it doesn’t taste like coffee at all.
It’s a little sad because this could be something very interesting. You still have everything that makes a Snickers bar: nougat, nuts, caramel, and a chocolate shell. Add to that the caffeine and vitamins, and this might even pass for a semi-healthy snack. Instead it only seems to make things a little disgusting. If you can stomach the strange and bitter aftertaste, than this might be something for you. As for me though, I’ll pass.
