The Good: Environmentally responsible bulk, Not a bad taste
The Bad: Taste is very mild, Underwhelming, Taste fades
The Basics: Average at best, the taste of Cinnamon Jelly Bellys is utterly without zest and fades quickly, making it easy to pass by.
As I gobble up the last few flavors needed to make me the Alpha Jelly Belly Eater, I find myself absolutely bewildered and actually upset with the Jelly Belly Corporation. Once upon a time, they had a Jelly Belly, "Ice Blue Mint" which was absolutely delicious and they got rid of it in their definitive 50 flavor assortment. Sometime after that, Cinnamon popped up in the assortment and I was both baffled and disappointed. I was baffled because Jelly Belly already has "Sizzling Cinnamon" (click here for that review) and that flavor was amazing. But as importantly, cinnamon is a flavor every company that makes spiced jelly beans produces and Jelly Belly producing it seems unimpressive. the ten-pound box of Cinnamon Jelly Bellys is one that is languishing as I go through other, better flavors here.
For those who might never have had Jelly Belly jelly beans, these are easily the best jelly beans on the planet, packing a lot of flavor into a very small size. Unlike most jelly beans which are only vaguely flavored and are more based on colors, Jelly Belly jelly beans have a wide variety of actual flavors, like the "Harry Potter-themed Bertie Bott's Every Flavor assortment, Mojito, strawberry cheesecake or their signature flavor Buttered Popcorn.
Who needs ten pounds of Cinnamon flavored Jelly Bellys? I suppose these are best for anyone who would like cinnamon, but not want it sizzling! Anyone who might like Cinnamon Jelly Belly jelly beans will likely find that this is the best way to get them in bulk in an environmentally responsible way for the least amount of money.
Basics
Cinnamon is a flavor of Jelly Belly jelly beans. Jelly Belly jelly beans are approximately one half inch long by one quarter inch wide and they are roughly bean-shaped. These little candies are marketed to taste precisely like Cinnamon and they live up to that fairly, but without the zest and kick of the other cinnamon flavored Jelly Bellys. These are remarkably average as a result.
Cinnamon flavored Jelly Bellys are available in a wide array of quantities, but the largest quantity available is the ten pound bulk case. This is a decent-sized box with a plastic lining and while some might wonder why anyone would need a ten pound box, I bemoan, "They ran out of Sizzling Cinnamon!" (because past reviewing these, I would never stock up on these.) I suspect that for most people, a ten pound case is a year's supply of these jelly beans.
Cinnamon flavored Jelly Bellys are somewhat difficult to recognize and differentiate when in assortments with other Jelly Bellys. They are opaque solid red, so the only ones they look a lot like are the Red Apple, but they are not as bright a red as the Red Apple. These Jelly Bellys are dark, opaque red, much like cinnamon imperials. Of course, on their own in the ten pound box, there is nothing to confuse them with.
Ease Of Preparation
These are jelly beans, not hunting this flavor down without stumbling over Sizzling Cinnamon; preparing them is as easy as opening the box and popping one (or a handful) into your mouth. In the case of the ten pound box, one might want to put them in a candy dish of some form as opposed to always going into the box. Then again, they do not become any more or less mild by leaving the box open. Eat them out of the box if you are so inclined!
Taste
Cinnamon is an average-at-best Jelly Belly jelly bean. The beans do not have any sort of strong bouquet, so much of their taste comes from the actual taste, not the scent. In fact, these are one of the Jelly Bellys that do not prepare the consumer for the taste through scent.
That said, the consumer is prepared for the Cinnamon Jelly Belly by the scent. This is a very mild cinnamon flavor, which tastes remarkably like the aftertaste of cinnamon imperials (the little candies one puts on sugar cookies). The flavor is mild, barely spicy and thoroughly unimpressive. They do not even leave a dry cinnamon aftertaste, so there is little realism to this flavor. Instead, this is a flavor other companies have done with jelly beans as well or better.
Cinnamon Jelly Bellys also fade quickly in their flavor. After a handful or two, they taste blandly sugary and utterly unimpressive.
Nutrition
Again, these are jelly beans, so it is no surprise that they are not a health food. It behooves one to remember that jelly beans, even Jelly Belly jelly beans, are not a legitimate source of nutrition. These are a snack food, a dessert, and are in no way an adequate substitute for a real meal. A serving is listed at thirty-five beans, with each Jelly Belly jelly bean having approximately four calories. This means that in a single serving, there are 140 calories, which is 12% of your daily recommended intake.
The thing is, Jelly Belly jelly beans are not as bad as they could be in the nutrition area. They have no fat and no protein, but for those who have ever dated a Vegan, these are Vegan compliant because they contain no gelatin! They have only one percent of the daily sodium with 15 mg and they are gluten free! The main ingredients are sugar, corn syrup and modified food starch, so it's not like this is an all-natural food, but they could be far, far worse.
Storage/Clean-up
Jelly Belly jelly beans have a shelf life of approximately one year and I have yet to run across a stale Jelly Belly (though that could have something to do with a package never surviving a year around me!). They remain freshest when they are kept in an airtight container (the bag in the bulk box is sufficient if it is kept closed) and they ought to be kept in a lukewarm environment. Storing them in hot places is likely to make the beans stick together and be gross. Kept in a cool, dry place, the beans retain their flavor perfectly.
As for cleanup, unless one allows the Jelly Belly to get hot to the point that the waxy coating on the bean melts, the dyes on these do not bleed or denature, so there is usually no cleanup necessary, not even washing one's hands after eating them (always wash your hands before eating Jelly Bellys, that's just common sense!). I've never had Cinnamon Jelly Bellys stain anything.
Overall
Cinnamon Jelly Belly jelly beans are a real disappointment and because there are other companies which make virtually the identical flavor as well or better, it is a tough sell to shell out for these gourmet beans, especially in bulk.
For other Jelly Belly flavors reviewed by me, please check out:
Raspberry
Pomegranate Cosmo
Peach Bellini
5/10
For other food and drink reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here for an organized listing!
© 2010, 2009 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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