Life

Skittles Darkside Candies Are BACK & The Flavors Will Make '90s Kids Drool

by Brittany Bennett
Mars-Wrigley

If you thought Halloween was the only appropriate time for candy news, prepare to have your candy calendar rocked. According to a Mars-Wrigley press release, Skittles Darkside candies are returning in January — and despite the name, they'll brighten your new year. The colorful orbs of chewy sugar are traditionally enjoyed year round and straight from the packet. However, every once in a while, the general Skittle-adoring public gets tossed a new bag of unexpected flavor to both explore and enjoy.

The holiday that bestows more treats than tricks upon us — Halloween — welcomed the Zombie Skittles to store shelves. Don't worry, the bag wasn't full of candy coated brains and guts. The candy featured a line-up of flavors fit for the Haunted Mansion. There was Boogeyman Blackberry, Mummified Melon and Blood Red Berry. The perfect balance of creepy and fruity.

Other Skittle flavors that have stuck around for some time are Sour Skittles, tossed in sour sugar that makes your tongue fizzle in anticipation for the chew, Tropical Skittles and Wild Berry Skittles. These are all of course in additional to the almighty Original Skittles. The original line up of the candy includes Orange, Lemon, Green Apple, Grape, and Strawberry. We all know that the rainbow tastes good. So, what's on the other side of it?

Mars Wrigley Confectionary

In Jan. 2019, Skittles says we can expect to taste the other side of the rainbow — again. This particular assortment of Skittles has been on and off shelves in the candy aisle since 2013. According to Mars-Wrigley, this bag will include a Dark Berry, Black Cherry, Blood Orange, and Midnight Lime flavor. Rounding out the bag is a "Forbidden Fruit" flavor, which sounds mysterious and exciting.

You can expect to see the majestic purple packaging on shelves sometime in Jan. 2019. The candy will be available in individual packs and the 4-oz share size and 14-oz bags, if you're really ready to party. And when it comes to candy, who doesn't come to party?

The Darkside Skittles are the winter time answer to Skittles' Brightside flavors. The Brightside line up features summer forward fruits and fruit combinations like Paradise Punch, Watermelon, Pink Lemonade, Kiwi Banana, and Tangerine. Pink Lemonade removed from the glass and shrunk into chewing form? Yes please, and thank you!

But now that it's winter and the last thing any of us experiencing dropping temperatures wants is a fireside pink lemonade. The ~darker~ flavors are what warm our sweet tooth these days. Dark berries and black cherries are a mood. Everything is a little darker — literally — in the winter and these fruits understand. But winter is also prime time for citrus like blood oranges and lime. The zest and color of these fruits allows a dose of brightness in the dreary winter months.

Darkside Skittles takes us over the rainbow for a moodier treat. But there's nothing particularly sinister about them other than their ominous title. The brightside of the Darkside Skittles is that they're actually a delicious, welcomed addition to the new year's candy shelves. Because as the winter days give way to longer, darker nights a bag of Skittles will always brighten the season.