Black Licorice Mints

Hint Mintmore product info

I love licorice. By this, I mean black licorice, as it's the only true kind. So the first time I saw Black Licorice flavored Hint Mints while standing in line at a coffee shop, I had to buy some and give them a try.

Hint Mints in general are pretty good mints, although I tend to prefer Altoids for my peppermints still. The licorice mints, however, are outstanding. They give the perfect combination of licorice pizazz and sweetness. They're so good that when I couldn't find them anywhere local anymore, I resorted to buying them twelve tins at a time online.

You definitely have to be a licorice fan to like these. There's nothing mamby-pamby about them. Just pure delectable licorice flavor.

Hint mints do run a little expensive, although the 12-pack is cheaper at Amazon than it was when I bought it directly from the manufacturer. They average out to not too bad a price per tin, although there are fewer in a tin than some of the more common mints like Altoids.

But then the tin is also part of the appeal with Hint Mints. It's modeled after an old style cigarette case, with a slight curve that makes it fit easily in a back pocket. Due to the shape and thinness of the tin, the mints have to be placed in the tin by hand, which is the reason for part of the expense. They have since come out with mints that come in a more traditional tin and are cheaper, but they don't offer the licorice flavor in that variety.

Since I discovered these, I've also discovered that Altoids makes licorice mints as well, which I don't like very much. The licorice flavor isn't quite right, and the proportions of the ingredients aren't right either.

Hint Mints are also vegan and kosher, if you care. The ingredients are probably a little healthier than many other mints, although they still contain corn syrup. The ingredients have changed a little bit since I first started buying them, and the corn syrup is now organic and the licorice powder natural.

I highly recommend these mints to anybody who likes licorice. They're a fantastic experience.