With their burnt sienna (aka brown) packaging, Brach's Maple Nut Goodies seem targeted for a more adult audience than is usual for candy. (Alright, the color choice likely has more to do with the fact that these candies are maple-flavored than as child-proof camouflage , but let's face it-- young'uns don't usually think of brown as a cool, fun color.)
I must confess, I rarely pay much attention to the "old folks" portion of the candy aisle, but for some reason, these jumped out at me on a recent shopping trip. Perhaps it was the "maple" part of the name that caught my eye. Maple seems a fairly unusual candy flavoring, these days. (Or in other words: "Maple? Consider my interest piqued!")
They're described as "Artificially Flavored Maple Nut Goodies... Peanuts in crunchy toffee with maple coating".
Pausing briefly to note that the "peek hole" on the front of the bag is in the shape of a smile, let's tear into the package and pour out a few "goodies". Each is roughly teardrop-shaped and approximately an inch long and half an inch tall. They are an unassuming light brown with a matte finish.
There's a very sweet, maple aroma to these candies that I find appealing. A maple afficionado might sniff derisively, but it smells pretty good to me. (Also, maple syrup is at least listed in the ingredients-- in the fifth spot, behind sugar, peanuts, corn syrup, and palm oil.)
Take a bite-- and it's just as advertised. There's the dry, crumbly, maple-flavored coating and the gently sweet, relatively soft toffee and peanut interior. My only quibble is that I'd say it's more chewy than crunchy, beyond the natural crunch of the peanut. (However, some pieces are a bit harder than others.)
There's something homey about this candy, and I find them extremely munchable, possibly in part because they feel milder than many candies. They are mellow-- more like a homemade candy than much of what you find in the candy aisle.
All in all, I was pleasantly surprised by Maple Nut Goodies and would definitely be happy to purchase them again.