Sugarfina candy order

Sugarfina is an online (gourmet) candy boutique with products from all around the world. I believe they now have a store location in Beverly Hills, but the way most customers get product is through the internet!
I received a gift certificate to Sugarfina from one of my (ex)coworkers for my birthday back in September but had kind of put it on the back burner. It all worked out for the best though, I think, because by the time I went back to look at the site in early November, they were having a free shipping promotion for orders over $75! That seems like a lot of candy, but it is a bit pricey to begin with and since shipping prices would be at least $10 for just a small order, my mom and I thought it would be worth it to order $75 worth. Plus, I had the gift certificate anyway.

For most candies, you have a size choice between a tasting packet (~1oz), a small acrylic cube (~3oz), large acrylic cube (~11.5oz), or a 5lb box. They don't show examples of the boxes or tasting packets on the site which is a little annoying imo. I tried googling for pictures of people holding tasting packets/small cubes (so I could compare it to the size of your hand and kind of guess at what the dimensions would be), but there weren't many results. We decided to go with mostly tasting packets and small acrylic cubes because we had no idea what anything would taste like and didn't want to risk it with too much quantity of anything. I knew not to expect TOO much of each candy though judging from the listed weights.
[One of other things I don't really like about the Sugarfina website (besides that they don't have an example of what each size looks like in the listing) is that you have to click on each individual candy listing to read the description. All the info you get on the main page is the name of the candy and a stock photo which doesn't always tell you enough about the product, and I feel like I had to click on basically every single one to make sure I wasn't missing out on something just because the name and the picture didn't immediately resonate with me as a product I'd like. My suggestion would probably be to add the ability to hover and have a short description pop-up, which would encourage you to click to read more but whatever, that's just me. Anyway, because I think the description REALLY matters for a number of these candies, I copied and pasted them from the listings here into my blog post for your convenience. You will see them in a smaller size font in italics and, for the most part, in "". (Does Blogger have a blockquote option? Because I'd ideally like to use that.) I'm not trying to claim credit for their writing!]

We looked through all the products and a number of the more popular ones were out of stock probably due in part to the free shipping promo. There's quite a few things to look through but we finally decided and made our purchase on 11/4 (PM). I received an email confirmation right away that night, and then a shipping notification the next day on 11/5 with a tracking number. The box arrived on 11/8, and I met the postal worker at the door to receive it.

The box is a pretty turquoise blue color and is far from a boring looking package.

The boxes inside seemed to be wrapped/packaged well with bubble wrap and other stuffing.

Also inside were a handwritten note and another small card explaining what the company is/other information about your candy. They purposefully do not include an invoice in the package since many times people like to send the candy as a gift. Your receipt is solely delivered through email.

I'm going to attempt to try and mini-review as many of the products we received as possible. I should tell you now that I didn't try all of them personally though. My cousin sampled almost all of them, and my mother tried most of them as well. I tried maybe like 5 different ones lol. If you know me, you know I'm a really picky, non-adventurous eater, and if it sounds like something I won't like, I typically won't bother trying it because chances are that I won't like it anyway even though most people would, so my opinion probably doesn't mean much for the ones I dislike. I think I basically just want to state which ones we liked and which ones we wouldn't order again personally.

Cocktail Hour Tasting Box 8 - 1 oz tasting samples
Candy.  Cocktails.  Could there be a more perfect combination?
Includes a 1oz tasting of each candy, individually packaged & labeled (8oz total in each box).  All the tastings are arranged in a chic gift box with a tasting menu, perfect for gifting! The Cocktail Hour includes tastings of our booze-inspired candies...

Besides individual candies, Sugarfina also offers prepared tasting boxes (filled with tasting packets) or "bento boxes" (filled with small acrylic boxes) that are great for gifts or parties. They are a bit more expensive than just buying the candies individually, but you are also paying for the packaging. Because of this, we were going to just buy only individual candies, but I really wanted to try the champagne bears, and they were sold out individually and the other tasting boxes that included the champagne bears were also sold out, so we were pretty much left with only this option if we wanted to try them lol, but now we were also forced to try all the other things that came in the tasting box besides it too.

Absinthe Cordials

"Hello little green fairy...
Once banned in the U.S. and Europe, absinthe in an anise-flavored spirit derived from the wormwood plant.  A favorite drink of Ernest Hemmingway, Vincent van Gogh, and Oscar Wilde, absinthe was commonly known as "the green fairy" for its supposed ability to induce mind-opening intoxication and hallucinations.
Although this cordial contains only the flavors of absinthe (an herbal-y blend of anise and fennel), it's sure to transport you back in time to the heyday of 19th century Paris and the Moulin Rouge.  A unique gift for the cocktail enthusiast. 
Allergy info: this product contains soy and wheat and may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts
Non-alcoholic"
Tasting packet contained around 11 pieces. I didn't try these. I was not interested in them based on the description mostly because I am not interested in absinthe. My cousin tried them and did not reach for another lol. I'm sure if you like absinthe, this is probably a treat, but it's not something I think we would purchase again individually.

Champagne Gummy Bears

"Named "the perfect party favor" by Cosmopolitan magazine, these grown-up gummies are the finest bears in all of candy land.
Infused with the flavors of exquisite French champagne, these effervescent little bears are spiked with a bit of the bubbly.  As cute as they are chic, you'll have a hard time choosing a favorite between classic Brut and fashionable Rosè.
Imported from Germany, these all-natural Champagne Bears® are made with real champagne and are exclusively available at Sugarfina in the U.S.
Allergy info: this product contains coconut and may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts
Non-alcoholic.  Does not contain artificial colors, flavors or corn syrup.
Fat free, Gluten free."
The tasting packet contained about 12 gummy bears. My mother was the first one to try these and upon eating it, her immediate conclusion was that they just tasted like regular gummy bears (in particular, the clear one from Haribo), so she kind of dismissed them. My cousin tried them later and so did my aunt and they mentioned a really tart aftertaste. They also mentioned a strong manufacturing/industrial scent when they sniffed the packet (for whatever reason lol) which was very off-putting. I smelled it myself and agreed. It wasn't exuding from the packet or anything and you had to be actually pretty close to the product to smell it, but I'm not sure what that comes from - whether it was the bears themselves or the packaging for some reason. I later stuck it in a ziploc bag after opening with another candy which had an overpowering peach scent, and then I couldn't smell the industrial scent anymore...not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing because it was simply masked now. My mom tried them again later, discovered the tart aftertaste and decided that she did like them lol. I tried one for myself and also liked it. Personally I'm not sure how much it tastes like actual champagne since I don't drink, but it's a pretty good gummy bear with a slight twist. I would say 4/5, would order again but I'm really unnerved by that weird scent that was present when it was originally opened. 

Champagne Bubbles

"Delicate, sweet and chic, Champagne Bubbles are one of our all-time favorite gummies.  Dressed up in tiny white nonpareils, each juicy little bite bursts with the flavors of the finest champagne.  Sophisticated yet playful, you'll love each bubbly "sip"
Champagne Bubbles are perfect for favors and gifts.  Contact us about creating beautiful personalized favors in your colors and theme at custom@sugarfina.com."
Tasting packet contained around 17 pieces. My cousin tried this first and didn't like it. She said the nonpareils on the outside didn't jive well with the gummy inside. My mother tried it later despite being a bit hesitant about it and ending up giving it a positive review. She said it actually tastes like like champagne, and if you wanted to splurge for bridal event (wedding or shower), it would be a great favor. (Not sure if she was unconsciously reciting what she had previously read from the description or if this was her original thought but apparently she agrees with the description lol.) It was good/accurate but I'm not sure if we would order this again for ourselves.

Maple Bourbon Caramels

"Infused with Makers Mark bourbon and premium maple sugar, these smooth caramels have just the right amount of kick.
Pairs perfectly with our Bourbon Marshmallows and a deep pour of Kentucky's finest."
Tasting packet contained around 11 pieces. I don't think anyone had anything in particular to say about this. My cousin mentioned that it didn't taste like bourbon at all to her. Most likely, we wouldn't order this again if we had the choice. A number of these items in the tasting box we're just forced to try though lol. We weren't necessarily interested in all of them.

Martini Olive Almonds

"Don't worry, there aren't any actual olives in this candy... just smartly-dressed, chocolate-covered almonds masquerading as cocktail garnishes.
Also available as a gift set with an adorable, single-serving martini shaker.
The perfect gift for martini lovers!
Allergy info: this product contains milk, almonds and soy and may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts"
Tasting packet contained about 7 pieces. My aunt and cousin were REALLY hesitant to try this even after I assured them it was not olive flavored lol. Eventually, they did try a piece and confirmed that it is a white-chocolate covered almond lol. I think that that by itself is a pretty simple item (no real need to review the taste necessarily) but the "fancy" part is that it's dressed up - and it does look like a martini olive lol. My family is not big on white chocolate so we likely wouldn't order this to eat ourselves, but I can easily see this being fun at a party for people to snack on.

Pale Ale Pints

"These refreshing gummies are shaped like a perfect pitcher of ale, complete with a freshly-poured foamy cap.  
With a twist of citrus and a sweet, smooth finish, they're the perfect candy for a backyard BBQ on a warm summer day.
Allergy info: this product may contain traces of wheat, peanuts and tree nuts
Fat free"
Tasting packet contained exactly 5 pieces of candy. It's been a few weeks and no one has tried these yet lol. I don't know if it's because it's obvious that there's so few in there or what. This probably wasn't the best tasting box for us in general because my family is not big on liquor/alcoholic drinks so we're not enthused to try all of these, but as I said earlier, basically the only reason we got it was to try the champagne bears lol so we weren't expecting to love all of these. Maybe when my brother comes back from school he'll want to sample this. I'll edit this later if someone ends up trying it, but I didn't want to keep delaying this post lol.

Cuba Libre (Spiced Rum & Cola)

"It's a taste of Old Havana in this refreshing gummy cocktail.
Spiced dark rum is paired with bright & bubbly cola for a sweet, spirited flavor with a Caribbean twist.  Shaped like little ice cubes, you'll be inspired to pour a tall glass of these gummies and dance the night away.   
Part of our ultra-rare gummy collection, the juicy, all-natural Cuba Libre is imported from Germany and exclusively available at Sugarfina in the U.S.
Allergy info: this product contains coconut and may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts
Fat free and non-alcoholic"
Tasting packet contained about 12 cubes. My mom said it tastes like gummy colas but upscale. She also mentioned that they have a good texture. My cousin and my aunt also tried it and basically said the same thing but my cousin's piece had some kind of weird jelly texture on it that she didn't care for? The flavor though they said tasted pretty much only like cola. 5/5 would buy again, would recommend to others, would buy as a gift for others.

Single Malt Scotch Cordials

"The gentleman's cordial.
Bite through the delicate dark chocolate shell and taste a mini dram of Scotland's finest.  These highbrow cordials are flavored with the finest single malt scotch for a taste that's both intoxicating and smooth.
Also available in a gift set, paired with a beautiful stainless steel flask.
Allergy info: this product contains soy and wheat and may contain traces of peanuts and other tree nuts.
Non-alcoholic"
Tasting packet contained around 10 pieces. I believe this is still unopened as well lol. Sorry no review at the moment.


The individual candies (not part of any kind of pre-set box) we ordered came packaged together in this box -

The tasting packets

The small acrylic cubes

Individual candies altogether

 
Fruttini - Wild Blueberry 1.25 oz taster packet

"If you love pâte de fruit, you'll really love their beautiful Italian cousins.
These juicy, tiny fruit gems are infused with wild blueberries, then rolled in extra-fine Italian sugar crystals.  Each bite is pillowy soft and bursting with 100% all-natural flavor.
Also available in Italian lemon, strawberry and blood orange.
Imported from Italy and exclusively available at Sugarfina in the U.S.
Fat free, gluten free, no corn syrup."
Tasting packet contains around 23 pieces. My mom purchased this for myself, and I think she wasn't very fond of it lol. Likely would not order again for ourselves.

Fruttini - Wild Strawberry  1.25 oz taster packet

"If you love pâte de fruit, you'll really love their beautiful Italian cousins.
These juicy, tiny fruit gems are infused with fresh strawberries, then rolled in extra-fine Italian sugar crystals.  Each bite is pillowy soft and bursting with 100% all-natural flavor.
Also available in wild blueberry, Italian lemon and blood orange.
Imported from Italy and exclusively available at Sugarfina in the U.S.
Fat free, gluten free, no corn syrup."
Tasting packet contains around 17 pieces of varying sizes. Similar to the blueberry one, but I think my mother liked the strawberry a bit better. Likely would not order again for ourselves.

Fuji Apple Caramels 1.05 oz taster packet

"Crisp Fiji apple flavor is paired with smooth, rich caramel for a mouthwatering taste sensation.
These perfectly-sized caramel bites are sweet up front and tart on the finish.  Our most refreshing caramel yet.
Allergy info: this product contains milk and soy and may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts
Kosher Dairy"
Lol my mother did not like these at all and neither did my father. Both mentioned that it was WAY too sweet and really just bad lol. All caramel flavor and no apple. I didn't try it myself because I don't like caramel, but my mother does like caramel and does like caramel apples in particular (which is what I would assume it's supposed to taste similar to) and since she didn't like it, I feel like that's pretty telling. We're not caramel connoisseurs or anything though but, man, they both had a strong negative reaction to it lol. My mom rated it 0/5 - would not purchase again, would not consider buying it for anyone as a gift haha.

Key Lime Pie Cookie Bites 1 oz taster packet

"Tart and sweet, these tiny sugar cookie bites are dipped in premium white chocolate infused with refreshing key lime.
A slice of summer in one perfect little bite!
Allergy info: this product contains wheat, milk and soy and may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts"
Tasting packet contained around 9 pieces. I think my cousin didn't have anything in particular to say about this one, so she probably felt neutral about it. My mom tasted it and said it had a good texture and tasted like key lime pie. She would order it again. (Sorry not sure what happened to the other photo. I'm looking for it now lol.)

Peach Bellini 1.2 oz taster packet

"Peach with a pucker...
These all-natural gummies are filled with a juicy peach center, then dusted in sweet & sour sugar crystals for a mouthwatering taste sensation.  If you love sour peaches, you'll be totally smitten with these unique peachy hearts.
Imported from Germany, Sugarfina is the only U.S. retailer to carry these gummies.  A rare and delectable treat!
Allergy info: this product contains coconut and may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts
Fat free"
This is one of the products I picked for myself that I really wanted! So of course I tried it. I think it came with 8 pieces according to an earlier photo. Sorry - gobbled a lot of them up before I had a chance to take a proper picture lol. These are really yummy imo and really accurate to the description. They are both sweet and sour and taste really great. I was a bit nervous about the jelly-ish looking darker portion in the center (I'm not fond of that texture) but it wasn't noticeable when you were eating it. The peach flavor is similar to Trolli PeachieOs if you're familiar with that but a bit more upscale (like it's slightly deeper?) if that makes sense + the sour. Idk if that makes any sense lol. I already enjoy PeachieOs so this is just like a bumped up version in my mind basically. My mom didn't try this one because she doesn't like peach, but S, cousin and aunt all liked it. 5/5 would for sure order again for myself in a larger quantity lol.

Apple Frogs 0.8 oz taster packet

"Ribbit.
Ribbit.
Why hello there.  Mind if I hop in your mouth?
Bright green apple flavor perfectly harmonizes with vanilla apple foam, for a taste that will get your taste buds jumping.
Imported from Germany, these all-natural green apple frogs are made by a local German manufacturer and are not available in the U.S., except at Sugarfina.  Don't confuse them with any "imposter" frogs, these yummy amphibians are the real deal.
Allergy info: this product contains coconut and may contain traces of peanuts and tree nuts
Fat free"
Tasting packet contained exactly 5 pieces of candy. I didn't try this myself because as much as I like green apple flavored candies, I don't like vanilla and didn't think it prudent to waste one of the five on me who wouldn't like it lol. Everyone who did try one enjoyed it though! The flavor is true to the description. I think we would order this again based on the taste, but the quantity just seems quite small although each frog has a lot of mass?

Sweetheart Honey Beans 4.1 oz small acrylic cube

"We're totally sweet on these adorable new jelly beans, naturally infused with real honey.
You'll fall in love with all 16 flavors, including:

1. Black Cherry
2. Raspberry
3. Pomegranate
4. Cinnamon
5. Strawberries & Cream
6. Red Currant
7. Satsuma Orange
8. Georgia Peach
9. Meyer Lemon
10. Bartlett Pear
11. Wild Blueberry
12. Honeycomb
13. Buttered Popcorn
14. Vanilla Bean
15. Thai Coconut
16. Cappuccino

Gelatin-free, gluten free, fat free
Kosher Pareve"
I decided not to try any of these myself. When you open the cube and try to pick out which jelly bean is which flavor by smell, the cinnamon is very over powering. I really dislike cinnamon so I wasn't inclined to taste anything. I think my mother considered the flavors reasonably accurate, but she mentioned she wouldn't order it again.

Green Beans All-Natural Jelly Beans 4 oz small acrylic cube

"The 'good for you' jelly bean.
These premium real fruit jellybeans are made with 100% natural flavors and colors.  Fresh-picked flavors include Black Cherry, Pomegranate, Strawberry, Orange Punch, Peach, Lemon, Vanilla Bean, Green Apple, Blueberry, Grape and Root Beer.
Mix and match flavors to create your own jelly bean cocktail.  Our favorite combos include:

• "Cherry Cola" - Root Beer & Black Cherry
• "Apple Pie" - Vanilla & Green Apple
• "Berry Smoothie" - Strawberry, Blueberry, Pomegranate

Gelatin-free.
Allergy info: this product may contain traces of milk, wheat, peanuts and other tree nuts"
I actually tried this one lol. But only the peach and green apple flavors which I knew I would probably like. The green apple I personally thought was kind of blah and just kind of tasted like a regular jelly bean without any strong apple flavoring. The peach, however, I thought was quite good! Reminded me a lot of the strong peach flavor in the Peach Bellinis. My mom and I had fun trying to figure out which flavor was which. She decided to get the cube size of these jelly beans because she wanted to make sure to get at least one of every flavor. I feel like if you only get a tasting packet there's a pretty good chance you won't get every single one. We did get a variety but there was a very visible minority of white (vanilla bean) jelly beans. There was only 2 in the whole cube.

The chocolate toffees

Chocolate Bacon Toffee 3.15 oz small acrylic cube

"Chocolate.  Bacon.  Toffee.
Our three favorite food groups, together at last.
This crunchy, bacon-flavored toffee is made in small batches using real cane sugar and farm-fresh dairy cream.  It's diced into bite-size squares, then dipped in premium milk chocolate for a smooth, savory flavor.
Allergy info: contains almonds, milk and soy and may contain traces of wheat, peanuts and other tree nuts
Contains soy bacon.  No pigs were harmed in the making of this candy."
My cousin was excited to try it until she learned it wasn't real bacon lol. She wasn't in love with it and said you couldn't taste the bacon. My dad didn't like this one and told us not to order it again lol. My S said he would pick this one over the coffee one if you like the taste of bacon. I opted out of trying this lol. Most of the pieces are still untouched in the cube even weeks later.

Dark Chocolate Coffee Toffee 3.2 oz small acrylic cube

"Premium toffee, hand-made with raw cane sugar and fresh dairy butter, is blended with ground French-roast coffee, then coated in luxurious dark chocolate.  Need we say more?  The first time we tasted it, we cried.  It's THAT good.
Allergy info: this product contains milk and soy and may contain traces of wheat, peanuts and other tree nuts"
My mom quite loved this product (5/5 would order again). She said it tasted as described and couldn't stop eating it! S was a little less enthused, but he said it tasted accurate. 

Peanut Butter Toffee 2.8 oz small acrylic cube

"Some candies are so good you write love songs about them.
Like this peanut butter toffee for example.
Handmade with farm-fresh dairy butter, real sugar and chopped peanuts, this delicious toffee is drenched in artisan peanut butter, dipped in milk chocolate, then finely dusted with powdered sugar.
Our first candy to have it's own fan club.
Allergy info: this product contains peanuts, milk and soy and may contain traces of wheat and tree nuts "
Besides the Peach Bellini, this was the only other product that I picked for myself, and I was looking forward to eating it. The acrylic cube arrived damaged. There was a chunk of acrylic missing from the front right side and a huge crack extending beneath the sticker on the cover of the cube. The toffee itself was fine and tasted as described. The toffee is small compared to the size of the piece though.
I emailed Sugarfina about the damage and was promised a new cube of this candy. The rep said they would provide me tracking number when it was sent and that they would also include a few other samples in the box. I waited patiently for her to email me with a tracking number and never received one (I figured they were just busy or something.) Instead, one day we were surprised to find a Sugarfina box in the mailbox. I was happy that they actually sent it pretty quickly! UNTIL I opened the box and found this

 Wtf. Completely melted and inedible in that state imo unless I wanted to scoop it out with a spoon and eat mostly melted chocolate peanut butter toffee. It was aesthetically unpleasing to say the least, and also of course makes it look like there's hardly anything in there. I cannot imagine giving this product to someone as a gift to surprise them and having them receive it LIKE THIS. I emailed the rep who was helping me earlier about the toffee with pictures, and I received in response "Unfortunately we can't control the weather". That was not the answer I expected at all. She did offer to send another cube and asked if it would be possible to send it to another address where I might be able to receive the package immediately, but I don't have another address to which I can send personal goods. I stuck the cube in the refrigerator to try and salvage it, but of course it will never be back in its original form and was very difficult to try and eat after so I gave up.

 

We received the newest (3rd) cube yesterday. I wasn't home but my mom unpacked it and took a few pictures (sorry for the weird framing - I blame her).

 

 

 The silver thing basically works like an ice pack lol. I finally have a small acrylic cube peanut butter toffee in perfect condition lol. And it only took three tries. I do like the taste of this toffee, but I would hesitate to recommend Sugarfina's chocolate products to anyone who lives in a warmer climate unless you can greet the postal worker every time the package arrives. If they're going to give the excuse that they "can't control the weather", then I'd rather not waste $7 on poopy looking product that is not even worth $1 in that condition.


Because of the damaged and then subsequently melted peanut butter toffee, I had the chance to see how Sugarfina's customer service operates. I would rate the experience with customer service a 3.75/5 for how the rep handled it. She responded to emails within 24 hours usually, but I'm taking points off because she told me she would send me a tracking number and free samples for the first cube they tried to resend, and I received neither. I'm a bit peeved about the tracking number because had I been expecting the chocolate to arrive on a certain day, I would have tried to retrieve the mail immediately. Instead I think it was in my mailbox for an hour or so because I had no reason to rush out and get the mail. Not giving me the tracking number or samples wouldn't be so bad in general (like I wouldn't expect them to give me those things), except she literally told me she would do it in the email and didn't. I also didn't really like how she responded to the completely melted toffee. I know that she obviously doesn't control the weather, but I don't think it's so much to ask to not receive product in THAT condition, and they obviously have ice packs?? In the end, I guess I shouldn't complain too much because I did receive what I paid for in the end.

Overall, I guess I'm glad my coworker gave me the gift certificate so I could try all these candies that I wouldn't otherwise know about. It's a good idea for gifts, and I guess I trust the company to deliver the goods as promised. The pricing is a bit high though for both the candy and the shipping so I don't see it as a go-to idea for us + Hawaii is always warm, and I don't want to keep having to email them to say that my product arrived in less than adequate condition. Definitely great for special occasions though!