Possum-Flavored Candy Exists, But Does It Truly Capture the Taste of Possums?

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Candy canes are the quintessential Christmas candy. And although the exact origin story of this holiday tradition is a bit murky, there’s no denying that the flavors of sugar and peppermint, curved into a distinct “hook” shape, capture the essence of Christmas. They’re used as Christmas tree decorations, in festive treats like peppermint bark (Costco’s take on which is particularly popular), as gift-wrapping “garnishes,” stocking stuffers, and more. In fact, the candy cane is so ubiquitous around the holidays that other brands have tried to capitalize on its popularity, leading to interesting and brightly-colored varieties like Nerds Holiday Candy Canes and Starburst Candy Canes. But while those options all sound fairly reasonable, there are some truly bizarre candy canes on select store shelves, many created by novelty brand Archie McPhee. One of the strangest of all is its Possum Flavored Candy Canes, which come both in your classic candy cane shape and as oblong, bite-sized candy pieces.

But does Archie McPhee’s possum-flavored candy truly taste like possum? While possums have certainly been consumed in certain times and places, it’s probably more common these days to go your entire life without eating one. Nevertheless, it does seem like this possum-flavored candy is reminiscent of possum. The official product description on the Archie McPhee’s website says that the flavor reminds people of pork, but with a “piquant swill.” Other reviewers describe it as being like pork jerky (but bad), tasting gamey, and with a musky aftertaste.

All in all, the reviews are not positive, flavor-wise. But if you’re looking for a great gag gift, whether at Christmas or any time of the year, these possum-flavored candies might be a hit. (Although if you’re purchasing gifts for a genuine foodie, we recommend these products instead.) The candy canes come in a box of six, while the candies come in a 2 ½-ounce box, which some reviewers said was much smaller than they expected. It’s about the size of a roll of Scotch tape. Both have the stripes you’d expect from a peppermint candy, but the colors alternate between light pink and light gray. So they do look like they might taste like peppermint — but apparently the smell gives that away pretty quickly.

If meat-flavored candy is on your shopping list, Archie McPhee makes plenty of other questionable products, including bacon, hot dog, and jalapeño-flavored candy. You could even put together a whole candy-cane menu, with sides (mac ‘n’ cheese flavor), sauces (gravy and ketchup flavors), and chips (sour cream and onion flavor), to accompany the meaty main course. You may need to buy some candy-flavored candy canes from another source for the theoretical dessert course, though. If you’re putting together a gift for a possum-lover, the company also sells a variety of possum toys, and even a possum air freshener (which thankfully does not smell like possum).