GIMBAL’S!!  I LOVE it when I come across a candy company that can confidently state their dedication to producing candies that are peanut free, tree nut free, and dairy free!  These guys also guarantee their candies to be gluten free, soy free, and egg free.  Score.

I’m going to talk specifically about their Gourmet Jelly Beans, Sour Gourmet Jelly Beans, and Sour Lovers candy here since those are the only ones we’ve tasted so far, but with the upcoming Winter holidays I look forward to also trying their Lavaballs, Cinnamon Lovers, and Licorice Scottie Dogs!  (Think gingerbread houses and other fun food crafts!)

Our first time trying Gimbal’s was last Easter when I saw a bag of their original gourmet jelly beans at Walmart.  Seeing their huge allergy friendly sticker on the front of the label convinced me to give them a try.  I was pleasantly surprised to see they offer a ton of different flavors, just like Jelly Belly’s, and they tasted completely equivalent.  One would not know the difference between the two brands if they tasted them blindfolded.  I was totally satisfied.

Just this last week I tried their Sour Gourmet Jelly Beans.  These babies easily rival all the other modern name brand jelly beans (i.e. Starburst, Sweet Tart, Lifesaver, etc.).  I personally am a fan of sour candies so I think the not-too-overpowering sourness gave these candies an edge over the original flavors.

And finally, the big winner for today and my family’s favorite: their Sour Lovers heart shaped candies!  These were totally addicting!  When I first saw them I imagined them to taste like Dots, but as soon as I starting chewing I realized these were leaps and bounds better.  They’re really soft and chewy to bite into, but the sour-sugar coating on the outside adds a nice, slight-crunch of a texture.  I was particularly impressed with the flavors, as each of the 12 flavors were unique, distinct, and just the right brightness…not too subtle, not too sharp.  It was just the right amount and very pleasing to the palette.  These didn’t rub my mouth raw like Sour Patch Kids can do, and I’m a big fan of Sour Patch Kids so…this was an awesome unexpected bonus!  I seriously had to exercise restraint and make an effort to share these with my kids. 😉 haha.

I was happy to see that all of Gimbal’s Fine Candies are available online and you get free shipping if you spend over $39, which to me isn’t bad at all.  Knowing that these kinds of candies can be stored for a year+, I like to buy several bags in one shipment and whip them out as needed.  Between all the holidays/birthdays/activities from October through April, there is always a use for these kinds of dairy free/nut free candies.  I found their classic jelly beans at Walmart and the Sour Lovers candy at Hobby Lobby.  You can also find a few of their products at other store fronts such as AAFES, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, Rite Aid, Tractor Supply Co., and Tuesday Morning.  For an up-to-date list of retail locations, click here.