Kabaya 5-Flavor Umami Candy (Sozai no Umami Ame)

If you listen to the Splendid Table on NPR, you may loathe hearing the words "Umami is the so-called fifth taste."  Umami is the indescribable flavor found in mushrooms, tomatoes, meats, soy sauce, and yes, MSG.  So it was quite a surprise to find a bag of candies with the words "umami candy" on the front.

This candy, from newcomer Kabaya, has five flavors: soy sauce, matcha (green tea), ginger, brown sugar, and sesame.

Searching for the Umami, Candybowl dove in straight for the Shoyu flavor.  The initial flavor note is reminiscent of a red tea candy.  But after a moment, the soy sauce flavor kicks in.  Oh baby.  Put soy sauce on a sugar cube, and this is it.  On crunching, the flavor gets more complex, with notes of brown sugar and even pecan pie.  Complex and yummy.

Next, Candybowl went for the Matcha. Earthy, grassy, and delicious, almost the equal of the Ujinotsuyu tea candies featured on the candybowl oh-so-long ago.  A bit less complex, but very very nice.

Sesame was just as delightful.  The initial flavor notes are reminiscent of the black sesame soup sometimes served as a dessert in Hong Kong.  But chewing brings in flavors of toasted sesame seeds (there are real black and tan sesame seeds).  And -- dare I say it -- the fifth flavor.  Mmmmmmm!

The crunch is excellent, dissolving quickly and leaving a small amount of delicious gum on the tooth.

How can you possibly go wrong with this candy -- lovely, realistic flavors and an excellent texture?  And soy sauce to trick the unwary!  Candybowl is in love.  (Also riding a bit of a sugar high, but in love nonetheless.)