This is the Morinaga Rurubu Hi-Chew Kyūshū Specialty Fruit Assortment. It was part of the Rurubu series inspired by regional flavours around Japan. This one focused on Kyūshū.
It contained an assortment of flavours using the juice of fruits grown around Kyūshū: amaou strawberries from Fukuoka Prefecture (4 pieces), mango from Miyazaki Prefecture (6 pieces) and yuzu from Kagoshima Prefecture (6 pieces). Each candy piece measured approximately 2.5 x 1.5 x 1 cm.
Fukuoka Amaou Strawberry.
This candy had an exterior with an opaque pastel pink layer enveloping an opaque white interior, emitting a richly sweet strawberry aroma. Upon tasting, the rich amaou strawberry flavour was immediately evident. Initially sweet, it developed into a juicy tart acidity mid-chew, releasing a concentrated strawberry flavour that was both natural and intensely delicious. This intensity surpassed that of the regular lineup.
Miyazaki Mango.
This candy featured an exterior with an opaque orange layer enveloping an opaque white interior and had an intense mango aroma immediately evident upon opening the packaging. On tasting, this vibrancy translated into an incredibly rich mango flavour, with a deep aromatic sweetness and balanced juicy acidity. If there is one mango-flavoured candy to try, this is it. Unfortunately, only four of these candies were in the bag, compared to six of the other flavours.
Kagoshima Yuzu.
This candy had an exterior with an opaque yellow layer enveloping an opaque white interior and the mildest aroma of the three. Despite the mild scent, the yuzu flavour was immediate upon tasting. The sweetness was restrained at the start, yet its aromatic floral fragrance, most evident in the fruit’s juice, still came through. However, the flavour restrained the zestiness, oddly giving a subtle hint reminiscent of lemony cleaning products. This association receded somewhat as subsequent chews released a juicier sweetness, though the sourness dominated. While enjoyable, this was the least exciting of the three flavours.
This Morinaga Rurubu Hi-Chew Kyūshū Specialty Fruit Assortment contained 68 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2024.