This is the Lotte Suica & Melon Bar Gumi, a gummy confection based on the frozen dessert of the same name, featuring 5% watermelon juice in the watermelon variety and 5% melon juice in the melon variety.
Designed to mimic the appearance of the frozen treat, each gummy was moulded into a triangular wedge with a protruding “stick” extending from the short side. The watermelon version presented with a red body and green base, while the melon version featured a yellow body and green base. Both were evenly coated in a fine layer of sour crystals. The aroma opened with an intense melon-like fragrance that leaned noticeably artificial and perfumed.
Initial contact delivered immediate sourness from the surface crystals before yielding to a pleasantly bouncy and tender elasticity. Both flavours exhibited the same heavily fragranced character detected in the aroma, producing an artificial, somewhat medicinal quality that dominated the early stages of the chew. The effect was particularly pronounced in the melon variety.
Through the mid-palate, the gummy’s texture became the stronger aspect of the experience. Sustained chewing produced a consistent tender bounce, while the sour crystals continued to contribute subtle crunch and intermittent bursts of acidity. As the initial fragrance moderated, more recognisable fruit flavours emerged. The watermelon variant developed into a reasonably convincing watermelon profile, albeit one still carrying medicinal undertones. The melon version remained the more intense and perfumed of the two, with its artificial qualities continuing to overshadow the fruit character.
Towards the finish, sweetness and acidity gradually receded, leaving a lingering artificial note from the added fragrance compounds. Residual sourness from the crystal coating persisted, producing mild puckering and helping to keep the aftertaste from becoming overly cloying. While the fruit flavours became more natural as chewing progressed, neither variety fully escaped the influence of the aggressive aromatic profile established at the outset.
Overall, a fruit-flavoured gummy with a sour-to-sweet flavour progression that gradually transitions from heavily perfumed to moderately natural fruit notes, supported by a consistently bouncy structure and persistent crystal crunch, resulting in an enjoyable texture paired with a less convincing flavour execution.
This Lotte Suica & Melon Bar Gumi contained 73 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2026.