John Wayne Was A Fan Of This Old-School Candy Bar — And You Can Still Buy It

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John Wayne's famed rugged cowboy persona in countless Old Hollywood productions perseveres long after his death. While his film persona comes off as larger than life, off-screen Wayne had cravings far more relatable. In addition to Wayne's favorite foods and drinks, which unsurprisingly included steak and bourbon, the Duke also had a sweet tooth. According to his daughters in an interview with Closer Weekly, his favorite candy is an old-school candy bar called Abba-Zaba.

Despite their father's tough demeanor on-screen, Marisa and Aissa Wayne maintained that he was a softie who loved candy. "He used to keep a stash of Abba-Zaba taffy in his drawer," Marissa told the outlet. The candy itself is a white vanilla taffy bar with a creamy salted peanut butter filing. The yellow and black checkered wrapper is reminiscent of a taxicab and an eye-catching marketing ploy that alerts you to its written slogan of "soft and chewy."

You may be tempted to consider Abba-Zaba a vintage candy that no one eats anymore, but the bar is still in production. In 2017, the hosts of the WGNRadio podcast confirmed that Abba-Zaba was the Duke's favorite candy — and that you can still get this chewy, peanut-butter filled taffy by ordering it online. Indeed, you can buy Abba-Zaba candy bars on Amazon to ship them nationwide. That said, Abba-Zaba can still be found in specialty candy shops in certain regions.

Founded over a century ago in 1922, Abba-Zaba has certainly earned its standing as a vintage candy. Abba-Zaba bars were invented by a candy company called Colby & McDermott in Los Angeles. While the wrapping and the manufacturer changed hands first to Cardinet Candy Company and finally to Annabelle Candy Company in 1978, the original recipe never changed. The manufacturers are all California-based, which is where the bulk of their popularity remains.

Since John Wayne resided in California, it makes even more sense that Abba-Zabba was his favorite candy to stash at home. Hollywood has also made Abba-Zaba a part of pop culture over the years as it's made cameos in movies like "Half Baked" and television shows like "The Goldbergs" and the HBO series "Boardwalk Empire." 

If you've never enjoyed an Abba-Zaba bar, it's a peanut butter candy worth trying. The sweet vanilla taffy complements the salty and savory peanut butter beautifully. Furthermore, the soft and chewy taffy pull is both fun to eat and a delicious textural contrast to the creamy peanut butter center. That said, you can always alter that texture by storing the candy in the freezer, turning it into a crunchy candy with a melt-in-your-mouth peanut butter center. Either way, the flavor profile has remained the same since its inception, a testament to its beloved standing with fans for over a century.