12 Werther's Original Flavors, Ranked

Werther's Original, that staple in candy bowls and grandmothers' handbags everywhere, is a bit of an unsung hero in the world of confectionery. Invented in Werther, Germany, in 1909, the candy began with a simple recipe combining cream, butter, and sugar. The Werther's Echte brand launched in 1969 and was later marketed internationally as Werther's Original.

While the gold-wrapped hard candies are undoubtedly the most iconic candy in the Werther's lineup, the OG version has spawned plenty of spin-offs, as well as two caramel popcorn varieties, a natural evolution for the caramel-centric brand. For the purposes of this article, I stuck to only the caramels available in both American and Canadian markets, and, despite the inevitable sugar crash that followed the tasting, I have determined the definitive ranking of Werther's Original flavors from worst to best. To determine the champion of the clash of caramels, I considered mouthfeel, sweetness, balance, and overall enjoyability. With more than a few caramels left over, it's safe to say I'll be riding the sugar rush for weeks to come.

If you're looking to spend a lot of money on dental work, you'll want to pick up a bag of Werther's Chewy Caramels. These were a downright unpleasant experience and felt more like I was exercising my jaw than trying to sample a caramel candy. There was zero pleasure to be had in the consumption of this caramel –– no mean feat when we're talking about candy.

The chew of these is real; so, at least I have to tip my hat to the truth in advertising here, but it felt more like work than play. The Chewy Caramel stuck to my teeth and felt like it took more than a little effort to pry it from my molars. Plus, there was no balance of flavor to these. It was a log of sweetness and nothing else. Considering that Werther's Original has a bit of an old-school vibe with an older target audience, these would not be a wise purchase unless you'd like to be fitted for a set of dentures early.

The No Sugar Added (in the United States, known as Sugar Free) version of the Chewy Caramels fared slightly better, but not by much. Compared to the sugar-laden counterpart, these were decidedly softer to the touch, closer to the Soft Caramels that will be mentioned later. That texture was enough to move them up from the bottom spot, since I didn't worry about yanking out a filling when I tried one. The rest of the experience, however, was not so positive.

I expected less sweetness, being that these candies contain maltitol syrup, isomalt, sorbitol, and sucralose, but what I didn't anticipate was how bland they were. If the sugary Chewy Caramels were one-note sweetness, this version had no notes at all. There simply wasn't much taste, even if the texture was an improvement. I ate these and tasted nearly nothing. The butter and cream in the recipe were evident by the greasy film these caramels left on my fingers after I unwrapped them, but otherwise, it was like this sugar-free version had barely existed. If you're looking for something sweet with less sugar, there are better options to come.

Alas, we're not at the better sugar-free candy quite yet, as this version of the original creation was a swing and a miss. The bottom three Werther's flavors were fighting for last place, and this No Sugar Added Hard Caramel Candy barely made it past the bottom two. When I first unwrapped one and popped it in my mouth, I actually said, "Yuck!" Despite smelling like caramel, the first taste was weirdly bitter. However, in the pursuit of this article, I persevered and was rewarded as the taste of caramel deepened the longer I savored it.

I am not someone who is opposed to artificial sweeteners (I prefer zero-sugar sodas over the corn syrup counterparts any day), and so I'm rarely sensitive to them. However, the artificial notes in these hard candies were impossible to overlook, with a weird bitterness and a flavor that stops short. Unlike the high-ranked caramels, these sugar-free hard candies tasted fake and flat, with none of the required richness or depth that makes a more successful candy. It was like the difference between pancake syrup and maple syrup, where the former sits at the front of your tongue without traveling throughout the palate.

I had low expectations for these Caramel Coffee Hard Candies. Generally, I'm not a fan of coffee-flavored things and prefer just to drink my coffee instead. But I tried to put my biases aside and entered into tasting this particular confection with an open mind — and I'm glad I did.

From the moment this hard caramel hit my tongue, I tasted coffee. When I first opened the bag, there was a bit of a coffee-like smell, but the flavor really brought it home. It was a mild coffee taste, without much bitterness, which would, of course, be tempered by the caramel it was swirled alongside. The more I let the caramel linger in my mouth, the milder the coffee flavor got, however, which could be a pro or a con depending on where you fall on the coffee-candy spectrum. The texture of this hard caramel was nice, too, with a glossiness I found was absent in the sugar-free hard candy.

If that had been where the tasting had ended, this candy might have actually risen up a few more spots in the ranking. However, I had to crunch it to see how it broke in the mouth, and that was where things took a turn. When crunched, there was decidedly more coffee flavor, but it was bitter, stale, and old.

When I opened the bag of these Milk Chocolate Caramels, I was surprised by how much they reminded me of Quality Street chocolates. Not ranked among a previous writer's judgement of store-bought boxed chocolates, Quality Street chocolates come in a tin packed with brightly colored sweets, where the word "quality" is stretched quite a bit to accommodate some of the confections within.

All of that is to say that, unlike the Caramel Coffee Hard Candies, I had higher expectations for these. They smelled nicely chocolatey and, when unwrapped, reminded me a bit of a pint-sized Mars bar. The taste, on the other hand, wasn't quite so indulgent. Werther's trades in caramel, and does so extremely well. Its forte is not chocolate, and that was evident in these candies. The chocolate wasn't the best, with a chalkiness and weird notes of coconut, despite not containing any. The caramel itself was nice, with a gentle chew, but it was overshadowed by the subpar chocolate. These tasted more like mini candy bars than caramel candies, and they looked more luxurious than they tasted. If you prefer chocolate to caramel, you'll enjoy these, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy them. They were middling in both taste and texture, and a spot in the center of this ranking is their ideal placement.

I am a big fan of salted caramel. The saltiness offsets the sugar in the caramel, making it taste more balanced and, ironically, sweeter. As one of only a few field caramel candies in this tasting, I was excited to get my hands on these Salted Caramel Filled Soft Caramels.

The tasting of this particular candy had two parts, and one was more successful than the other. First, the outer, chewy caramel shell was nice enough and, fortunately, not as chewy as the Chewy Caramels, but it required more chewing than I might have liked from the candy. By the time I got through this outer layer, the inner creme filling had all but disappeared — which is a shame, because it was the best part. The salted caramel filling was wonderfully rich and buttery, and the saltiness was evident, although I wish it had also extended to the exterior wrapping. The filling was creamy and luxe, but it melted away far too quickly compared to the tougher, chewier shell. In the end, I found that I was working more at chewing this candy than actually tasting it, which is why it can only rank so high.

I think a lot of people might mistakenly pick up a bag of Chewy Caramels expecting to get what the Soft Caramels promise and end up sorely disappointed (and in dire need of a dentist). These Soft Caramels were wonderful, with undoubtedly the best texture of the bunch. It's clear why Werther's decided to riff on this textural variant for its seasonal flavors.

The Soft Caramels had a lovely squish and a luxuriously gentle chew that melted on the tongue. The flavor itself was rich and buttery, with some salinity that kept this candy from tipping into saccharine territory (likely the presence of the butter). This is what the Chewy Caramels wish they could be.

Beyond being a nice candy on its own, I think the Soft Caramels lend themselves well to recipes, too. Our selection of caramel recipes for fall might be a great jumping-off point, and perhaps using these Soft Caramels would be a nice shortcut. These candies were good, but they were a little too simple in some respects and were outdone by the flavors to come.

One of two limited-time-only options I sampled (I was unable to find the Maple Creme version, despite visiting multiple stores), this was the less successful of the pair but still delicious. When I opened the bag of Caramel Apple Soft Caramels, I was greeted with that distinctly artificial green apple scent. In fact, the smell and flavor of these candies reminded me of those caramel-coated green apple lollipops (a Halloween candy that only earned spot #42 in our ranking).

Like the regular Soft Caramels, the caramel apple-flavored version had a nice, soft pull and a squishiness that was enjoyable to bite into. The apple-y smell of these was stronger than the overall taste, though, which was a bit of a letdown. I know that it was caramel I was tasting here, but I wanted some tartness, like an actual caramel apple, where the caramel gives way to a tart Granny Smith underneath. There was some juiciness, but I don't know if that was my salivary glands working overtime or the caramel itself. Either way, this was a good candy and worth picking up for a fall vibe, but it's not the best of the autumnal bunch.

When I tell you that I was shocked that a sugar-free candy ranked as highly as the number four spot, I cannot stress this enough: I was floored. These candies are actually good and are one of the few that I thought I'd actually keep around for when I want something sweet but don't want the inevitable crash later. As far as the sugar-free candies offered by Werther's, these Caramel Chocolate Hard Candies leave the other two I sampled in the dust.

When this candy hit my tongue, my mouth was immediately flooded with the taste of chocolate. This wasn't a high-quality chocolate flavor, of course, but something more akin to a chocolate syrup or chocolate sauce. In fact, it was more of a chocolate-flavored candy than a caramel candy, with the strength of the former flavor overtaking that of the latter. I had expected something grossly synthetic and, while it wasn't exactly a chocolate from one of the best chocolate shops in Canada, it was still rich, with a glossy texture that was pleasant in my mouth. There was no crumbliness or acridity, and I was surprised how much I enjoyed this one, which earned it the number four spot.

Love it or hate it, pumpkin spice is absolutely one of the defining flavors of fall. Like the Caramel Apple flavor, these Pumpkin Spice candies were of the soft caramel variety, which I think was the best vehicle to enhance all those warm autumn spices. And spicy it was!

From the moment I tasted this caramel, my taste buds were enveloped with the pungent, earthy flavors of clove and nutmeg. While freshly ground pumpkin spice uses more than those ingredients, they were definitely the first ones I detected in these caramels. It was almost overwhelming, but within a few moments, the spiciness mellowed as the caramel melted, with cinnamon peeking out as I chewed. The evolution of this Werther's Pumpkin Spice Soft Caramel made it feel much more sophisticated than the more artificial Caramel Apple, which is what allowed it to rise to the bronze in this ranking. Combined with the gently chewy –– but not sticky –– texture, I decided this was the superior of the two fall flavors I sampled.

In order to truly give all the other Werther's flavors a fair shot, I confess that I saved the original version until the end. While it may have been the candy to start it all, I didn't want to bias my taste buds. Werther's Original Caramel Hard Candies are a bit of a joke among candy lovers, relegated to grandma status as these iconic, gold-wrapped caramels take up residence in elderly handbags and crystal dishes among the geriatric set. However, grandmas clearly know a thing or two about good taste, as these humble confections are still punching above their weight.

The butter in this recipe is evident from the moment it hits my tongue. My palate was treated to a toasty richness that was lacking in all the other confections, with a smooth, glossy texture that shouldn't be discounted just because it's been around for a while. These hard candies had just the right amount of salt with a long-lasting flavor that reminded me of browned butter — the ingredient every baker knows levels up their desserts. The candy lasted on the tongue and didn't let up in flavor, and it was certainly the best of the hard candies I tasted. There was just one that managed to beat it to the top.

It was a neck-and-neck race between the original Werther's Original flavor and these Caramel Filled Candies, but the latter earned its victory with a little more complexity on the texture front. The Caramel Filled Candies have a harder shell, although not as hard as the regular hard candies, with soft, liquidy caramel inside, although not to the extent of the Salted Caramel Filled Soft Caramels. These were buttery, with a taste that wraps around and coats the entirety of your mouth. The harder shell gave way easily under my teeth, unleashing the smooth, sweet filling that had just enough salt. In fact, it was about on par with the salted caramel flavor, proving that this variety –– and the original hard candies –– were the most balanced of all the caramels sampled.

I would have appreciated a bit more filling, as it acted as more of a textural sensation than a secondary flavor. When it came to texture, these confections were nicely chewy without being too sticky, although they did crumble and disintegrate the longer I chewed. I didn't mind that experience, but thought it was worth noting. For the best overall balance of flavor and texture, as well as an enjoyable eating experience, the Caramel Filled Candies are the ones I'll be stashing in my own purse for whenever I need a sweet –– but not too sweet –– pick me up.

To determine the best candy from Werther's Original, I considered a few factors. I know that, since these are caramels, sweetness was a given, but I wanted a flavor that wasn't one-note sugariness. Butter, spice, and salt were all factors in determining the overall balance of flavor, and more complex flavors earned candies higher spots. When it came to texture, it had to have a good mouthfeel. The OG Werther's are meant to be sucked on and savored, with a slow release of buttery caramel. The soft caramel varieties were likewise enjoyable, whereas the jaw workout required by the Chewy Caramels kept them firmly in last place. Finally, if they reached their place of pride –– inside my purse, where any good Werther's belongs –– they were worthy of being crowned among the cream of the caramel crop.