Product Review: More Takis Flavors (and Imitators)

Takis are a brand of flavored corn chip that I originally discovered while serving a mission for my Church [1] in México. The original flavor (Crunchy Fajita [2]) are one of my favorite chips overall. Recently a bunch of new flavors, including some limited edition flavors, hit the shelves. So, naturally, I had to buy them all and try them. Read on to find out what I (and my family) thought of them.

Barcel Takis: Zombie. These are billed as having a habanero and cucumber flavor. The habanero gives them a nice up-front heat. The cucumber is somewhat interesting but also somewhat off-putting. That's not a big deal, though, because after you've eaten them for a while, you stop noticing the cucumber flavor and start noticing a delicious lime flavor. These were my second favorite.

Barcel Takis: Volcano Queso. These are billed as having a habanero and cheese flavor. Unlike the zombie flavor, these weren't initially that hot, but the heat started to build after you'd swallowed. Even when the heat reached peak intensity, it wasn't as hot as the zombie flavor. The chips were creamy but the flavor wasn't anything spectacular, so I'd have to say that these were just okay. They're also supposed to change colors. I tried sucking on one and it turned green in a few spots. It was a nice try, Barcel, but it didn't work. Perhaps it was supposed to turn my tongue green (but it would be hard to tell since I ate the zombie flavor first).

Barcel Takis: Scorpion BBQ. As the name implies, these are barbecue-flavored. These were the least spicy of the three. They also had the mildest flavor, though it was still recognizably BBQ. Leann, Lilli, and Levi liked these the best. (Lincoln wouldn't try them because he thought the first two were too spicy.)

Barcel Takis: Blue Heat. These had a strong lime flavor in addition to the chili pepper flavor. I really liked the flavor and the heat was mild enough that my kids liked it, too. They also leave  your fingers and tongue a bright blue color. These were my favorite of the four.

Fieras: Chili & Lime. These are a Takis imitator. Specifically, they are imitating Takis: Fuego.[3] And they did a passing good job. The lime flavor was excellent and there was a nice level of heat. I'm pretty sure I found these in a dollar store, so trying them again would be a cheap proposition.

Atomix: Chili and Lime. These are another Takis imitator. Again, they are imitating Takis: Fuego.[3] Unlike the Fieras brand, these can be found in most grocery stores, which means they are comparable in price to Takis. The flavor and heat is pretty much the same. I'm going to stick with Takis since they thought of it first.

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Notes:

[1] For those who are unsure why Latter-day Saints (Mormons) go on missions, I recommend you visit here and here, where you can learn more about LDS beliefs concerning sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you have more questions, ask and maybe I'll do a full post on the topic.

[2] You can read my review of Takis: Crunchy Fajita here.

[3] You can read my review of Takis: Fuego here.