Candy Fight: Rolo vs Caramello

This is the first Candy Fight feature between two candies that I don't have a strong opinion on.  In fact, I hardly ever eat either of them, mostly because I find caramel-based candies to be far too sweet.  

That's kind of a weird thing to say, coming from someone who likes Nerds, but it's true.  Something about caramel makes me reach for the water while cringing because my teeth ache.

I don't honestly know why some sweets make us thirsty and others don't.  And it seems to be a mystery why some sweets make your teeth hurt and others don't.  To compound the mystery, not everyone has the same reaction to the same sweets.  

I don't know what to make of that, and I'm starting to regret having opened this can of worms!  Let's talk about candy.

Both Rolo and Caramello deliver discrete units of caramel wrapped in chocolate.  I prefer the form factor of the Rolo, which are individual drops.  Very tidy and easy to pop into the mouth, even though it makes the package look uncharacteristically round for a chocolate candy.  Like Mentos or something.

Caramello's cubes are all attached, which forces you to break them off in order to eat one.  This carries with it the inevitable risk of snapping the candy too far in, and getting sticky caramel all over your fingers.  It can also result in chocolate crumbles breaking off the fracture line and getting on your desk, as just happened to me.

Advantage: Rolo

The caramel in Rolo is chewy, which makes it much tidier to eat.  However, it can become unpleasantly firm, almost rubbery.  This is particularly a problem because Rolos, not being a big seller at the store, often don't have very good turn-over.  

The caramel's flavor is darker than most, almost more of a toffee flavor.  It reminds me more of a Heath bar than it does a square wrapped caramel candy.  The more I think about it, the more I'm unsure whether the filling in a Rolo can even really be considered "caramel" from a technical standpoint.  "Vaguely caramel-flavored filling" is probably more like it.

By comparison, the little stubby pyramids of a Caramello contain a filling which is most definitely caramel.  It has a brighter, sweeter flavor than the Rolo's filling.  It's almost more akin to "caramel the ice cream topping" than to "caramel the little square candy."  

Frankly I find the sweetness far too aggressive in the Caramello.  Which is too bad, because I appreciate the caramel flavor and texture more.  The Caramellos caused me to lurch for my water bottle after each one.  I can't explain this, because even comparing the ingredients list side by side shows virtually no difference.  Chemically, Rolos and Caramellos are effectively the same thing.

Advantage: Neither.

Both Rolo and Caramello are manufactured by Hershey here in the United States.  Rolo under license from Nestle, and Caramello under license from Cadbury.  I'm given to understand that both Rolo and Caramello candies are a far different confection in their home countries.

I think it's safe to say that in America, they're practically the same thing.  The match goes to Rolos by a nose.