Italian Goth Candy

Whilst buying Smartwater before my brickoven yoga class, I stood in line at Walgreen's in the candy aisle waiting for the next surly cashier to ring me up. There, in this aisle of discount Hallowe'en candy, I set eyes on what I thought to be an illusion. It was a box of Dots candy with one of the signature gumdrops depicted as a mini lumpy vampire- with wings and and a menacing look in its eye. Excitedly, I picked up the box because I figured "FINALLY! A pure licorice box of Dots. Hurrah!!!" But on closer inspection I saw that they are in fact blood orange flavor. WHA?! HOW HOW HOW did the candy gods come up with this one? Does the Tootsie company have an office in southern Italy? (I make this association because the first time I set eyes on a blood orange I was skiing in the Italian Alps with a bunch of Germans. Don't judge. I was 18.) I was afraid of trying them. Not for fear of them being vile, but what if they are THAT GOOD? I took my chances and at first I was a bit put off by the bitterness of them, and deemed them "acrylic painty" in flavor, but then I let the box breathe, like a fine wine, and the second blood orange bat Dot was tasty. I am in awe. Not too sweet, just tart enough, with the perfect signature soft gumdrop Dot texture. A trick for the eye, and a treat on the tongue.