When whispers of a new Twix flavor circulated on social media a few weeks ago, junk food fans reveled in the anticipation. Would this new flavor be a crowd-pleasing birthday cake, a seasonal pumpkin spice, or something completely unexpected, like purple ube with a mango twist? (Let the record show that was my idea first, Twix!) Would the long sought-after Sugar Cookie Twix finally hit shelves? Would we chocolate fiends soon be granted a Middle Twix?

Enter Salted Caramel Twix for the big reveal. Sea salt joins the beloved combination of caramel, shortbread, and milk chocolate in this new bar, packaged in a shiny teal wrapper.

With this news, the part of me that loves odd and novel flavors experienced the emotional equivalent of a sad trumpet sound effect, but the part of me that remains slightly obsessed with salted caramel was thrilled. I would rather enjoy a familiar flavor executed perfectly than novelty for novelty’s sake.

Although Salted Caramel Twix is also available in King Size, I opted for the standard size. The petite twin sticks look like the original Twix — although a little smaller — inside and out. I was expecting a visual hint of salt, either embedded in the caramel or sprinkled on top of the chocolate coating, but there was nary a grain in sight. Note that if you are vehemently anti-salted caramel, someone could use this Twix to play a trick on you.

With each bite of the Salted Caramel Twix, I experienced the same trajectory of flavor. For the first several chews, the bar tastes largely like an original Twix: creamy milk chocolate, sweet chewy caramel, and crunchy cookie. Then, a punchy salt flavor comes through and lasts for three or four seconds before the taste mellows back into original territory. The saltiness isn’t intense enough to produce a strong mingling of sweet and salty, but it was intense enough to make me incredibly thirsty after eating one stick.

Tasting one element at a time, I believe the salt is baked into the shortbread cookie, not the caramel. The separation of salt from caramel might contribute to the fleeting saltiness of the bar as a whole. When located in the least sweet element, the salt needs some help being introduced to the sweet.

The thought of salt being separated from caramel until reunited by someone’s mandibles is somewhat tragic. If the salt is not inside the caramel, is it truly salted caramel? Begin the philosophical discussion in the comments below.

Rating the Salted Caramel Twix is tough, because we all know that caramel, shortbread, and chocolate combine to make magic. Yet, the bar’s muted salty/sweet contrast underwhelms. It neither capitalizes on the power of a simple flavor nor deviates strongly enough from the original Twix to feel exciting. Salted caramel fans may enjoy this twist on the original, but it won’t make them forget about the countless other like-flavored products available to satisfy their sweet (and salty) tooth.

Purchased Price: 88 cents
Size: 1.41 oz bar (40 g)
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 200 calories, 9 grams of fat, 5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 180 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 20 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

What is Cookies & Creme Twix?

Even ‘90s kids may not remember , released for a short time in 1990. While not as cheeky as Oreo releasing a few years back, I have to wonder if Mars R&D had some real inside-the-box thinkers working there back in the 90s. Can a cookies and crème flavored cookie bar distinguish itself in the crowded modern candy market?

I may razz Mars for its conservative approach to the Twix brand, but in truth I appreciate it. At a time when many manufacturers are in a race to wow consumers with more and more outlandish offerings (did anyone really want or ?), I like that Twix can be counted on to keep it with simple with various combinations of chocolate, cookie, caramel, and maybe peanut butter if we’re feeling frisky.