Skratch Labs introduced an energy bar that made the entire GearJunkie staff scratch our heads: parmesan, sun-dried tomato, and black pepper energy bars are here.
I notice the salt from the parmesan, the sun-dried tomato hits my tastebuds, and the cracked black pepper adds some depth to the finishing taste. Am I at Olive Garden? No, I’m taste testing the latest alternative to trail mix.
Skratch Labs just introduced a line of energy bars last week. And the flavors are, well, puzzling.
Instead of typical trail bars that mimic compressed gorp, Skratch takes a completely new direction.
The Boulder, Colorado-based energy foods and hydration brand crafted a bar with parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, and black pepper. We got a box this week and immediately dug into the contents.
Read on for our taste test performed entirely indoors.
Skratch Labs Test: Parmesan, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Black Pepper
At first bite, the flavors hit. The parm, sun-dried tomato, and black pepper are powerful — and tasty.
Nothing in the blend is too overpowering, and the ingredients complement each other nicely.
I can say it’s definitely the most savory energy bar I’ve eaten, and that required a bit of a mental leap. Because I’ve eaten so many bars that have the same bland, sweet granola flavor, this one stuck out.
The first bite required a couple of chews for me to actually realize what I was eating, but after that, the bar was delicious.
Who wouldn’t dream of a bowl of pasta after a day on the trail? You get that in this bar. So it tastes great, but you should note the flavors are strong. Skratch Labs doesn’t mess around with wimpy flavors.
The only caveat I see with such profound flavor is that there’s a considerable lingering aftertaste. Not only do you get the satisfaction of a bowl of pasta in bar form, but you get it for 30 minutes. You’ve been warned.
The Parmesan, Sun-Dried Tomatoes & Black Pepper Skratch Labs Energy Bars are available now for $2.65 per bar. Along with the pasta flavor, the brand also recently released Raspberries & Lemons and Peanut Butter & Strawberries flavors.
