August 04, 2003

Penguin Caffeinated Peppermints
Instead of trying to hide your coffee breath with mouthful of breath mints, skip the java and drop a few Penguins instead.

For sheer ingenuity, nobody beats ifive brands, the makers of Penguin Caffeinated Peppermints. After all, the idea makes impeccably good sense, as any coffee lover knows. After a cup or two of the morning brew, a few strong breath mints are essential. So why not combine the two, and lace a peppermint tablet with a dose of caffeine? Thus, Penguin Caffeinated Peppermints were born.

Actually, "ifive brands" is two real guys from Seattle, Brett Canfield and Adam Smith, who came up with the idea for a caffeinated mint in 1997. In April 1998, the first shipment of Penguin mints arrived in their makeshift warehouse (already, it was Canfield's apartment), and were shortly dispersed to retail outlets across the country. I first found Penguins at my local Bed, Bath, and Beyond for about three bucks a tin. Each tin is about the same size as an Altoids tin, but with a hip and groovy, orange, black, and white Penguin motif imprinted on it.

Each single Penguin has about the same caffeine kick as a third of a cup of coffee or serving of cola. (As the company says, "Warning: for use while driving or operating heavy machinery.") But one thing you won't find in a Penguin mint is sugar -- they're sugarfree.

The flavor of a Penguin Caffeinated Peppermint is top-notch, with the consistency of an Altoid and that long-lasting, intense peppermint essence. In fact, with their caffeine boost you might think of Penguins as "Altoids on Steroids."

The Penguin web site features advice from the founders, testimonials from devoted customers, and the history of the company. And if you can't find Penguins at a local outlet, you can order them directly from the company on their web site (only in quantities of 12 or 25).

If you love mints like I do, I recommend you give Penguin a try.

Visit the Penguin Mints Web Site

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