# What are blackcurrants supposed to taste like

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-blackcurrants-supposed-to-taste-like/681257>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 13, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-blackcurrants-supposed-to-taste-like/681257 "2014-02-13T16:10:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-blackcurrants-supposed-to-taste-like/681257/1 "2014-02-13T16:10:40Z")

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I’m eating the [“Gardens of England” snack from graze.com.](https://www.graze.com/us/products/search?q=garden) It consists in dried strawberries, dried apples and dried blackcurrants. Prior to this, my only experience with currants was in a candy and a jam when I visited Ireland. On those occasions, what I tasted was mild and sweet. On tasting them in this snack, however they’re quite bitter and sour. I actually am enjoying them a lot–the sour currants together with the sweet strawberries actually make a nice combo. But I am wondering if this is how they’re supposed to taste, or whether I got a bad batch.

Could be due to the drying as well, possibly?

Anyway, what do you think? Is this probably a normal flavor for dried blackcurrants?

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**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-blackcurrants-supposed-to-taste-like/681257/2 "2014-02-13T16:59:56Z")

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I dunno about black currants, but red currants are very tart. I would imagine all of the other currant varieties wouldn’t be too far off. My mother made some into jam and it wasn’t anywhere near as tart, but that would be because of using the juice only, diluted and heavily sweetened with sugar.

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**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-blackcurrants-supposed-to-taste-like/681257/3 "2014-02-13T17:13:24Z")

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Black currants are generally more tart than red currants. A lot of people find them inedible right off the bush, and only eat them cooked with a lot of sugar. I like 'em straight, but I like sour.

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**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\
**Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-blackcurrants-supposed-to-taste-like/681257/4 "2014-02-13T17:15:16Z")

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Yes, they are pretty sour. Of course in jam or a pie, they come with a ton of sugar. But fresh? Certainly enough to make your gums wince.

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**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\
**Post date:** [February 14, 2014, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-blackcurrants-supposed-to-taste-like/681257/5 "2014-02-14T03:04:43Z")

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Judging from cassis-flavored syrups , sorbets, etc., I’d say super-tart, and super tasty.