I too have had this experience. Now I always sample one from a pack before I buy. I used to feel guilty doing that, but the quality varies so much and I got sick of wasting fruit purchases when they turn out to be sour or gross. Same with grapes and blueberries from Costco.
Bad ones, yes. Unfortunately most of us like to cheat tourists. (Actually, each other too)
Buy from specialized shops who sells their own products. There are so many types and flavors, you would find the one you like.
I need to order a lot more pods, but I will probably do a quick taste and measurement of each one they offer. Even the ones that will utterly disgust me. (I don't like Monsooned Malabar even a little bit.)
There must be separate quality lines because the stuff they put in the Halloween variety bags always tastes bad but getting a standard KitKat is better. I've definitely noticed the variety packs also pick up each others flavors.
They won't necessarily taste better. One of the things we've been breeding for is better flavor. Also yield and shelf life, so some will definitely taste better.
If they're too unripe, or too bitter, I agree. Otherwise, there are at least some times that it just adds some pleasant richness to the other flavors in the roll.
Yeah, about 3/4 of them seem like things I'd be willing to try, not on a dare or anything but just because they sound tasty.
Then again, to each his own. I was eating with my brothers once, and the middle brother was saying "You have to try this stuff, it's great. It's Limburger cheese, 6 months past the expiration date". The youngest brother was unimpressed, he said "this tastes just like the Limburger that is only one month past the expiration date that I normally eat." As the boring old brother, I enjoyed it but didn't try to rank it.
Depends on the brand. Some of them are pretty neutral, like a cheap knockoff of fish and chips. Others are much more fishy tasting, which I would not describe as a good thing.
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