Let’s just get this one out of the way up top. If a Black Cat crosses your path, bad luck is coming your way. Oh wait, it already did when you fished a Black Cat out of the Party Mix.

We’ve made our feelings quite clear on the return of Spearmint Leaves but it bears repeating – no one wants to feel like they’re brushing their teeth while eating a lolly. Grainy, crystallised and flavoured like mouthwash, Spearmint Leaves are the sweet that no one asked for.

What was the reasoning in the boardroom when Teeth were pitched? And who decided that vanilla-mint was the right call? Outside of decorating cakes, we can’t imagine anyone has ever said “I’d better pop to the shops, we’re almost out of Teeth lollies, my favourite.”

Allen’s tried to convince us that Peaches & Cream is a classic lolly flavour but we were paying attention and have been giving bombastic side-eye to this dubious duo since it was introduced back in 2016. Unless there was a glitch in the Matrix, these peachy lollies are completely average in every universe.

Do we like Red Frogs? Yes. Did a childhood spent dusting debris off the amphibians in every party bag ruin them a bit? Also yes. There’s nothing objectively wrong with a Red Frog (unlike its revolting Green counterpart) but there’s no coming back from that sort of conditioning, sorry.

There’s just something so appealing about a lolly that serves this much Copacabana energy. The Pineapple is not only visually stunning, what with its gradient of green and yellow and its spiky little fronds, the blend of its creamy texture and tropical flavour is like slurping down a pina colada on a summer holiday.

The trouble with Snakes is that they can be top-tier treats, up to a point. Once all the pink (strawberry) and purple (blackberry) snakes have been snaffled, and you’re left with the yellow (pineapple), green (lemon) and orange (apricot) Snakes it’s just another disappointment to contend with. You’ve been through enough.

Now this is the fruit-cream combo we’re after. The blend of textures between squishy strawberry jelly and pillowy vanilla-scented cream has kept Strawberries & Cream a permanent fixture and favourite among throngs of fans for generations.

Underrated and overlooked, the Milk Bottle shouldn’t make sense but it just works. On paper, a creamy vanilla jelly lolly sounds pretty terrible, however, the old-school deliciousness of the Milk Bottle makes it an enduring favourite. That said, we’ll happily accept some modern twists by way of Oak choccy milk.

One might assume that Jelly Babies would have the same flavours as Snakes but you would be wrong. So dedicated are the folks at Allen’s that they have two entirely separate flavours for the tiny squishy bubs even though they’re only available in Party Mix bags. Grapefruit, green apple, apricot, strawberry, blackberry and pineapple – you can’t lose!

We don’t talk enough about the short-lived Cola Frogs. Alas, a very close second is the Allen’s Cola Bottles which you can only get in mixed bags. Cola Bottles are like a beloved cardigan you forgot you owned. You don’t see it often, it always slips your mind, but it’s perfect for any occasion.

All killer. No filler. Ripe Raspberries are everything you want when you’re craving a jelly lolly. Berry flavour is a no-brainer. The satisfyingly firm texture offers a good amount of resistance, and the option to buy an entire “share” bag of them makes Ripe Raspberries the Queen of Allen’s lollies. No questions.