Why You'll Never Know Exactly What Airheads' Mystery Flavor Is

As beloved as some foods are, part of their allure lies in their mystery. For example, no one may ever find out the exact flavor of Coca-Cola, Dr. Pepper, or Blue Moon ice cream, but it doesn't make them any less enjoyable. The same is true of Airheads, a fruity, chewy favorite of candy enthusiasts since its invention in 1985. While most of Airheads' classic flavors are easily distinguished by the color of their wrappers, Airheads' White Mystery remains ... well, a mystery. The classic white-wrappered taffy (complete with question marks) has been a fan favorite since its release in the '90s, but the origins of its flavor are like a riddle with no answer. 

For its part, Airheads has never revealed its secret formula and it's likely that we may never find out its exact flavor. The reason for the continued mystery is because no two White Mystery Airheads are exactly the same. The "secret formula" is likely a combination of flavors that are always changing. During the production of the candy, flavors are combined to keep the assembly line moving without cleaning the equipment between flavors and wasting the excess candy within. That means one batch of White Mystery can be Grape and Cherry and another can be Blue Raspberry and Strawberry. But that's part of the fun — and likely the reason that each person who eats one tastes a different combo of flavors.

White Mystery Airheads may be a mysterious combination of leftover flavors, but the chewy taffy-like treats are leftovers that candy lovers can get behind. The color white is often associated with being a blank canvas, and the mystery candy is exactly that — a mish-mash of sweet flavor without the trademark coloring in the taffy that accompanies Airheads' other offerings. The flavor became so popular that it was the inspiration for the Airheads White Mystery Freeze, which was offered by Taco Bell in 2016 and 2017.

Airheads remain a chewy treat that we can also give a tip of the cap to. The candy ranked solidly in the middle of our ranking of '90s popular food trends, lauded for its colorful presentation and straightforward (albeit addictive) flavor. The same is true in our ranking of classic Halloween candies, where Airheads got praise for being a welcome and colorful addition to any child's Halloween bag. If all this talk has you hankering to try this iconic candy, you can order an Airheads variety pack on Amazon and compare the flavors yourself. Maybe you'll solve the mystery!