REVIEW: Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops

Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops

Where to Find: Pine Brothers

When I was given the opportunity to review Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops, I thought I was going to be trying a new (to me) brand.  However, when the box arrived I was pleasantly surprised and instantly brought back to my childhood!  I used to buy a box of these cherry throat drops at my bus stop (a local Mom & Pop pharmacy) at least once a week after school.  I remember how much I loved the soft (but not gummy) drops and the tasty cherry flavor.  And yes, as a kid, I probably did eat them like candy (don't judge).  Somewhere along the line, I grew out of my obsession and then the "softish" drops disappeared from store shelves.  Now, after 15 years, Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops are back!

Ulysses S. Grant was President, the population of America hovered at 39 million, and the telephone was still a pipe dream, when in 1870 J. Herman Pine hung out a confectionery shingle on 8th Street above Walnut in Philadelphia and, along with his brother, sold their first batch of what they called 'Pine Brothers Glycerine Tablets.' In an attempt to relieve his own sore throat and those of his family members, Mr. Pine, a former German confectionery maker, determined that by combining the soothing natural qualities of glycerin with the healing properties of gum acacia, he could sooth and mitigate the mild discomfort of a sore throat. Add in some natural flavoring and a sweetener and voila, Pine Brothers Softish Throat Drops were born. "I have discovered something," Pine wrote, "which will give quick throat relief to thousands afflicted as I was." He added,"Perhaps I won't make much money out of this. But I can make people happy, and that's more important than money." Mr. Pine was being unduly modest, as his "discovery" would become one of the most successful, most delicious and most unique throat lozenges in the world. Nor has the recipe changed appreciably since it was first introduced to the public over 140 years ago.

I tend to always have some combination of throat or cough drops in my bag all year round, but even more so at this time. Besides using them to sooth sore throats and coughs, they're also a relief for when the air is dry or at the end of a very long evening. Typically, I'll just grab a handful and toss them in my bag, which can sometimes make it difficult to find one when you really need it.  Enter the Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops puck -- genius!!!  The round, refillabe puck contains 26 drops and easily fits into your bag, pocket, glove box, desk drawer or just about anywhere!

Of course, Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops are also available in a more traditional bag of 32 drops.  They are currently available in two pleasing flavors, Natural Honey and Wild Cherry.  A third flavor, Lemon-Citrus is in the works and a fourth, Licorice was available in limited quantities during the holiday season.

In 1930 Pine Brothers was sold to the Life Savers Company and continued to flourish. Known for its 'soft drop consistency,' Pine Brothers lozenges became a favorite of adults and children alike. The product, which attracted healthiest sales in the eastern and northern states, due to its icy winters, reached its peak popularity in the 1970's. The company was sold by Life Savers, and then, having been re-sold and acquired a number of times, found itself essentially rudderless and under appreciated; this despite a legion of loyal consumers. Cost cutting changes were made to the original recipes, packaging became stale and marketing non-existent; Pine Brothers began to be made overseas. Sales declined.
 

Pine Brothers was most recently acquired by Victoria Knight-McDowell, the creator and former owner of Airborne.  Her new company, 3 Sisters Home Products, has put much time and effort into locating the original Pine Brothers recipes, redesigning the packaging, and creating a new look. I'm thrilled to see my favorite childhood drops back and even more excited to know that they are once again being made in America! 

A trusted brand since 1870, the unique softish/chewy drops have amazing taste, are easy to give to children (over 3 years of age) and are only 5 calories per drop.  And, as just mentioned, they are made in America!  What more could you ask for?  Pick up a bag or puck of Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops today! 

You can learn more about Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops, as well as find exclusive coupons and special offers, on their Facebook page, Pinterest and Twitter. 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.