Jack Link Sweet & Spicy Thai Beef Jerky

Jack Link's beef jerky is always of excellent quality, and their new Sweet & Spicy Thai flavor is no exception: the beef is always top-notch, sliced uniformly, and flavored evenly. It's flavored with soy sauce and hot pepper - the pepper variety isn't specified, but it tastes to me more like standard cayenne than Thai birdseye pepper - and I guess this combination of heat and soy is what inspired the name.

There's a strange smell when the bag is opened; I likened it to chlorine bleach, my daughter thought it was "detergenty," and my wife simply sniffed the air suspiciously and asked, "Eww. Is that the dog?" Nevertheless, there was also the rich and beefy smell of jerky so we tried a bite or two despite the interesting aroma.

The first taste is sweet, followed by the warm pepper sensation, which was quite mild but cumulative. Only after a couple of pieces did the spice really come forward, and even then it wasn't unbearable. I'd peg it at the low end of medium. The heat was persistent, though, and carried the sensation down the hatch, giving a "deep warmth" that reminded me of taking a shot of whiskey.

Overall, a worthy jerky especially for those looking for a bit of a kick, but a few points off for the smell.

Link (no pun intended):

Jack Link's website

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