Prosecco-infused gummy bears, absinthe-flavoured lollipops, beer brittles: judging by the spirituous gourmet offerings from candy makers from Montreal to Austin, the indulgence of youth otherwise known as candy is all grown up.

 

Squish

www.squishcandies.com

The perfect accompaniment to a glass of bubbly? Translucent gummy bears with notes of pineapple- and raspberry-flavoured Prosecco, courtesy of Squish. The Montreal artisanal candy purveyor’s selection of boozy sweets also includes mulled-wine star-shaped gummies (taking after the traditionally spicy libation) and Cuba libre cubes boasting a chewy rum-and-cola centre, alongside traditional, vegetarian and even vegan bite-sized treats.

 

Christie’s Gourmet Gifts

www.christysgourmetgifts.com

Inspired by good ol’ ale, this mom-and-pop boutique in Burlington serves up handmade brittles made with local craft beer and peppered with almonds. The melt-in-your-mouth treat is in good company: patrons can also sample Chardonnay, Merlot and Baco Noir wines from the Niagara and Prince Edward County regions with every bite of Christie’s organic wine-infused toffees made with Belgium chocolate, among other fine sweet treats.

 

Lollyphile

www.lollyphile.com

As its name suggests, San Francisco-born and Austin-based candy manufacturer Lollyphile reimagines the perennial lollipop, offering up some 30 unique flavours — think chai tea, maple-bacon and wasabi-ginger, a far cry from lemon, strawberry, blueberry and other traditional lollies. Its cocktail, beer- and wine-inspired selection, however, draws on time-honoured happy-hour staples like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and lager beer, as well as comeback kid absinthe.

 

CuRious Candy

www.curiouscandy.com

With an entrance bedecked with twisted branches leading to a whimsical world past its haunting gates, fashion designer Cynthia Rowley’s Upper East Side confectionary takes a page out of Tim Burton’s book. Cookies and cream popcorn, brickle (a buttery toffee-and-dark-chocolate sandwich sprinkled with toasted peanuts, almonds and pecans) and birthday cake‒flavoured jelly beans beckon, though you’ll first want to make a beeline for the houses’s Champagne bubbles reminiscent of the first-rate sparkling wine.