I confess I began this sugary investigation with the firm intention of being difficult to impress. But Middletown, in its unassuming way, has a candy counter for every mood, from the hushed, historic reverence of Schimpff's, where a bourbon ball feels like a museum artifact, to the joyful, chaotic gummy bear refill bins at Lolli & Pops.

Even I, a hardened critic, found myself rationing the last bite of The Fudgery’s sea salt caramel like a miser. That is the range here.

So consider this your permission slip to indulge; the best part is, the hardest decision you will make all week is where to start.

A Taste of Kentucky

Highlights
Exceptional service, memorable assistance
Wide Kentucky product selection
Extensive bourbon ball varieties
Outstanding online customer care
Worth the detour

My first stop in this earnest survey of Middletown's sweets was A Taste of Kentucky, and I confess I arrived with modest expectations. What I found instead was a shop that understands the art of assistance; the staff did not merely point me toward the bourbon balls, they walked me through the entire collection with the patience of a beloved aunt. The selection of Kentucky-made products is staggering, and the bourbon ball varieties alone could occupy an afternoon of deliberation. When I later had a question about an online order, their customer care proved equally attentive. This is a detour worth taking, even if you must explain to your GPS why you are circling the block.

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Lolli & Pops

Highlights
Excellent vintage candy variety

Lolli & Pops, the first of two locations I visited, specializes in the kind of vintage candy that makes one nostalgic for a time one never lived through. The shelves are lined with wax bottles, candy cigarettes, and those mysterious, chalky disks that taste of nothing but memory. I found myself lingering over a display of root beer barrels, wondering if they could possibly taste as good as I remembered from childhood. They did not, but that is hardly the shop's fault. The variety is excellent, and the staff left me to my reveries without interruption. For a quiet afternoon of sugary archaeology, this is a pleasant dig.

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The Peach Cobbler Factory

Highlights
Quiet spot for treats
Peach cobbler richly filled
Hot, plentiful peach servings
Ice cream topping included

The Peach Cobbler Factory is not, strictly speaking, a candy store, but I include it here because it offers a dessert that rivals any confection in Middletown. I ordered the peach cobbler, and it arrived hot, with a generous heap of peaches that tasted more of summer than of syrup. The filling was rich, almost jammy, and the ice cream topping melted into the crevices with a quiet satisfaction. The shop itself is a modest, unhurried space, perfect for those who prefer their sweets without fanfare. It is a quiet spot, and I appreciated that the staff did not hover while I contemplated whether to order a second serving. I did.

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Schimpff's Confectionery

Highlights
Historic candy-making demonstrations
Vintage 1890s charm preserved
Exceptional bourbon balls selection
Attached candy museum experience
Engaging, charismatic owner show

Schimpff's Confectionery is a time machine disguised as a storefront, and I stepped through its doors into the 1890s with all the charm preserved in amber. The owner, a charismatic man with a showman's instinct, conducted a candy-making demonstration that drew a small crowd of mesmerized children and adults alike. The bourbon balls here are exceptional, with a whiskey warmth that lingers pleasantly. Attached to the shop is a museum of candy history, which I explored with the reverence one might reserve for a cathedral. This is not merely a purchase; it is an experience, and I left with a bag of sweets and a sense of having witnessed something authentic.

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Lolli & Pops

Highlights
Wonderland of amazing treats
Gummy bear refill deals
Free samples available
International candy selection
Friendly staff assistance

The second Lolli & Pops location in Middletown is a wonderland, and I say that without the usual hyperbole. The sheer abundance of treats is almost overwhelming, but the gummy bear refill deal is a stroke of genius that I have never encountered elsewhere. Free samples are available, and I tried a black licorice that was surprisingly gentle. The international selection includes Japanese KitKats in flavors I could not pronounce but enjoyed immensely. The staff are friendly and helped me navigate the chaos, offering suggestions when I stood paralyzed by choice. If you have children, bring them here and watch them lose their minds. It is a joyful riot of sugar.

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The Fudgery

Highlights
Softest fudge in town
Sea salt caramel favorite
Pleasant, helpful service
Four slabs for thirty-six
Worth the drive down

The Fudgery has earned a reputation for the softest fudge in town, and I am here to confirm that the rumors are true. Their sea salt caramel fudge is a masterwork, with a saltiness that cuts through the sweetness like a witty aside at a dull party. The service is pleasant and unhurried, and I was impressed that four slabs cost just thirty-six dollars, which seems almost criminal for such quality. I drove down from the north side of Middletown, and I would do it again without a second thought. The fudge is so soft it practically melts on the tongue, and I found myself rationing the last few bites like a miser counting coins.

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Kilwins Ice Cream - Chocolate - Fudge

Highlights
Handcrafted fudge and truffles
Waffle cones made fresh
Mango sorbet with chamoy
Friendly, welcoming staff
Ice cream cakes available

Kilwins Ice Cream, Chocolate, and Fudge offers a trifecta of indulgence, and I made the mistake of arriving hungry. The handcrafted fudge and truffles are displayed like jewels, and the waffle cones are made fresh, filling the air with a warm, buttery aroma. I ordered the mango sorbet with chamoy, a combination that I had not anticipated would work but did, brilliantly; the tangy chamoy cut through the sweet mango with a playful kick. The staff are welcoming, and the ice cream cakes in the freezer case caught my eye for future celebrations. This is a place where you come for one thing and leave with three, and I do not regret a single calorie.

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Gramingo's Sweets & Treats

Highlights
Friendly, attentive service
Affordable family ice cream
Fun jawbreaker discoveries
Better value than UDF
Clean, quiet atmosphere

Gramingo's Sweets & Treats is the kind of shop that makes you wonder why you ever spent more for less. The service is friendly and attentive, and the ice cream is priced affordably enough that a family can visit without wincing at the register. I discovered jawbreakers that required genuine commitment to finish, which I appreciated as a test of will. The value is better than UDF, which I say with the authority of someone who has compared the two. The atmosphere is clean and quiet, a refuge from the chaos of downtown. I sat by the window, watching the street, and felt a rare contentment. This is a modest place, but it is honest.

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Graeter's Ice Cream

Highlights
Cleanest shop in town
Quick, friendly service
Great ice cream quality

Graeter's Ice Cream is the cleanest shop I have visited in Middletown, and that is not a faint compliment. The floors gleam, the glass cases sparkle, and the staff move with an efficiency that borders on choreography. The service is quick and friendly, and the ice cream quality is, as always, excellent; their black raspberry chocolate chip is a classic for good reason. I ordered a scoop and found myself lingering over the texture, which is dense and creamy without being heavy. The only drawback is that the shop is small, so on a busy afternoon you may find yourself sharing a table with a stranger. But that stranger will likely be enjoying the same superior ice cream, so you are in good company.

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Quilted Joy

Highlights
Spacious, beautifully curated shop
Exceptional, welcoming customer care
Extensive thread and fabric variety
Inspiring quilting and sewing selection

Quilted Joy is a curiosity on this list, but I include it because it is a joy, and it is quilted. This spacious, beautifully curated shop is devoted to fabric and thread, and I found myself unexpectedly moved by the organization of it all. The customer care is exceptional; I was greeted warmly and offered assistance, though I had no intention of buying anything. The selection of threads and fabrics is extensive, and I could see how a quilter might lose hours here. I do not sew, but I left with a newfound respect for the craft and a small notion that I might one day learn. It is an inspiring place, even for a candy critic.

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Sharp's Candies Inc

Highlights
Old-fashioned candy dreamland
Excellent every single time
Perfect for gift-giving
Like Hansel and Gretel
Worth the sugar splurge

Sharp's Candies Inc is an old-fashioned candy dreamland, and I say that with the full weight of nostalgia. Every visit is excellent; the staff remember returning customers, and the display cases are always full of familiar favorites. It is the kind of place where you can buy a gift and feel confident that the recipient will smile, whether they are eight or eighty. I felt like Hansel and Gretel, though I was careful not to eat the gingerbread roof. The prices are fair for the quality, and the splurge is worth it. If you have not visited Sharp's, you have not truly experienced Middletown's candy scene. I left with a bag of saltwater taffy and a lighter step.

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Evergreen Liquors

Highlights
Amazing selection and tastings
Friendly, helpful staff
Friday THC discounts

Evergreen Liquors may seem an odd entry in a candy review, but I discovered that this establishment offers tastings and a selection that rivals any sweet shop in town. The staff are friendly and helpful, and they guided me through a whiskey tasting that paired surprisingly well with the chocolate I had brought from another store. On Fridays, they offer THC discounts, which I did not avail myself of but noted for future reference. The selection is amazing, and I found myself lingering over bottles as though they were bonbons. This is not a candy store, but it is a place where an adult can find a different kind of sweetness. I recommend stopping by, if only for the conversation.

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