Clove gum is a type of chewing gum that is flavored with cloves. The distinctive flavor has made it a coveted item, and since only one manufacturer produces the original version, it can sometimes be difficult to find. Fans are often good at tracking down new suppliers, and when the flavor is released on the market, sharp-eyed aficionados tend to snap it up quickly.
This type of gum has been manufactured since 1914 by the Thomas Adams Company. Commercial production of gum dates only to the mid-1800s, so clove gum is one of the oldest continuously sold flavored gums on the market. It was especially popular in the Prohibition era, when people believed that they could cover up the scent of alcohol on their breath by chewing it. The Adams Company has since been acquired by candy giant Cadbury, and it is known as Cadbury Adams today.
Many people view clove gum as nostalgic or old-fashioned because it has been in continuous production for so long, and it is closely associated with the 1920s. Cadbury Adams continues to use the same packaging it used in 1914 to capitalize on the nostalgia factor, and the formula has remained essentially the same as well. Cadbury Adams also manufactures Black Jack gum, another famous vintage gum brand that is aniseed flavored.
Because most people only accept Adams Clove Gum as the original, they are limited by availability from the company. This flavor is only manufactured every few years, and while it is produced in large batches, candy and gum sellers typically run out at a certain point. Fans would be well-advised to stock up when they find it on the market and to take advantage of the many nostalgic candy suppliers on the Internet to keep track of supplies when it is available.
In addition to Clove and Black Jack gum, Cadbury Adams makes Beemans gum, which has a minty flavor, in limited amounts as well. Beemans was invented by a physician from Ohio in the late 1800s. While production was briefly halted due to a decline in interest, the gum was rolled back onto the market in 1985 to popular acclaim when it was marketed as part of a nostalgia campaign. The scarcity of all three brands of gum undoubtedly adds to the allure.