Pumpkin Spice Spam Is Real and We Tried It

This year, iconic meat brand Spam is rolling out a limited-edition Pumpkin Spice flavor, teetering on the line between overdue and unexpected.

According to the brand, this Spam iteration is your typical pork- and ham-based product with “a blend of seasonal spices including cinnamon, clove, allspice, and nutmeg.” Of course, those very spices are often used in pork preparation, so while Pumpkin Spice Spam is eyecatching, it’s certainly not unprecedented. It fact, I’ll go as far as saying this is one oddball pumpkin spice product that actually makes a lot of sense.

So how does it taste?

Spam sent over a can of its autumnally-inspired creation for us to try. First thing’s first, Spam itself, I acknowledge, is somewhat of an acquired taste and one that I’ve generally not acquired. That said, it’s a staple for many people and often used in certain regional cuisines, so adding a hint of spice to this hearty ingredient could offer some interesting variations on classic and familiar favorites. The pumpkin spice flavors are certainly present, though more subtly than I had expected. Pumpkin Spice Spam certainly seems to err on the side of a breakfast food, and could easily be slathered in maple syrup as you might with breakfast sausage. The brand suggests putting slices into a breakfast sandwich, serving it alongside some pancakes or waffles, or baking it into some cornbread, which seems to echo that notion. One colleague even compared it to gingerbread plus ham — maybe this Christmas you could even build a little village out of it? Whatever you choose to do, just take satisfaction in knowing you’re on the bleeding edge of pumpkin spice innovations.

Pumpkin Spice Spam will be available to purchase online only beginning September 23, 2019 at walmart.com and spam.com.