Found in one of the best places in London to find imported crisps. A random unexpected off licence in an industrial zone of Woolwich.. I find my favourite crisps of all time - Lorenz Erdnussflips... and a massive variety of other crunchy delicacies.

Here we have Lay's (Walkers) from Poland.. and the flavour is a confusing Oriental Salsa. Not a flavour I've ever encountered.

It certainly is a nice tangy Salsa - a sweet and only slightly sour tomato based salsa... I just have no idea what makes it "Oriental" ??! There's not a thing on the cover that suggests any flavour originating in the Orient.. sooo I'm going to have to ignore that.

That said - it's a great, moreish flavour laid onto the MAXX deep ridged crunch which is always good. I'd liken it to Prawn cocktail (which is essentially tomato sauce flavour!) but a little more grounded and less sweet.

Yum.

8/10

This was a very unexpected flavour to find in a random Woolwich off license!

These are Turkish Doritos, and the flavour is called TURKISH. A marketing masterclass is in play here. 

The flavour is subtle but nice - poppy seeds are infused into the corn chip unlike those seeded bagels you get where the poppy do a mass emigration as soon as your gnashers sink in. I do like the flavour of poppy seeds.

The tomato flavouring is sweet and subtle but it works quite well. Normally Doritos flavours are quite on the extreme side so dipping into these expecting that same extremity will leave you disappointed but as they are i'm pretty happy with this interesting variety on a Dorito. the fact they corners are slightly more rounded than normal clearly make no difference - but maybe help when accompanying with the right dip?

7/10

Imported from Spain for me for Christmas from a good friend!


In general, mainland Europe is nowhere near as adventurous as the UK in terms of crisp flavours. I find they stick to getting the basics right - salted, chive, paprika seem to be very popular.

Whilst I love a wild new flavour, there is definitely something to be said for getting the basics right - and these Sarriegui crisps are a great example of that.

They taste like they've been cooked in a very natural, fresh oil, they have good crunch for a thin crisp without being overly greasy and the salt levels are just right.

They transport me to simpler times, sipping an ice cold San Miguel on a hot Spanish coastline, crunching down on crisps like these and soaking up all the vitamin D.

9/10

Found in South Africa.

Here's an interesting bit of Crisptory for you!

You can't currently buy SA Nik-Naks in the UK.

Nik Naks in South Africa have been running for nearly a decade before our Nik-Naks in the UK (owned by KP Snacks) but KP Snacks have issued a trademark dispute over it being sold in the UK.. even though they're an exact replica of the older South African brand.. !! Well that's news to me..

They are great. They are Nik-Naks in every respect. Super crunchy, nobbly crisps with maybe slightly intense flavouring. These ones are a classic cheese and it's impossible not to compare them to Cheetos - the creamy cheesy flavouring is very, very similar. The pack has gone done very nicely thankyou Simba.

9/10

Found in South Africa.

To me, Chakalaka sounds like a celebration used in NBA Jam on the mega drive back in the day, but the internet teaches me that it's a well known South African vegetable relish that's usually spicy. Sounds like a good thing to put into a crisp flavour...

Simba make some pretty average ridged crisp really, they're thin and could do with a lot more ridge. The flavouring application could do with a mix. 

That said - the flavour of Chakalaka is pretty good! Sure these are filled with MSG but the spice of onion & garlic, with maybe a sweeter tamatoey-paprika kick makes for a good enough flavour.

7/10

Here we have Paqui - Haunted Ghost Pepper, all the way from Austen, Texas.

Ghost pepper is widely regarded as one of the hottest chilli peppers in existence, something I'm not taking lightly with the prospect of putting them in my mouth. I have a glass of milk at the ready.

The diagram on the back tells us these are not just kinda hot, hot, super hot but "freakin hot".

​The things I do for the love of crisp nation..

The crisp looks like a nice, rustic, crunchy tortilla chip and unusually for american chilli flavours - the flavouring on the crisp doesn't look toxic (deceiving?) My eyes have watered, my nostrils are burning and my chest emits a hefty cough - they weren't kidding, but I go in for another all the same. It feels like if there were ever a virus of some kind inside a human - this would the tonic to ridding it. It's explosive. Saying that i haven't lost all taste sensations so it's a worthwhile hit. This adventurous taste reveller battles on.. I mean these are not for the weak of heart but the flavour is actually pretty good should you venture that far. I've had a good few mouthfuls and it's time for the milk as my vision starts to blur. I dip my tongue into the glass and leave it there, bathing in the cooling milk hoping it'll be over. MILK WAS A BAD CHOICE. Yoghurt has been thrust into my shaking hands.. yes! Yoghurt is king. It's totally worked! Wow.. Oh no I've done something bad, very bad - I've poked my eye with a crisp covered finger.. the pain is real, my face is under a tap washing out my swollen eye.. It's over. It was worth it.

8/10

​

THE BATMAN! 

These Batman themed crisps were found in Ethiopia! Not sure how official they are.. 

The pack is a novelty, what's inside them are... really frickin awful i'm afraid. From the outside I thought they might be in the realm of wotsits or similar, but in fact they are white puffs not too dissimilar to polystyrene packaging, with a covering of bright pink flavouring on top. NOTHING about these look natural and like something a human should be consuming, but hey my pain is your gain!

There's a pepper-chilli hit in there, and some sweeter colouring, apart from that they taste like chemical. DON'T GO NEAR THESE.


0/10