Crisp Nation - Reviews

Mackie’s - Whisky & Haggis

10/9/2019

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Found in Scotland 󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

This is the first ridge cut crisps I’ve tried from mackies, they’re not overly crunchy as some ridged crisps can be but still enough crunch to get me by.

I’ll be honest- As much as I wish I could drink Whisky, the classy drink of choice for a refined citizen, I am unfortunately lacking the taste buds to appreciate it.

That said, it has not turned me off these pretty intense crisps. The overwhelming flavour for me is a real strong Haggis-ey pepper. I love a good black pepper crisp so this is going down well. Crisp connoisseurs with an aversion to pepper will definitely find these hard to eat. Funnily enough there’s officially no black pepper in the ingredients so I’m going to have to assume it’s coming from the “spice” flavouring. The Whisky flavour comes in the form of barley and yeast but without the sour kickback that I so experience with a sip of whisky.

These, while a novelty are actually quite palatable and worth a try.

7/10

Pringles - Rice Fusion - Indian Tandoori Chicken Masala

28/5/2019

Next up in the Rice Fusion range is a classic Indian dish, the Tandoori Chicken Masala.

And my is it making me want a curry. Again, the flavouring is intense, aromatic, authentic and on point, with an Indian peppery-hot kick to it. Cayenne to be precise. It's the tomato that's really shining through here though, with a richness that makes the Masala what it should be.

I can't say I'm noticing any difference in texture with these rice offerings, they still have a good crunch. Which is obviously a relief.

Bound to be a crowd-pleaser, would need to be shared given the rich flavour.

8/10

Pringles - Rice Fusion - Malaysian Red Curry

28/5/2019

A welcome new addition to the Pringles family.
They've been made with rice flavour, so they're basically a health food... right?

Their new range has got some pretty interesting flavours, and frankly, these ones make me want to hop on a flight straight to Kuala Lumpur. There's a good amount of spices playing around here - turmeric, pepper, cumin, coriander, ginger, cardamom, fenugreek, cinnamon and cloves. Phew!

The flavour feels authentic, like something I've had in a South East Asian restaurant at some point in the past - it's smokey, intense, exotic, but with a sweetness underlying it all that's teasing the tastebuds. It's definitely not a 'hot' curry, more aromatic. And I'm here for it.

8/10

McCoy's - Nacho Cheese (MUCHOS)

28/2/2019

Next up in the MUCHOS range from McCoy's and i'm starting to have flashbacks to a similar crisp from the past - Phileas Fogg's tortilla rolls had a similar feel to their crunch.

Nacho cheese is a flavour that should be so simple, but it seems is so easily floored. Too light on flavouring and there's no point, too intense and it's sickly as hell. I believe McCoy's have really pulled out their best cheese mixture on this one. A mature but creamy cheese flavouring with a good tang on the tongue, I imagine these would pair well with a nice tomtatoey salsa dip.

Nom nom nom.

9/10

McCoy's - Smoky Chilli Chicken (MUCHOS)

28/2/2019

New from McCoy's - a new breed of tortilla chips!

They're described as a folded, crispy, tortilla snack. To me they're a strange amalgamation of a pop chip and a nacho although definitely not a corn tortilla - but they have a reasonable crunch to them, it's not a bad format for crisps.

The flavouring is in keeping with McCoy's history - FULL ON and intense. I could probably do without the chicken seasoning if i'm honest as I always find it creates a bit of a sickly tinge - but the rest of the flavouring I love. What you really get out of these is smokeyness and a chilli pepper, black pepper spice to round it off. There's a slight sweetness to it which I find always completes a chilli flavour.

7/10

Walkers - BBQ Rib (Flavours of the decades)

7/1/2019

Another in the "Flavours of the decades" range is BBQ Rib - and we apparently have the flavour of the 90s here...

On the back it suggests that American food took over the high-street and that BBQ Rib was the favourite - well I can't say I remember that happening but I have to say it's my favourite flavour of the decades range so far!!

It's a subtle - not to dissimilar from Smokey Bacon with a nice bbq tang but with a definite sweetness to it that isn't too sickly and hits the spot nicely.

8/10

Kettle Chips - Patatas Bravas (DISCOVERIES)

27/11/2018

Another Gem from the Kettle Discoveries range - one of my favourite tastes from Spain.

No matter where you go for tapas- you're pretty much guaranteed a good patatas bravas. The classic staple of every tapas meal. Little potato cubes, cruncy on the outside, soft in the middle, covered in a tangy tomatoey-paprika sauce. Delish!

A crunchy kettle crisp is definitely the right crisp for the job, and the flavour sits well. I'm slightly put off by the Aioli - I feel that the garlic overtone is not needed here when there's such a great flavour in it already. For that I fear, it has lost points.

6.5/10

Walkers - Pigs in Blankets (SPROUT LOVERS)

27/11/2018

Ok - now that i've fully cleansed my mouth after the foulness that was Brussels Sprouts - i'm finally ready to taste the pack that i'm expecting to be my favourite in this range.. Pigs in Blankets - the best thing ever to grace the christmas table.

I have to say.. i'm pretty dissapointed here.. they're a bit sickly and fail in comparison to the mighty Pringles Pigs in blankets of yesteryear.

They're overly sweet without the richness needed from a good smokey bacon flavour. The sausage is the only thing to come through here.. and they're more lidl cheap party sausages than a proper Yorkshire banger.

4/10

Walkers - Brussels Sprouts (SPROUT LOVERS)

27/11/2018

Next up in Walkers' novelty christmas range - the one i've not been looking forward to AT ALL.

The only way Mummy crisp nation can get me eating Sprouts is by smothering them in Bacon. What i'm most confused by is that it's Brussels Sprouts and not Brussel Sprouts - that's news to me!

So enough dilly-dallying... it's time for them to enter my poor crisp palette.

The smell is... mushroomy. Not in a good way.

The taste is.... beleleiueygeiohgrlihseglih oh my lord... so so so gross.... WOW. How can they make it worse than the taste Brussels Sprouts???! I mean really.. It's sour, pungent and fungal. No. Just no.

How many more people will suffer my fate this christmas and end up with many uneaten Sprouts packets in the bin?

0/10

Walkers - Turkey & Stuffing (Sprout LOVERS & HATERS)

27/11/2018

So - first up in the Walkers Sprout Lovers & Haters range - one that's in both LOVERS & HATERS - Turkey & Stuffing.

The Meats and bones of the christmas meal, I guess it makes sense to be in both multipacks.

At first sniff - it has the smell of an OXO cube.

The taste.. I have to say is pretty accurate. I was expecting a roast chicken rip-off but they've actually thought about these. It tastes like Turkey that's dripping in a rich gravy followed by an aftertaste of herby stuffing.

I can almost smell the pop crackers in the air..

7/10