Although something has changed since the glory days of what I would consider to be Smiths flagship crisps (yes, even more than Salt N Shake – that sizeable stronghold of the snack seas set sail a long while ago!)
back when I was a nipper, Frazzles are still the archetypal bacon flavour crisp – the blueprint for all pleasure products pork! 


Yes, they’re a little smaller than I recall, yes they’re a bit firmer between the teeth these days and yes, the distinct ruddy stripes that should clearly adorn them are looking more like faded go-faster stripes on a clapped out XR2i…BUT that moreish salty bacon hit and corn crunch still pack a taste punch and really hit the spot. 


With pub snack Bacon Fries also on the Smiths* menu, I’m wondering whether Mr Smith was originally a breakfast chef or a master butcher. Either way, Frazzles are the current daddy of bacon crisps**. 9/10

*Yes we know Smiths is a Walkers brand!
**Unless my ol’ favourite Bacon flavour Football Crazy’s are back (which as we go to press, they are not).

Now I don't usually review supermarket brands as they are just exact replicas of proper crisp brands and are usually made in the same factories using the very same flavours. 
But, being the season it is, it seems fitting to be trying out these couple of festive flavours as they're not your usual crisp pairing.


First off is pigs in blankets, and as I thought would be the case- they're pretty much a smokey bacon. 

The salt levels are high as you'd expect from pigs in blankets and bacon.. But what I feel they've done well here is an after tang of paprika & bay leaf. Leaving a kind of peppery Lincolnshire sausage type vibe that I wasn't expecting. The crisps have a suspiciously kettle chips like crunch and texture to them, which is of course great.




If they were to make my crisp list: 8/10

Next up.. another from Tesco's Finest range and something pretty shocking.

That's right it's Salted Caramel flavour crisps - NOT MADE IN THE US!! A shocking flavour from a UK crisp maker..

High in novelty value - but also extremely high in VOM value.

They really do taste like salted caramel... which is SUCH a bad thing!!! blueeuuughghghgg I dare anyone to get through a whole packet of these monstrosities!!



0.000000012/10 

MERRY CRISPMAS ONE AND ALL!

My second taste of Manomasa, but this time the shape is closer to an original tortilla - but as you can see - it's fan shaped. 

Flavouring is a tomatoey salsa. It has really nice little hit of chilli that doesn't overload, but is packed with sweet tomatoey goodness.

The actual crisp has an amazing crunch to it, with apparently comes from the red and white Quinoa seeds imbedded into it. Tis good!

A really nice tangy flavour, that tastes natural aswell as intense. 

Another great addition to this amazing range.

9/10

Amazing new range I've just come across, Manomasa, they create corn tortilla crisps with a difference. The shape of these particular ones are rectangle and they've gone for the flaked texture of corn which so many corn crisp makers get so very wrong, they end up being sickly and not crunchy enough.. Well Manomasa have manomastered it! 


The flavour is just great. Manchego is certainly tangy, the olives taste like green olives and the pimiento is oh so subtle but more welcome to the well rounded flavour party.

They've apparently been going since 2012 but in going to give them 'Best newcomer of 2014'




9/10

Tyrells attack a flavour here that I'm very fond of. I'm very fond of it because of a little number by red sky (aka walkers), with their cream cheese and bacon crisps, which I love so dearly. 

So this effort has a lot to live up to. But you know what? I love them, I think they've done really well here. They've captured a really smokey bacon - with a real sweetness to it, which blends beautifully into the cheese flavouring. Now Brie, as cheeses go, is a pretty bland cheese - great melted, but as a flavouring, it doesn't come across as specifically 'Brie'. But I'm ok with that because this is a tasty crisp. On top of which, Tyrells always deliver an excellently crunchy crisp with a wonderful skin encasing the potatoey goodness. 




9/10

I'm always pretty excited by Kettle's seasonal editions. They're usually pretty daring and have some very fitting flavours. For example Stilton & Port.

Here we have a flavour of which the ingredients would be best suited to an autumnal evening. A nice cheese with red wine and sweet cranberry. Delish.

Unfortunately as much as I try to taste what I need to - it's not happening. The Cheshire cheese sure is lovely, but my taste buds are desperately searching for the warming subtle red wine but a very apparent sweet cranberry tinge. It's just not there, a lovely Cheshire cheese crisp with the usual great quality of the Kettle chips crisp. Just no red wine & Cranberry.

Still a tasty crisp, I just wanted more.

6/10

Wow these are crunchy, I think it must be the mixture of potato & parsnip that gave the fryers issues here. The different vegetables will need different frying times. It works though I like a good crunch, you just have to mind your gums on the crunchier morsels.




There's a really realistic sweet ham flavouring on these and a very subtle vinegary pickle. 




Really quite impressed with Yorkshire crisps so far.




8/10

When in Yorkshire...

Henderson's Yorkshire sauce, handmade in Yorkshire. Looks like it'd be similar to Worcestershire sauce.. And in a way it is, only it's a tad mushroomy. 

The crisps have a good crunch and are well salted with skins on the edge.

There's a slight sweet tang to these. Strangely since it's not in the ingredients- it tastes a little like soy sauce, I guess it's the mushroomyness of the sauce. An interestingly different flavour.



7/10

Ok so Pork scratchings don't meet the crisp criteria in my book, but as a curiosity - guest reviewer and stratching expert Greg puts The Posh Pig to the test...





Pork Crackling noshers are a rare breed. They are the men (or women - but usually men) who would choose a Guinness over a Lager. They are not afraid to go to the pub on their own and sit at the bar witnessing people coming and going while keeping a steady flow of Guinness at arms reach and a steady flow of banter with the barmaid. They are the ones that after 6 pints of Guinness, leave the pub with a more confident sober stride than people who've just entered. As such, they would naturally go for pork scratching, being the hardened pub alumnus that they are.  Pork scratching are a complex snack to tackle. I like that it's frowned upon by some people to order scratching instead of nuts or Frazzles. Enter Chilli flavour Hogroast PorkCrackling by The Posh Pig. Hello! Is this what David Cameron orders when Samantha has popped to the ladies? I think so. Overall these are actually quite nice, a bit more moist and substantial than it's original bar mainstay, and you look like a posh geezer eating it. In terms of flavour, it's too subtle for my taste. I'm eating these sober and they are not burning my mouth. After a couple pints, your taste buds are a little inebriated as well and need that flavour to cut through. My advice, if it's not making David's eyes water, there is something a-miss. 

7/10

This is more like it! When first crunching into these, a seasoned crisp-lover might be reminded of Kettle's Salsa and Mesquite flavour - but these are far far better. 

Firstly, they're sweet potatoes, which already makes them better than their more humble ordinary potato friends, and the sweet flavour marries perfectly with the smokiness of the Piri Piri. 

Secondly, they've got a much spicier kick, and polishing off a pack of these will leave you with a pleasant heat on the palate, but one that doesn't over-power the sweet-smokiness. 

Finally, they're crunchy, and not at all like the slightly soggy, chewy vegetable offerings that sometimes pass for crisps these days. These are the real deal.

8/10. Bravo Hectares.