Christmas crisp season is upon us, with supermarkets and manufacturers rolling out ever more novel flavours. But a taste test of 10 festive offerings has revealed that some are best left on the shelf, with gingerbread-flavoured Doritos described as a 'horrible experience'.
The reviewer, writing for a national newspaper, sampled a range of limited-edition crisps, from Waitrose's turkey and stuffing tortillas to Lidl's lobster-flavoured crisps. The gingerbread Doritos, which are vegan, were singled out for particular criticism. 'A serious coating of this chip had my mouth saturated with sweetness, followed by a stale curry taste,' the reviewer said, adding that they were 'a horrible experience that I willingly inflicted on myself.'
Other flavours also failed to impress. M&S's truffle and Italian hard cheese crisps were described as 'foul', with an aftertaste likened to 'feet'. Waitrose's duck and spiced plum crisps were deemed 'unimpressive and flat', while Tesco's KFC-inspired offering was 'nothing to write home about'.
However, there were some successes. Lidl's lobster crisps were praised for their 'punchy' flavour, reminiscent of Spanish supermarket crisps. M&S's pigs in blankets crisps were enjoyed as a 'posh Frazzle', with subtle hints of maple syrup and smoked chilli. Waitrose's turkey and stuffing tortillas, accidentally vegan, were also well received.
The reviewer concluded that while some festive crisps are worth seeking out, others are best avoided. 'There are limits to what can be considered festive, let alone what tastes good as a crisp,' they warned.
