This post is one for the men, and all those people who love them. That's actually quite a lot of people. This time, we review one of the manliest crisp brands around: The Real McCoy's. First up is their meaty flavours collection, starting with the enticingly named "Bacon Sizzler". Will it make its namesake proud? Let's find out!
Packaging: These crisps come in a packaging that makes them look like royalty. Rocking the gold and purple, these crisps sport a regal look. Pretty nice design, simple but eye-catching. Flirty, almost. I see what you're doing there. The back does not leave anything to the imagination. These are Man Crisps. And don't pretend you didn't know, it says so right on the back. Now that's identifying your target market alright...
Odour: Crack open a bag and what scent are you greeted with? The strong, sweet smell of bacon. BACON. It just smells so meaty and delicious. I'd go as far as describing it as an impressive smell. That's right. Impressive. I said it. Not recommended for vegetarians. Why? Because you will want to eat pigs, that's why.
Appearance: Ridged is the name of the game. They think it is so cool that they put it on the packaging! Pictured is one of the crisps from the bag. Some are bigger than the one pictured, and I'd go as far as describing a couple as a little too big, with quite a big variation in size. This is a medium sized crisp based on what was in the bag, although a couple of giant ones skewed the distribution (sorry, I'm a scientist). These bad boys will leave a seasoning residue on your fingers, so consider yourself warned. As for the ridges, they look manly alright?!
Taste: This is where these crisps just don't make the cut. The taste doesn't start very strong, but it's pretty persistent. What that means is unlike most of the Hula Hoop flavours, the taste stays around while you are chewing instead of quickly dissipating. However, to my (and eventually your own) sadness, the taste is nowhere near as strong as the smell, and in fact the crisps come off as a bit mute. Towards the bottom of the bag you will find a bit more seasoning, so while the taste is a little stronger it still doesn't quite have a kick to it. Even at the bottom of the bag, where most of the well-seasoned crisps hide, the flavour isn't very strong for a man crisp. While it is a bacon flavor, it's a light one, which makes me a sad panda. A sad panda who eats bacon. I would describe the seasoning as kind of salty. Alas, as you get to the crumbs you find more of a kick to the flavour but it is too little too late.
Aftertaste: In a bit of a surprising twist, given the lack of flavour, the aftertaste is decent. The more crisps you consume, the more the taste lingers and consolidates in your mouth. However, I would still describe it as mediocre, not pleasant or unpleasant. I would describe the aftertaste as a bit salty, with a tiny hint of seasoning.
Crunch: I hope you're a ridge man, because these crisps only pack a modest crunch. Nothing to write home about, the crunch is pretty soft and doesn't exactly yell man crisp. The ridged texture is nice but the crunch is lacking, which is pretty weak. Unlike men.
Cost: £1 mixed for a mixed assortment which includes 6 bags and 3 flavours.
Verdict: These crisps are alright but the flavor definitely needed more kick to it. Not packing a great crunch, the smell (and packaging, if only you could eat it) is likely the best thing about them.
Overall Score out of 10: 5
