M&S: Hand Cooked Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar Crisps

No shy splash of vinegar here, but a full-on balsamic wallop with all the tangy drama of the sour and sweet balsamic (in the best way).

When you open them, you can smell the difference. Not the acidic, nostril-flaring tang you get from cheaper vinegars, but something more rounded, almost woody. There’s an unmistakable sweetness, like someone’s dared to drizzle a reduction on a roast potato.

The crisps themselves are handsome. Thick cut, confidently golden, with the odd bit of potato skin left on to remind you these were once vegetables. The hand-cooked texture delivers that ideal crunch — not a brittle snap, but a warm, satisfying crackle. This is the sound of a crisp that’s been fried slowly, properly, with no concern for mass-market efficiency.

Balsamic: The Marmite of vinegars

Now, the flavour. Here’s where things get divisive.

There’s no lack of punch — that balsamic note is immediate, front-of-mouth, almost syrupy in its sweetness. But it’s precisely that sweetness that might put some people off. It’s not as sharp or bracing as, say, a Walkers S&V or a Seabrooks.

This leans into the 90s salad dressing end of the spectrum. Grown-up. Very M&S dinner party starter.

The salt level is perfectly judged, though — it lingers on the finish and balances the sugar nicely. And that aftertaste is deeply moreish: malty, vinegary, almost wine-like. These crisps don’t scream at you, they smirk.

If you want a punchy crisp that rips your tongue off, look elsewhere.

But if you’re the kind of person who puts Maldon on sourdough and has strong opinions about olive oil, this one’s been made with you in mind.

🥔 Nutritional Information (per 100g)