Reviews & tasting notes of mince pies in the UK
Overall Rating: 8.5/10 This is a big one. Heston. Equal parts inventive and bat shit crazy. Heston turns his attention to the mince pie for Waitrose once again. This year’s offering has a ‘lemon twist’. What he’s actually done is mix a mince pie with a lemony Sussex pond pudding (no, I’ve never heard of… Read More
Overall Rating: 7/10 Greggs mince pies have been suggested multiple times since I started on this currant-filled journey last month. Finally I found some and I’m pleasantly surprised. Whilst the pastry is maybe very slightly on the drier side, the moist vine fruits, apple and flavours inside the mincemeat bring it all together nicely. For… Read More
Overall Score: 6/10 Such promise from the festive green box, the lovely photos and promise of ‘vostizza’ currants! It’s a shame that the contents of said festive green box are a disappointment. I do like a puff pastry mince pie – the Co-op did a particularly good one last year – but this offering from… Read More
Overall Rating: 8/10 The mighty M&S strides into battle. This isn’t their ‘extra special’ pie – it’s a standard pie, but expectations are still high… The mincemeat is the star here, just sweet enough with some lovely plump fruit too. Just how a mince pie should taste in my opinion. The pastry is nice and… Read More
Overall Rating: 6/10 A fairly forgettable mince pie. The pastry is grainy and a bit too crumbly with an unpleasant aftertaste. The mincemeat lacks flavour and sweetness. Sorry Morrison’s. Not wasting any more time on this one. Avoid.
Overall Rating: 9/10 I missed out on the Lidl mince pie last year, something that makes me wince having just tasted the class of 2017. What they’ve produced is a a really well filled pie, with a lovely pastry – just crumbly & sweet enough – and a superb sprinkle of fine sugar on top.… Read More
Overall rating: 5/10 When you consider the quality, taste and texture of the Aldi Cognac-steeped mince pie I reviewed a week or so ago, I was expecting similar levels of greatness from their standard range. I was wrong. Overall the mince pie is too dry, mainly thanks to a disappointing shortcrust. The mincemeat itself has… Read More
Overall score: 8 out of 10 Being wider and shallower than the traditional mince pie gives no particular advantage to the Co-op Shortcrust offering. While eating it I did think it felt a little ‘mean’ but then you realise it’s wider so it balances out. Not sure why they’ve gone for this form factor. Onto… Read More
Overall rating: 9 out of 10 Tasting Notes: This was one of my absolute favourites of recent years – I think I got through three packs easily in 2016. Aldi’s ‘fancy’ mince pie is here. Whilst Cognac ‘steeped’ might be a bit of an exaggeration, that’s not bad thing. More ‘with a hint of Cognac’… Read More
Overall Score: 7.5/10 Tasting Notes: In a departure from the traditional mince pie, a nice layer of sweet white icing adds a Christmas cake feel athough it does look a little stark next to a standard mince pie. Maybe an icing holly leaf would’ve made these feel more special? They have a good pastry (which you’d… Read More