McCoy's Salt and Malt Vinegar Crisps, 45g

This is McCoy's Salt and Malt Vinegar in a single 45g bag: thick ridge cut crisps with a sharp, salty, malty seasoning. The full product name on the pack is Salt and Malt Vinegar Flavour Potato Crisps, and it is the McCoy's to choose if you want the flavour of a chip shop counter in a bag.

What is on the label

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from potatoes, sunflower oil and a salt and malt vinegar flavour seasoning of salt, natural flavouring, sugar, dextrose, citric acid, rice flour, dried yeast extract, maltodextrin, a stabiliser (potassium phosphate) and dried barley malt vinegar extract.

Salt leads the seasoning, which explains the strength of the flavour. The dried malt vinegar extract brings the malty, toasty sharpness of brown vinegar, and citric acid sharpens it further. Sugar and dextrose sit just behind to take the harshest edge off, and yeast extract gives a savoury base.

Two things to know before you buy

The first is gluten. Malt vinegar is brewed from barley, so the published ingredients highlight cereals containing gluten. This crisp is not for anyone avoiding gluten. The allergy advice adds that it may contain milk, mustard and soya. The pack says the crisps are suitable for vegetarians, and no vegan claim is made. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

The second is salt. The label gives 0.95g of salt for the 45g bag, about 16% of an average adult's daily reference intake, and 2.1g per 100g, which is coloured high on the UK front of pack scale. For comparison, Walkers Salt and Vinegar in the same 45g size shows 0.64g of salt per 100g on its label, about a third as much.

What the bag adds up to

The label gives 238 kcal (995 kJ), 14g of fat, 1.1g of saturates, 24g of carbohydrate, 0.9g of sugars, 1.8g of fibre, 2.9g of protein and 0.95g of salt for the bag. That is about 12% of the day's energy reference intake. Per 100g it is 529 kcal, 31g of fat, 2.5g of saturates, 1.9g of sugars and 2.1g of salt; fat and salt are high on the front of pack scale, saturates medium and sugars low.

Reading the front of the pack

Per 100g, fat at 31g is coloured red on the UK scale, and so is salt at 2.1g, since anything above 1.5g is red. Saturates at 2.5g are amber and sugars at 1.9g are green. Two reds is the pattern for a strongly salted fried crisp.

Rice flour and maltodextrin

These two carriers are on the list for the seasoning rather than the flavour. Strong ingredients like salt, acid and vinegar extract are easier to spread evenly when they are mixed with a mild powder, so every crisp gets its share and less settles at the bottom of the bag.

Why malt vinegar tastes different

Vinegar is made by letting bacteria turn alcohol into acetic acid. Malt vinegar starts from a barley based brew, so it carries malty, slightly caramel notes alongside the sharpness. That depth is what people mean when they say a salt and vinegar crisp tastes like chip shop vinegar rather than a plain sour flavour.

How the crisps are made

McCoy's are ridge cut. Washed potatoes pass through a corrugated blade, the thick ridged slices are rinsed and fried in sunflower oil until firm, and the seasoning is tumbled on while they are warm. The ridges hold a lot of seasoning, which is part of why the flavour is so strong. The pack says the bag is packaged in a protective atmosphere.

When to reach for it

A sharp, salty crisp needs something rich or plain beside it: a cheese sandwich, a pork pie, a scotch egg or a cold drink. Drink water with it too; salty crisps are thirsty work.

In the kitchen

A crushed bag makes a sharp, crunchy coating for fish: dip strips of white fish in beaten egg, press them into the crumbs and bake. The malt vinegar in the seasoning does the job of the vinegar you would shake over fish and chips, and the thick ridged crumbs stay crunchy in the oven.

Other sizes and flavours

The same flavour comes in a six bag multipack and a 140g sharing bag, and in both McCoy's Classic Variety boxes. In the same 45g size we stock McCoy's Cheddar and Onion, Flame Grilled Steak, Thai Sweet Chicken and Hot 'n' Spicy; the cheddar and onion carries 0.97g of salt per 100g, under half this bag's figure.

The packet and storage

The published listing says the whole packaging can be recycled with bags at large supermarkets and should not go in home recycling. The pack advises storing it in a cool, dry place; once opened, finish the bag the same day.

Sizes of McCoy's Salt and Malt Vinegar Crisps we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The published listing gives the United Kingdom as the country of origin and names KP Snacks as the maker. The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.