Walkers Sensations Balsamic Vinegar and Caramelised Onion Crisps, 150g

Balsamic Vinegar and Caramelised Onion is the sweet and sharp flavour of the Walkers Sensations range, on a thicker cut crisp. This is the 150g sharing bag, which the pack says holds five servings. The full product name on the pack is balsamic vinegar and caramelised onion flavour potato crisps, and the pack names Walkers Snack Foods Ltd as the maker.

The ingredients

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from potatoes, vegetable oils (sunflower and rapeseed in varying proportions), a balsamic vinegar and caramelised onion seasoning (sugar, flavourings containing onion, garlic and balsamic vinegar powder, citric acid, salt, potassium chloride, paprika powder, tamarind powder, dried parsley and paprika extract for colour), a firming agent (calcium lactate) and antioxidants, including rosemary extract, ascorbic acid and tocopherols.

Sweet first

Sugar leads the seasoning, so the first taste is sweet, the caramelised side of the onion. Onion and garlic sit in the flavourings with the balsamic vinegar powder.

Then the tang

The pack describes a sharp balsamic tang followed by the sweetness of caramelised onion. Citric acid gives most of the sharpness, and the balsamic vinegar powder its rounder, fruity note.

Balsamic vinegar

Balsamic vinegar is an Italian vinegar made from grape must, the pressed juice of grapes. It is sweeter and darker than malt or spirit vinegar, which is why a balsamic crisp tastes softer than a classic salt and vinegar.

Tamarind

Tamarind powder, from the sour pulp of the tamarind pod, adds a fruity sourness. Tamarind is one of the ingredients behind the tang of Worcestershire sauce and brown sauce.

Caramelised onion

Caramelised onion is onion cooked slowly until its sugars brown. Here the onion comes through the flavourings, with sugar for the caramel sweetness and a little paprika for warmth and colour.

A new recipe

The pack in our photographs carries a tangy new recipe flash, so older packs may taste different; read the pack you receive for the current ingredients and allergy advice.

Thicker cut

The pack says Sensations use specially selected potato varieties, cut thicker for a satisfying crunch. A thicker slice holds more seasoning and has a firmer bite than a standard crisp.

Calcium lactate and the antioxidants

Calcium lactate is a firming agent: the calcium helps the potato slice keep its structure through frying. The antioxidants, rosemary extract, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and tocopherols, protect the oil from going stale.

Potassium chloride and the salt figure

Potassium chloride sits in the seasoning beside salt. It tastes salty but contains no sodium, and the salt figure on a UK label is worked out from sodium. The label gives 0.75g of salt per 100g and 0.23g for a 30g serving.

Numbers per serving

The pack gives 143 kcal (598 kJ), 7.4g of fat, 0.6g of saturates, 16g of carbohydrate, 0.7g of sugars, 1.9g of fibre, 2g of protein and 0.23g of salt for each 30g serving, which it puts at 7% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake, 11% of the fat and 4% of the salt. Per 100g it is 477 kcal (1992 kJ), 25g of fat, 2g of saturates, 54g of carbohydrate, 2.4g of sugars, 6.2g of fibre, 6.6g of protein and 0.75g of salt.

Reading the front of the pack

On the UK front of pack scale, per 100g, fat at 25g is red, as it is for fried crisps generally. Saturates at 2g are amber. Sugars at 2.4g are green. Salt at 0.75g is amber, in the lower part of its band.

Allergens and diet

No allergens from the UK list of 14 are highlighted in the published ingredients. The allergy advice on the pack says the crisps may contain milk, wheat, gluten, barley, soya, celery and mustard. The pack says they are suitable for vegetarians; there is no vegan statement and no gluten free claim. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

The pack

The black bag shows a swirl of balsamic vinegar and rings of red onion in blue and purple light beside the Sensations name.

Who it suits

A sweet and sharp crisp suits anyone who likes salt and vinegar but finds it too harsh, and anyone who likes an onion chutney. There is no chilli.

Serving the bag

Balsamic and onion goes with a cheeseboard, especially a goat's cheese or a mature cheddar, with cold meats or a Mediterranean platter, and with a glass of red wine.

In the kitchen

Crushed, the crisps make a sweet and sharp crumb for a tomato salad or the top of a goat's cheese tart.

Five servings

The pack says the bag contains five servings of 30g. Tip a serving into a bowl rather than eating from the bag.

Storage and packaging

The listing advises storing opened crisps in an airtight container and eating them within three days; the bag is packed in a protective atmosphere. The pack points you to the Walkers website for how to recycle the packet.

Other Sensations flavours

In the same 150g bag we stock Walkers Sensations Mature Cheddar and Chilli Chutney, Roasted Chicken and Thyme and Thai Sweet Chilli.

Other 150g packs of Sensations we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

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