| Product: |
Nestle Quality Street |
| Date: |
18/03/08 (124 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: cheap
Disadvantages: cheap
Quality Street...what a British Icon eh?
Designed and launched in 1936, Quality Street has been a favourite Christmas gift for families and offices all over the country. Rumoured to have been named after a play by J.M. Barrie, the brand has undergone serious makeovers over the years in an attempt to stay fresh and current.
In 1998 Nestle bought out Rowntrees and have owned the Quality Street brand ever since.
Milk Chocolate Hazelnut (the 'Purple One')
Top of the list for many people, the shape comes from the original filling, as it used to contain a brazilnut, not a hazelnut. I think this chocolate is one of my favourites, the caramel is a sticky and sweet mixture that is quite thin, so you get the caramel flavour, without the gooeyness of toffee. A good one to stick in your mouth between phonecalls when you're on call centre duty (as I found out once, the toffees are not such a good idea)
Chocolate Noisette Pate (the 'green triangle')
Usually ranked second under people's favourites, I can possibly see why, but what with this being nestle, I just find the chocolate cheap and nasty flavoured. So with the sweets in this collection that highlight the chocolate taste, you're often left disappointed
Chocolate Orange Crème (the circular orange)
Oh, something to stand your teeth on end alright. These underwent a bit of a makeover a few years ago, I actually find they aren't as sweet as they once were. Very very sugary, with a very chemical orange taste. Don't expect any orange oil or orange extract here.
Chocolate Toffee Finger (gold wrapped stick)
One of the most iconic chocolates in the box. I nibble them from end to end. If you don't, then don't expect to talk for a few minutes, this is real stick-your-mouth-together sugary toffee.
Toffee Penny (gold wrapper)
In recent boxes these have been a bit of a let down, I don't know if they have changed the ingredients, but I remember this being the kind of toffee that you had to suck for a minute or two to soften up enough to chew. They have become much softer, and now often have melted in transit to leave a sticky mess inside the wrapper. It left me wanting to reach for a worthers.
Vanilla Fudge (pink wrapper)
Far far far far too much sugar. I cant taste any vanilla at all in these, I really don't like them, they taste chemical and too sweet.
Strawberry Delight (red wrapper)
Quality Street with dark chocolate, good move, this is a typical strawberry fonant, but it would have been unbearable, and left you wanting a trip to the dentist if they would have used milk choc. I actually like the dark chocolate on these, and I don't care for nestle chocolate at all much.
Chocolate Coconut Eclair (blue wrapper)
One of my favourites, A generous chocolate coating on a coconutty filling. You can taste/feel the coconut grains too in these, which is preferable to a smooth cocnut filling.
Orange Chocolate Crunch (orange octagon)
My favourite! I am a sucker for chocolate and orange combinations, and this is a lovely little chunk of milk chocolate with little zingy orangy bits in it. Although they do make my sensitive teeth hurt. I had a big version once, it made me feel nauseous. You can have too much of a good thing. Oh well.
Caramel swirl (golden 'pot')
More of the nice caramel that is in the purple one, but without the nut. Tastes good, and not too sticky.
Chocolate Toffee Deluxe (orange wrapper)
I always want these to be orange flavour thanks to the wrapper, I think they should change that. Basically a chocolate coated toffee, but as with the penny, the toffee isn't tough enough! I miss the malt toffees though, the deluxe replaced those.
Milk Choc Block (green wrapper)
The latest edition. Why anyone would want to eat ordinary nestle chocolate on its own is a bit beyond me. It barely tastes like chocolate at all.
All in all, a box of Quality Street is never a bad gift, but I always wonder if Nestle couldn't just put a little bit more effort into it. Their chocolate is hardly great quality, tasting more like cooking chocolate to me, and they seem to use far too much sugar in their mixtures. I think Quality Street is another brand that has suffered thanks to 'updating' products or making them more cost effective, like shortening mars bars, or changing the topping on those tunis cakes you see at Christmas.
Don't get me wrong, I do like Quality Street, but I will usually only pick the best of the bunch (for me) and leave the rest for others, I would much much rather reach for a box of Roses.
Summary: mediocre and unimaginative, a very safe bet if you're running out of time and ideas
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