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Confirmed sighting: Walkers Mystery Flavours A-C
Posted: 09:26 Sun 05-Feb-2012. Price: 45p/pack, or £2 for 2 multipacks of 6. Location: Local shop, Church St, Wolverton, MK; Tesco, Tovil (Maidstone); Tesco, Hayes. Sub-flavours: Mystery Dairy, Meaty and Spicy flavours.
Sorry I had a bit of a picture hiccup with these over the last week, plus everyone seems a bit cagey about their ideas for the flavour-identifying competition, eg "Marc One": "The latest offering/gimmick (delete as you see fit) from Walkers. Have all 3 but not tried yet. I already know what they taste like without trying them... They all taste the same don't they?"

"Found a six pack with two of each flavour," admitted "Allan", while "Pilch" didn't provide much more detail, confiding: "Knowing my penchant for unusual/new crisp flavours, my wife came home with these today. I would say what they taste like, but a) I haven't tried them yet, and b) there's money up for grabs! £50,000 per correct flavour guess, apparently..."

...Anyway, in other curious combos: The Grocer has energising news of a meat pie infused with Red Bull; Foodstuff Finds has dared sample possibly Birmingham-based delicacy Lucky Me! Artificial Bone Marrow Flavour Instant Noodles; and our old friend gobble monkey has found Kraft Philadelphia blended with Cadbury Milk Chocolate for £1.62 in Waitrose, presumably the ideal condiment to go in a sandwich made of Smarties.

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Confirmed sighting: Mentos Up2U Gum
Posted: 18:59 Sun 22-Jan-2012. Price: Possibly £1/14 "sugarfree gums". Location: Asda, Old Kent Road. Sub-flavours: Sweet Mint and Bubble Fresh, other minty combos.
Snackspot reports: In the US, it looks like the flavours include Mandarin/Strawberry-plus-Spearmint, but this was the most adventurous option I could spot in Asda (complete with perturbing Caesar quotation on the inside). Also, I didn't read the packet and assumed the pink flavour was strawberry, so imagine my surprise to discover it's much more like, well, whatever the hell Hubba Bubba is supposed to taste of. Overall, it's a zany idea with some snappy packaging, tragically overshadowed by the fact that I finally found their 3 Layer Gum with green tea in it in Tesco's, which is just a bit nicer all round.

...Anyway, in other fruity chews: Wrigley are doing a bigger launch of Strawberry Extras, plus a new kind of 5 which "which starts off as a sour pear flavour and turns sweeter as it is chewed". Plus: White Choc, Double Choc, Orange, or Peanut Butter are the competing Kit Kat Chunkies spotted by "hannah" in Nottingham Tesco, and dismissed by "Allan" as "Four 'Facebook' flavours, three of which have been out before!" - at least Gobble Monkey refuses to be taken in, perhaps deciding to "have a break" from the site's extensive Percy Pig coverage towards the end of last year.

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Confirmed sighting: Frugo Ultra Fruity/ Review of 2011
Posted: 18:35 Sat 24-Dec-2011. Price: 33p/250ml. Location: Tesco, Old Kent Road. Sub-flavours: Ultra Green and Ultra Black (tested), also in Ultra Orange, Ultra Pink, Ultra White etc. Nutritional unusualness: 10.4g sugar per 100ml in Ultra Green.
Snackspot reports: This was in the World Foods section so I naturally snapped up a bottle thinking it was Faygo - the "ghetto pop" constantly namechecked by the Insane Clown Posse. Also, it was only 33p. As it turns out, it's probably a Polish import but the Ultra Green variety in particular has a rare Kiwi-ish tang attributable to ingredients that include apple juice, lemon juice, passionfruit juice, kiwi juice and lulo fruit puree. Also, it was only 33p.

...It hasn't been a vintage year for beverages, which makes 2011's review of the last 12 months a bit simpler, Fanta Beach being one of the few I'd go back to. The (elusive) Scared Shrekless Chocolate Coated Apple, Mamma Mia! Pringles and Burger King Melt 'n Middles were my favourites from most of the other Snackspot sections, with BK getting an additional mention for their Hot Chocolate Brownie, and Kerrygold also sneaking in with their category-defying Honey Spread.

As for the hotly-contested Worst - and Worst-Named - winners: in a year that saw the release of Stella Artois Cidre, Marks and Spencer's Chineapple Punks and Fluke Pastilles, plus a Snickers "Maximus" bar that was smaller than a normal Snickers, the latter award still goes to Coca-Cola Relentless for rebranding their entire range with Transformers-ish names like Libertus, Origin and Immortus. But the very worst thing I tried was Jamie Oliver's Hello Sailor Rich Creamy Chocolate sprinkled with Sea Salt - it's "<1% sea salt", reassures the packaging, but the sea is only 3.5% sea salt, and you can really taste it here. Happy holidays!

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Confirmed sighting: Alpen Porridge
Posted: 18:29 Sun 18-Dec-2011. Price: Introductory offer of £2 for box of 8x 40g sachets. Location: Tescos all over London. Sub-flavours: Fruit and Nut; Cranberry, Blueberry and Nuts; Raspberry, Apple and Raisin.
Snackspot reports: "We know you know how good it will be," mutters the packet, threateningly, but who'd have thought that the Weetabix Corporation would bring something revolutionary to the microwaveable just-add-milk market? That thing is of course raisins, which work remarkably well with the recognisably Alpen-ish mix of oats and muesli - the Raspberry And Apple one tasted a bit too fruity for my liking but that's not going to put me off trying the Cranberry And Blueberry next. Plus, it's also the ideal way to celebrate the discovery of yet another planet in the "Goldilocks" zone - so called because its surface temperature may allow the existence of porridge in its liquid form, believed to be one of the essential prerequisites for organic life.

...Anyway, in other cereal offenders: Jim's Chocolate Mission has been drawn into the campaign forcing consumers to choose between the Totally Chocolatey or Chocolate Caramel varieties of Kellogg's Krave - I actually preferred the Choc and Original versions of Kellogg's Mini Max, though Foodstuff Finds seems a bit less convinced. That said, one of my surprise contenders for Best Products Of 2011 has turned out to be Kellogg's All Bran Golden Crunch - pictured here with one of Quaker Oats' replacements for their Paw Ridge range, the latter axed after being hailed on Snackspot as one of the worst-named products of 2009.

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Confirmed sighting: Nestle Lion White/ Tesco White Chocolate and Strawberry Filled Muffins
Posted: 16:40 Sun 11-Dec-2011. Location: See below.
"Already one of my favourites," summarises "James Moyle" regarding the (possibly imported?) White Lion bar he saw for 50p-80p in The Corner Shop, Hythe, Kent - but "Marc" has more detail on the muffin front, reporting: "While on my trip to Tesco (who had a delightful Buy 1 Get 2 Free offer on Frijj milkshakes), I spotted these muffins from their bakery aisle. Like many, I like muffins, and thought White Chocolate may balance out the usual overpowering Chocolate Muffin."

"The white chocolate bits are small and sweet, not much white chocolate taste but otherwise a great combination with the strawberry filling in the middle. Pick 'em up and let me know what you think..."

...Thanks guys - in other Christmas-ish cakes: Foodstuff Finds seemed unconvinced by Heston Blumenthal's Waitrose-exclusive Puff Pastry Mince Pies With Pine Sugar Dusting, compared to Tesco's "totally different to anything else on the market" Mince Pie Flavour Crisps; and I thought that Burger King's Hot Chocolate Brownie, while resembling KFC's 2008 Molten Chocolate Pud, is maybe even as good as Ambrosia's Chocolate Brownie Custard Pudding (I couldn't identify the vaguely biscuity pieces in BK's Jaffa Cake Fusions Ice Cream but it's an effective variation on the likes of the Jaffa Dreamcake Krispy Kreme.)

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Confirmed sighting: Rockstar XDurance Performance Energy
Posted: 11:31 Sun 04-Dec-2011. Price: £1.30/500ml or 2 for £2 offer. Location: Asda, Folkestone. Nutritional unusualness: 68.5g sugar per can; "100% Vegetarian and Vegan. The Taurine contained in Rockstar is synthetic and not derived from animals".
I tried the sugar-free, but otherwise unremarkable, Rockstar Pink a couple of months ago, but top serving-suggestion photography here from first-time spotter "James Moyle", who reports: Best Rockstar yet, I love how they've added extra caffeine. It has three different flavors; blueberry, pomegranate and acai. The liquid is actually maroon.

...In other fizzy business: Global Brands' Kick energy drink is being rolled out to 250 Asda stores after trials at various UK gaming events; Sicilian Lemon and Elderflower, Italian Red Grape and Pomegranate, or Chilean Plum and Raspberry are among a new range of Vimto-manufactured soft drinks "containing zero WeightWatcher ProPoints per 250ml"; or, if you need something stronger to see you through the winter, this Chocolate Shop Chocolate Lover's Wine (£5.99/Sainsbury's) works surprisingly well, compared to the slightly bitter Biscotti Baileys also shown in the picture and the unexpectedly Fanta-flavoured Crabbies Spiced Orange Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

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Confirmed sighting: Golden Wonder Rough Cuts
Posted: 11:03 Sun 27-Nov-2011. Price: 50p. Location: News Shop, Leicester. Sub-flavours: Bang Bang Spicy Thai [tested], presumably other Tayto Rough Cuts Flavours (ie, Cheese and Onion, Salt and Vinegar, Chargrilled Steak).
Foodstuff Finds has been "missing [the] burn" in Levi's Caribbean Chilli Beef Grove Cut Crisps and UB/KP are replacing Pickled Onion in 6-packs of Nik Naks with our old friend, "stinky" Scampi'n'Lemon. But today's headliner is the ever-articulate "Nick T", who quips: "Everybody likes a little Thai, and everybody likes a little Bang Bang. Ladies and gentlemen, we are now entering the Benny Hill zone."

"I'm assuming Rough Cuts are a test product: well if there's space in the crowded adult end of the market for them, they may be onto a winner. For the past few years Golden Wonder have sadly lounged in the lunchbox/pocket-money snack space but maybe with the change of ownership - and I notice the contact address is Scunthorpe, often called The Athens Of The North - these ridged crisps are definitely moving into McCoy's territory, and 15p cheaper too."

"Taste-wise they're very, very similar to McCoy's recent excellent Ruck of Ribs, but not quite such a full-on flavour. There's a little more sourness and a lot more sweetness but still a very tasty crisp. The coating isn't very even though: occasionally you'll get one with hardly any seasoning at all, then you'll find the one with all the chilli. That could be seen as a big fail, but I just like to think of it as Thai Roulette. If you like a little Rough, these are well worth tracking down."

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Confirmed sighting: GlaxoSmithKline Lucozade Black Edition Cola Energy Drink
Posted: 19:09 Sun 20-Nov-2011. Price: £1/500ml. Location: ASDA, Hounslow. Sub-flavours: 14.6g carbohydrate per 100ml, of which 11.3g sugars.
Yes, there was an earlier comment calling this "[an] odd one indeed... It's got that Rola Cola taste with a twang of the Original Luco at the end,", but it sounds like "Allan" was more inspired by their "Drink. Think. Do" on-bottle blurb about "Glucose. Your body takes it in. Fast. And turns it into energy to fuel your body and brain", as he reports: "Limited Edition. And tastes exactly like Coke."

...In other caffeinated cupfuls: Foodstuff Finds found Espresso Rich Coffee Beer kind of "bitter" compared to, say, Britvic's Glitter Berry J20 - the latter containing "cherry and red grape, with a hint of seasonal spice" flavours, plus "edible gold glitter" which must add a decorative touch to any subsequent vomiting or diarrhoea. Oh and Burger King UK have at last responded to McDonald's perfectly-drinkable coffee offering with their own Freshly Ground range, which seemed a bit frothy but definitely better thought-out than their Cranberry Sauce Chicken Sandwich current Christmas tie-in.

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Confirmed sighting: Walkers Doritos Ultimate Cheese Burger New Late Night Flavour
Posted: 09:18 Sun 13-Nov-2011. Price: £1.99. Location: Asda, Chatham. Sub-flavours: Meat Feast Pizza. Nutritional unusualness: Contains "Ultimate Cheeseburger Flavour" (natch), suitable for vegetarians.
I think I've since seen this gherkin-tasting Rihanna-tie-in in Asda at £3 for 2x 250g bags, but even full price didn't discourage first-time spotter "Pilch" from reporting: £1.99 a pack is a bit above my usual budget for Doritos but I liked the sound of these. Only tried the Cheese Burger ones - they're pretty bang-on, although you have to eat quite a few before you start really getting the flavour of them.

...In other South-Eastern feasting: I didn't get this much cheese when I tried Byron's Grizz-Mo Welsh rarebit burger, and "Pilch" provides further tantalising glimpses of those Macaroni Cheese, Spaghetti Bolognese, Steak and Onion Pie, or Mexican Fajita Pringles, ie: "Picked these up about a month or so ago - not got round to trying them yet though, I have a pretty substantial Pringles back-log. They all said 'Tea-time Favourites' on the tube, and are exclusive to Morrisons (according to their advert, which drew my attention to these)."

Stricter vegetarians have the option of these "chicken style" Quorn Light Bites I recently saw reduced to about a pound in Asda, while the Tesco in Orpington provided the Pom Bear Teddies Pizza Flavour that "Helen" declared: "Mmmm... [a] very yummy addition to the Pom Bear range. They come in a bright yellow packet so I thought they were going to be cheese flavour but they are lovely pizza flavour. The taste is reminiscent of Walkers' pizza crisps from back in the '80s."

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Confirmed sighting: Pepsi Max Citrus Freeze
Posted: 22:30 Sun 06-Nov-2011. Price: £0.99. Location: WH Smith.
It's possible this stuff might have more flavour (or point) if you consume it with the other half of its current Doritos Jalapeno Fire double act , but for now I'm inclined to agree with first-time spotter "Ernest Worthing" - who seems to be consigning it to the same fate as 2007's Pepsi Max 3.0 "Chi", 2006's Pepsi Max Cino, or 2005's Pepsi Max Lemon and Lime Twist and Pepsi Max Punch with Cinnamon and Ginger, with the words: "A lime version of Pepsi Max, didn't taste great to me."

...At the other end of the temperature scale, "Christmas in a mug" was Foodstuff Finds' assessment of PepsiCo/ Copella's "Enjoy Hot" Winter Warmer spiced apple juice, though apparently you'll be able to do something similar with Bottle Green's Ginger and Lemongrass, Apple and Plum or Spiced Berry cordials. Or, if you're above legal drinking age, you may be able to track down Crabbie's Spiced Orange Alcoholic Ginger Beer, which should hopefully taste more interesting than their 6% ABV Crabbie's Black, pictured here with a new kind of Malibu that has coconut flakes floating in it like a beautiful seasonal snowglobe that you can get drunk on when you tire of its decorative function.

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