Value For Money

Mustard

Lakeshore Extra Hot Irish Mustard

€1.89 for 220g €8.59 per kg

Pricewatch likes a bit of heat in our mustard, so we had very high hopes when we spotted Lakeshore’s Extra Hot Irish Mustard, especially as the promise of extra hotness is repeated twice on the front of the bottle and a third time on the back. Lakeshore differs from its competitors in that it uses mustard seeds instead of flour, which gave it a lovely flavour that was more rounded than some of the competition. Unfortunately, it lacked the oomph we expected and was the gentlest of the mustards we tried. We liked the fancy squeezable bottle, even if it does mean we can’t scrape out every last drop.

Verdict: Not so hot

Star rating: ***

Colman’s English Mustard

€1.55 for 170g €9.11 per kg

Colman’s is the mustard of our childhood – and we suspect, everyone else’s childhood too – and you don’t get to develop such an enduring presence by delivering a rubbish product. We suspect nothing has changed about this mustard since the second World War – even the packaging remains the same, although there is now a squeezable option too – and that consistency is very much to Colman’s credit. There’s something special about this original English mustard, not least because it always delivers on its fiery promise and is almost always easy to track down. What is not so special is its price – it is much, much dearer than the own-brand options.

Verdict: Old school

Star rating: ****

Tesco English Mustard

€0.79 for 190g €4.15 per kg

We were pleasantly surprised by this mustard from Tesco, not least because of its price. It had a lovely natural heat that mirrored what was on offer from Colman’s – although being picky we’d say the heat was a bit of a sledgehammer and lacked anything by way of subtlety. We attributed the extra bite to the addition of spirit vinegar. While it is very hot, the consistency was a little too runny. The watery nature doesn’t make a whole lot of difference when it comes to taste, but it make a sandwich a dangerously messy experience and a hot dog a disaster waiting to happen.

Verdict: Cheap, hot, messy

Star rating: ***

Suffolk Mud Classic English Mustard

€4.15 for 210g €19.76 per kg

This is probably the nicest English mustard we have ever tasted. It has a lovely pure ingredient list, an ever-so-slightly coarse texture and a range of flavours in the mix that can not be matched elsewhere. There is, however, a but – and it is a pretty massive one too. It is horrendously expensive and, unless your pockets are pretty deep, far too much to pay for a product which, at best, plays a bit part in any sandwich or meal. If it was even 30 per cent cheaper it would get itself two extra stars.

Verdict: Gorgeous. Dear

Star rating: ***

Bramwells English Mustard

€0.49 for 200g €2.45 per kg

This mustard from Aldi is very much at the opposite end of the mustard scale to the Suffolk Mud brand. It is remarkably cheap. It is also very hot. Sadly it is not very nice. It has a sharpness that did not appeal to us, a lurid yellow colour and a aftertaste that lingered like an unwelcome house guest. A good mustard should add spice to a sandwich without taking over and we’d be fearful that a dollop of this would render everything else utterly inconsequential.

Verdict: Cheap

Star rating: **