So now that we’ve got Halloween and Bonfire night out of the way, its 100% acceptable to start decorating the office in tinsel and start blaring out the Christmas tunes, right? 😉 okay… maybe I’m being a LITTLE eager with the festivities, but surely you can never be too prepared when it comes to planning what mince pies to buy…especially now that there are SO many varieties of to choose from…

 …Don’t worry though, Rawlingson Lane have got you covered as we take on the calorific task of blind tasting 4 different varieties of mince pies🍽️

 Kicking the taste test off on a traditional note, we began by chomping on ‘Butter Enriched Shortcrust Mince Pies’ from Waitrose (£2 for a pack of 6). Bursting with rich and fruity mincemeat encased in a delightfully crisp pastry case, these delicious mince pies are perfect for customers that are on the hunt for a classic taste.

Moving on to the second traditional option – Aldi’s ‘Holly Lane Deep Filled Mince Pies’ (75p for a pack of 6) - which unfortunately left the majority of team Rawlingson Lane with a fairly bland taste in their mouths… or perhaps it was just the overly-thick short crust pastry that prevented the taste of the mincemeat to achieve its rightful glory! However, for customers that are on the search for a cheap and cheerful option with a much subtler taste, then at just 75p for a pack of 6, you can hardly go wrong.

 For customers hunting down a modern mince pie, (although,these really shouldn’t even be categorised as a mince pie, but rather a kind of bite-sized crumble) then Heston’s ‘Chocolate & Sour Cherry Mince Pies’ (£3 for a pack of 6) could be the option for them. However, if you aren’t into rich, boozy flavours, then this certainly isn’t the option for you… in fact,I’d even go as far as saying that this pie is basically the marmite of the festive world – you are either going to love it or hate it!

 Finishing off with another modern mince pie, we took to tucking into Morrison’s ‘Florentine Mince Pies’ (£2 for a pack of 6). However, despite being part of their ‘The Best’ range, the majority of team Rawlingson Lane were left dissatisfied, particularly from a texture perspective, due to the overwhelming number of nuts and weak pastry case, which together, made for a very messy eating experience indeed! Still, the orangey undertones of the mincemeat and pretty sprinkling of edible glitter did somewhat make up for its crumbly texture.

So… which mince pie reigns champion in Rawlingson Lane’s 2019 testtaste? Well, you may have guessed it already, but at Rawlingson Lane, we’ve only got eyes for Waitrose ‘Butter Enriched Shortcrust Mince Pies’!!! 🥧😍Ticking all the boxes from a taste, texture and appearance point of view, this traditional mince pie is a true all-rounder and simply bursts with festive flavour! 😋

 …But our taste test didn’t end there… we of course needed to wash down our mince pies down with SOMETHING… so why not continue the festive theme by sampling two different mulled wines? 🍷 😜

 For those that are looking for a strong (and I mean STRONG)flavour to get them geared up for the festive period, then Waitrose mulled wine(£5.49, 750ml bottle) is the tipple for them! Alternatively, for customers on the hunt for a more subtle taste, then Aldi comes up trumps (£2.75). Smooth,sweet and delicately spiced, Aldi mulled wine is certainly the more drinkable of the two, especially when paired with a rich mince pie or two! 🙌