Ultimate English combines the best of traditional confectionery, with new and exciting ideas and flavour combinations. The range looks and feels quirky and quintessentially British. It makes you feel like its fun and it great for sharing with all of the family, with such a variety of flavours.
Ultimate English has been around for over 150 years, creating beautiful confectionery in the North of Yorkshire. The company has a new generation at the helm, looking to revive past favourites – a concept that is mirrored in the brand. They sent us a selection of their favourite products to sample and TB’s Bryony and Jay shared them out with their friends. Here’s the verdict:
Packaging
The packaging of these products is pretty awesome, blacks and brights mix the traditional with the outgoing – something that I think embodies modern day British culture. It’s very quirky and reminiscent of long-standing brands, in the same sort of category as Brannigan’s crisps. It’s a stylish look, and is manly enough that I would be more than happy to give a box of these sweets as a present to a male, something that many confectionery companies lack.
The products
Astoundingly Brilliant Honeycomb Nuggets
I have to talk about these first as we were all talking about the, for days after – they were the firm favourite in our group. Huge chunks of honeycomb that feel so naughty but nice to eat. Just one chunk could satisfy a sweet craving, although you’ll probably find it hard to stop there because they are a little addictive. There’s a great chocolate to honeycomb ratio and the chocolate itself is very tasty, something that I’m always cautious of in products that aren’t from the top chocolate brands. Everyone in our group loved the nostalgic feelings this product stirred, as it reminded them of the honeycomb you get at the seaside stalls, but a much better quality. It had a great texture, smooth but with the odd chewy chunks and no bitter or glutinous after-taste that you get with some honeycomb products. It also has a very airy texture, making it light and crunchy and the experience longer lasting.
Astonishingly Delicious Salt Water Chocolate Truffle Fudge
I have to say that I fell in love with this fudge. It was the richest, gooey scruminess ever – completely melting away in your mouth. Again, the taste was quite addictive, particularly for me with a love for sweet/salty. My brother felt it reminded him of something he’d eat at Christmas in particular as it has a slight spice taste and very luxurious.
Amazingly Magnificent Lemon Coconut Ice
The smell of lemon as you open the box is strong, fresh and aromatic. Unfortunately the lemon taste doesn’t shine through as strong as the smell would lead you to believe, as the coconut overshadows it a little too much. The product was also rich with an icing sugar taste, sugary but in a cool, fresh way, not sickly sweet. It’s this icing sugar that creates the ‘ice’ taste. The coconut is quite chunky and fantastic for coconut fanatics. Jay loved this but I wasn’t much of a fan – but I can take of leave coconut generally.
Simply Marvellous All-Butter Fudge 
When they say this is all-butter, they aren’t kidding. This had a thoroughly rich and creamy, buttery taste. It tastes a little bit salty although it isn’t ‘salted’, this flavour probably comes from the butter base. It had a really crumbly, kind of like a strong Cheddar cheese. A real home-made taste that literally melts in your mouth.
Absolutely Delightful Rich Butter Toffee
This toffee is insane and could break your teeth if you don’t approach it in the right way. It’s quite greasy and hard to chew, so definitely not for the faint-hearted. Despite this, the flavour is lush, but the effort required to eat it doesn’t feel like it matches the taste. I think one of the core issues is that the chunks are far too big and that you can’t fit them into your mouth in the first instance. This was the least favourite of the range from everyone.
There are also a number of other bags and boxes available in the range. Find out more here.
Price and where to buy?
The Ultimate English range is only available in various farm shops, delis and independent retailers in Yorkshire (such as Fodder in Harrogate) but if/when there is enough demand they will be launching an online ordering system. The best way to track stockists down is by using the stockist finder online: http://www.ultimateenglish.co.uk/where-to-buy
RRP on the bags is £2.49 and the boxes £3.99
More info
http://theultimateenglish.co.uk/
Valley House, Hornbeam Park Avenue,
Harrogate HG2 8QT
t: +44 (0)1423 873920