The Review

Six traditional Christmas mince pies. Deep filled mince pies made to our long-established exclusive recipe with Fortnum & Mason Mincemeat. Chucky, evocative and appropriately moreish.

‘The first thing you’ll notice on approaching this pie is the size, it is by far the tallest pie we have tested. It is a monster weighing in at an unhealthy 83 grams! With allowance for the slight damage in transit and working on the principal that bigger is not necessarily bigger, I would give these an average mark for appearance, there is nothing apart from the size that differentiates these from their competitors. The pastry is tasty but too crumbly. I’ve started on the negatives but there is a big positive, the mince meat is delicious. It is based on their own unique recipe and there is no reason to change it. If you think bigger is better and money is no object then these are worth a try.’ – Paul

‘The hour had finally come, the gigantic box was opened and we were allowed to taste the expensive goodness. These Fortnum and mason pies are a mountain of a pastry, they are indeed deep filled at a 3.5cm (average 2.5cm). The first thing you notice apart from the height is the smell and the inviting hint of cinnamon. Whilst devouring the pie it did disintegrate quicker than hoped, I lost a few tasty morsels as crumble debris scattered my desk. With this in mind I still feel that these are a top pie. This is a pie with a different taste, a finer taste, a taste to suitable to sit down with on a leather chair and a pipe.’ – Adam

‘Timelessly classic F&M packaging contains what is probably the deepest, weightiest and most masculine individual pie on the market this year. Huge, with lots of cinnamon flavour and great crumbly pastry. This is a proud – almost arrogant – pie that’s untroubled by the credit crunch, dieting or chi-chi styling. Not one to nibble out of politeness at an aging relative’s house – this is a pie to eat when you are hungry. Seasonal genius: 9.5.’ – Marco

‘Great tasting pastry but very hard to eat due to it’s depth – this pie is very deep and the cavernous chamber is filled to the top. Impressive. My mince did have a few crunchy bits in which always make my brow crinkle in discomfort, but overall it’s not too bad. The mince is maybe a little powerful for my taste so I saved the pastry until last and boy, was it good!’ – Mince Pie Virgin

The Review

All butter shortcrust pastry deep filled with a rich fruity mincemeat with vine fruits, almonds, dried aprocots & Courvoisier® VS Cognac

‘Not my favourite; that may be due to the nuts and cognac which I am not keen on. Sometimes things just need to be kept simple!’ – Su

‘An excellent pie with flavoursome filling and delicious pastry. I was expecting my first 10/10 rating but my filling had slightly too much alcohol for me, this didn’t seem to be the case the minis and could have been a one off. These pies looked swollen with filling but the weight didn’t seem to match the appearance. This was because of the air pocket caused by the curved lid which also added to the crumbliness. Having said that, if the pie was full I think the mincemeat flavour would be too strong. I know they are following the current fashion for deep filled pies but personally I would prefer a flat lid and a pie which held together better. These pies do have one outstanding feature and I have awarded these my first Terrific rating for packaging which I think is suitable for a pie of such calibre.’ – Paul

‘Like second place in a beauty contest, the connoisseur is a tasty treat but not the finished article. It has a delicate subtle taste of alcohol, not overpowering like some other pies. COUGH (Walkers Glenfiddich) COUGH. A good size with a light pastry, this pie is up there with the best of them so far. Expensive but very enjoyable.’ – Adam

‘Faberge-style packaging screams exclusivity, which the pie lives up to. Firm, buttery pastry with evidence of port in the mincemeat. A firm, luxury pie that should please the most demanding of connoisseurs. But how do they pursue their passion and sharpen their skills once Christmas has passed?’ – Marco

‘Simple, but stylish, this is a fine looking mince pie, but does the flavour live up to expectations? So far the entire M&S mince pie range has scored very highly with the exception of their the atrocious Top Iced pies, so a lot was expected of the top of the range Connoisseur mince pies. For me however, they don’t quite live up the hype. That’s not to say they are bad, they’re not, these are very tasty pies but they don’t have that special Christmas magic I was hoping for. The pie has a little too much pastry meaning the first bites seem a little boring with no flavours standing out. After a few more bites the excellent mincemeat filling begins to come to the fore but it’s too little too late. For me, these pies don’t warrant the extra expense over the standard M&S range, both are just as good, so unless you want to impress your friends and families with premium pies look elsewhere.’ – Mince Pie Virgin

The Review

12 all butter mini mince pies

‘I’m turning into a minor mince pie connoisseur so it’s fitting that today we got hold of a beautiful box of M&S’s mini Connoisseur mince pies. The packaging sets these pies above what we’ve had before, the three tier display proudly showing off the pies in their neat, golden foil cases. Ejecting from the cases is quite tricky but worth the effort as these are fine pies, but I expected more. Whilst I can find nothing wrong – other than a slightly cardboard after taste a few minutes after finishing – with the pie, it doesn’t hit the levels I was expecting, being, in my opinion, no better than many of it’s more competitively priced alternatives. The pie had a subtle vanilla hit and reminded me of vanilla ice cream, with which I think they would go very well. A great pie, but save your money and buy something just as good for half the price. I also expect all the mince pies to look perfect, but many had the pretty star motif off to one side.’ – Mince Pie Virgin

‘These are excellent mince pies. I struggle to fault almost everything about them. Quite remarkable! Fairly expensive, although worth the difference.’ – Piet

‘Fantastic, the taste of Christmas in miniature form! I was given the task of opening these pies and I can only compare the experience to opening a Apple Mac, but a Mac made from food, they look amazing. As one stares down at the golden cup, a crown of a cup, you know this is a pie with a difference. A great mix of ingredients greeted me at flavours door. A slight hint of the alcoholic content and a great consistency of filling made this a wonderful pie. Even with all their pomp and glamour they live up to the hype. I can’t wait to taste the full size versions of these ultra pies.’ – Adam

‘The long awaited M&S Connoisseur mini mince pies were worth the wait. It was refreshing to taste and perfect to look at, in it’s packaging, in it’s gold case and on its own. I’m not sure how the plastic packaging fits with M&S’s green policy but it does look impressive, shows the pies off, and is like unwrapping a gift with the knowledge that you’ll like what is inside. M&S mincemeat is delicious but this, for me, is even better with the added Courvoisier VS Cognac which isn’t over powering like some mincemeat with added alcohol. The shortcrust pastry is also very tasty and balances well with the amount of filling. These are excellent pies for those who want quality regardless of cost.’ – Paul

The Review

12 mini mince pies. Butter rich shortcrust pastry deep filled with a rich fruity mince meat

‘Quite good for a mini, they even have a decent amount of mince meat.’ – Su

‘Small but very tasty. A little difficult to extract cleanly from the foil tray, but once out a winner. Not entirely satisfying, although an excellent and almost unbeatable quick mince pie fix. A definite best buy.’ – Piet

‘These mini minces were close to being a tiny nugget of purest gold. Unfortunately like gold they were a little too sweet, not by much, but if it had been increased in size at a relative ratio such as the film ‘Honey I Blew up the Kid’ they would have been far too sugary. As all the M&S pies they were of a top quality. Perfect party pies.’ – Adam

‘M&S have two mini pies on offer, these and their Connoisseur range, both are very good and will suit difference people’s taste. The standard pies mince meat is slightly richer and a more intense sensation, unlike the slightly cool connoisseur. It’s pastry is nearly as but not quite as tasty, and also some way behind the experience provided by M&S’s larger pies which overall offer a better balance. That’s not to say there is anything wrong with this pie, it’s still very good but I think mini mince pies need something special; they’re not eaten in the same way as a large pie which is all about the pie it self; but rather as little treats and nibbles at parties and festive events. For this reason the M&S Connoisseur pie is a better option than these stand ones, but still not as good as the Co-op’s Truly Irresistible Mini Mince Pies which are the perfect mini party pies.’ – Mince Pie Virgin

The Review

6 Top Iced Mince Pies. Butter rich shortcrust pastry  filled with a rich, fruity mincemeat, topped with fondant icing & dusted with sugar

‘This isn’t right! M&S mince meat is delicious but I couldn’t taste it due to the over-powering sugar flavour of the icing. With 5 other varieties in the M&S range why is there a need for this? I like sweet things but this is too much, I can still feel the sugar eating in to the roof of my mouth. Perhaps it would be more paletteable if there was less icing on top but there is almost the same amount of icing as there is mince meat. This is wrong, wrong, wrong, a big let down for an excellent range. ‘ – Paul

‘I only finished this pie for the team. My first taste was that of toothpaste and soap, the fondant was too gooey and far to sweet. I did used to have a bit of a sweet tooth but this is the pie equivalent of syrup on a dime bar. I am having stomach seizures as a result of this puke filled farm trough of a mince pie. I am now suffering war like flashbacks of my first bite. For those who value their teeth beware this pie.’ – Adam

‘Quite sickly and the icing is an odd texture, too gooey.’ – Su

‘Who’s idea was this? I think a sugar crusted topping on a mince pie is great, but a molten layer of creamy sugar is not; it’s far too sweet. The through of a mine pie with a white lid is appealing – a snowy pie, but sadly this pie just doesn’t have that magical look I was hoping for. The mince too is disturbingly glossy, like jellied dog food in fact. It’s usual good taste overwhelmed by icing. Some reviewers stated this are good beginner pies for young children – they are not – save their teeth. A very disappointing performance from a pie we though could offer so much.’ – Mince Pie Virgin

‘I was anticipating hard icing, like a mini bakewell tart, but it turned out to be toothpaste consistency and very sweet. Not my cup of tea, but probably will find favour with old ladies and little children.’ – Marco

‘YOUNG mince pie novice – what a great place to start. I’m not a particularly avid mince pie fan so in my opinion the less mince meat the better and if that lack of mince meat has to be replaced with viscous icing then I have no objection. With one bite into the pie the icing cascades inwards. I can understand why these would not be for everyone as the ‘taste of Christmas’ is overpowered by pure sugar hit. I’m waiting for the shakes to kick in.’ -Ash

The Review

Crisp, butter rich pastry filled with luxury mincemeat with brandy and port.

‘What a look! The old fashioned pie look is back with it’s high ridged edges and peep hole top. A tasty pie, big and filling. The price did make me stop and adjust my eyes but I also noticed that a percentage of that cost went to the Shelter charity. Unfortunately M&S can only afford (ha) 5% of that £1.06 to go to the worthy charity. But here at T-H its not about politics its about testing and it was a good eat indeed.’ – Adam

‘With its large, Scotch-pie design, star-shaped cut-away lid and charity fund raising purpose, this is a pie that stands out from the crowd. Well-filled and tasty, with buttery pastry and a satisfying weight, this is great pie, whose only drawback is that it might be too big for one person. Not for me. Perfect with a big mug of strong tea.’ – Marco

‘This is a much larger than normal pie but with a much higher price tag. At over £1 per pie these are very expensive but large enough to satisfy two if chopped in half. Of course you are doing your bit for charity by buying these which helps to convince you to go through with the purchase but if you read the small print you’ll notice that only 5% goes to Shelter.

The packaging does reveal a lot of the pie which is a fine looking pie but not at all complemented by the packaging. I’ve just noticed a double space on the back too, I’ll have to mark them down half a point for that! The actual pie lid has a star shaped window revealing the fruit packed filling which is very tasty.’ – Paul

‘The pastry to filling ratio of this pie is well considered. Both flavours and textures compliment each other nicely, but it is on the sweet side. I only ate half of the pie and was left feeling sugar coated. The styling is good with an attractive star shaped hole in the top offering a view of the filling which brims to the very top. No deep filled voids here. If they could reduce the sweetness of this pie it could be a winner. I see it as a lunch time treat that someone picks up with their M&S sandwich more than a party pie due to it’s size and cost.’ – Mince Pie Virgin

The Review

6 lattice mince pies. Butter rich shortcrust pastry filled with a rich fruity mincemeat

‘This is a majestic pie to look at, the delicate, golden, sugar crusted lattice rising the like the dome of Pantheon in Rome. The holes in top offer tantalizing glimpses of the deep, dark filling within. The first bite was met with a smile. The lattice framework reduces the amount of pastry so the balance of the pie is nearly perfect. The filling did have a couple of tiny disturbing crunches, but only very few, so it might just have been my one and it’s common problem with most pies. The after taste is very good. I see this pie being a challenger for the title this year. Like the other M&S boxes the packaging was nice, but not great. Although the nice touches such as a history of mince pies does add extra points.’ – Mince Pie Virgin

‘I didn’t think they would be this good.’ – Adam. (When you read this remove your hat)

‘There’s something unique about M&S mincemeat that gives it that special something. The lattice short crust pastry works well and adds a crispness lacking in traditional short crust lids. A great combination of fine mincemeat with good pastry.’ – Paul

‘Mmm mmm mmm just right, lots of mince and not too much pastry, perfect!.’ – Su

‘A decent looking outer package, spoiled by poor plastic internal holders (not classic, certainly not good). The pie has a good design (latticed pastry), tasting moist & delicious (but not enough pastry for my liking).’ – Chris

The Review

6 luxury, deep filled mince pies. All butter shortcrust pastry filled with deliciously fruity mincemeat with vine fruits, glacé cherries, brandy and port

‘A fairly good pie. Its flavour came in waves, good, strange, nice, dry, porty. It didn’t offend me but it also refused to invite me in to taste town. Great look on the outside but another cavernous inside.’ – Adam

‘A large, traditional looking pie. Labelled as ‘deep filled’ I have to say I was disappointed when I found my pie was half empty. The filling however has a stronger than normal taste due to the added alcohol and if the pie was full I think it would taste too over-powering for the amount of pastry. The large cavern did mean that my pie was hard to eat without it crumbling too much. Having said all this I enjoyed the taste and the alcohol level was just right for me, unlike the Walkers Glenfiddich pies which left a lingering taste, these didn’t leave an unpleasant after-taste. Good, but could be better.’ – Paul

‘This is a beautifully crafted mince pie, complete with a delightful pastry star on top that sparkles with the dusting of sugar. I struggled to safely eject the pie from it’s foil cup but after a little fiddling it popped out. Whilst other members of review team found their pies half empty, mine was nicely filled. The filling itself had a good moist texture with a hint of alcohol and golden autumn mornings, but the disappointingly dominating taste of the pastry overpowered it. However I was pleasantly surprised how the pasty taste mellowed an became a comforting background aroma that lingered warmly in the mouth long after finishing the pie. All in all, I’m not sure there is enough here to separate these ‘luxury’ pies from M&S’s standard range, but they are still an enjoyable treat if you are willing to pay the premium.’ – Mince Pie Virgin

‘The imagery on the box fulfils the luxury, Yuletide promise and the history of the mince pie is a nice touch (mercifully these 21^st century pies include neither mutton nor ox-tongue). Pie appearance is too hum-drum to support the hedonistic proposition, although the star on top is distinctive. Bite into it (make a wish) and you’re left wondering what a shallow-filled mince pie like look like. There’s a lot of air in there, although, to be fair, the domed top doesn’t help. Good taste though, with definite Port flavour and a sweet finish.’ – Marco

The Review

6 all butter puff pastry mice pies. All butter puff pastry filled with rich, fruity mincemeat

‘A lack of Christmas looks, a lack of substantial filling but yet a surprisingly enjoyable taste from this all butter pie.’ – Adam

‘This pie is almost unrecognisable as a mince pie with very little filling for the amount of pastry. This leaves a long pastry after-taste.’ – Paul

The Review

6 deep filled mince pies. Butter rich shortcrust pastry deep filled with a rich, fruity mincemeat

‘I enjoyed the ratio of pastry to filling. I felt that each bite was never heavily populated by mince mixture or butter rich short crust.’ – Adam

‘Too crumbly, fell apart!’ – Su

‘An excellent pie offering very good value for money with a perfect pastry to filling ratio. Slightly too crumbly making removal from the foil difficult but if you don’t mind crumbs the moist filling compliments the pastry well.’ – Paul