Torres Jamon Iberico Crisps 150g

Spain has a talent for turning fairly simple snacks into things people become oddly protective about. Torres crisps are a good example.

Produced in Catalonia, the company built its reputation by taking the idea of premium potato crisps and approaching it with the same level of seriousness many people reserve for wine. Which sounds excessive until you start opening the bags.

The range moves well beyond standard salted crisps. Black truffle, Iberian ham, cava vinegar, fried egg and even caviar-inspired flavours have all appeared over the years. Somehow they generally avoid feeling gimmicky. The flavours tend to be surprisingly restrained rather than aggressively artificial.

What makes Torres stand out is texture as much as flavour. The crisps are thick-cut, properly crunchy and designed for slow grazing rather than absent-mindedly emptying the packet before you have sat down.

They also pair suspiciously well with wine, vermouth and cold beer. Whether that was the original plan or not, nobody seems especially upset about it.