Chocolates

Lorge Handmade Chocolates

€17.95

HIGHS

Beautifully packaged, these make an ideal present. There is a good mix of 18 dark, white and milk chocolates. In the absence of a key, it was a case of guess the chocolate – not such an ordeal.

LOWS

At €1 a chocolate, these are undoubtedly expensive, and while we bought our box two weeks before Christmas, the best-before date was December 25th.

VERDICT

Expensive, but lovely. ****

HIGHS

In many Irish houses, these are the quintessential Christmas chocolates. They're comparatively cheap and the tin is stuffed with chocolates wrapped in enough brightly coloured paper to gladden the most Grinch-like heart.

LOWS

It's hard to get away from the fact that the chocolate is not of great quality and when you strip away the festive memories, these are a bit ordinary. There were too many toffees for Pricewatch's taste.

VERDICT

Old school. ***

Green and Black's

€15.95 for 200g €79.95 per kg

HIGHS

This posh-looking box from an increasingly highly regarded brand contains 20 pieces of fairly good organic chocolate. The chocolate truffle and ginger baton were particularly nice.

LOWS

Some of the chocolates were on the small side and given that Green & Blacks is owned by Cadbury, we thought the price a little high.

VERDICT

Nice but too dear. ***

Lindt Connoisseurs

HIGHS

This large, nicely presented box contains nine different types of chocolate and there are 44 chocolates in the box, so it should last beyond Christmas Day. They are not cheap, but cost a lot less than some of the competition.

LOWS

The chocolate is okay without being outstanding, and while it looks like there’s a good variety, there is a lot of repetition.

VERDICT

Okay. ***

Excellent *****

Great ****

Fine ***

Below Par **

Awful *