Irish Taste Club is a monthly food subscription box that features handpicked, award-winning artisan foods from Ireland. Each box is packed with small-batch products from independent Irish producers and is shipped directly to your door.
Products are sourced from independent producers, and subscribers can expect to experience the small-batch, specialty flavors of an Irish farmers market.
1 of 4
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the subscription review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Irish Taste Club
The Subscription Box: Irish Taste Club
The Cost: $49 a month + free shipping. Save with longer subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 10% off your first box!
CODE: MSA10
The Products: “The best small-batch products sourced from independent makers across Ireland.”
Ships to: The US & Ireland for free
Good to Know: Orders are shipped on the first week of each month.
Irish Taste Club June 2020 Review
1 of 2
Irish Taste Club includes an information sheet with in-depth details about each product and its producer. There is also a special note from the owners, Pauline and Tom. The friendly and conversational tone of the info sheet was very sweet! It was easy to feel a connection to everyone involved in this box coming together.
1 of 5
The Chocolate Garden of Ireland Caramel Gold Chocolate Bar, 100 g - Retail Value $5.05 (€4.50)
Something has happened to me since quarantine started: I am now a chocolate fiend. Usually I'd indulge a small piece here and there but lately, I just can't get enough of the sweet stuff. This caramel gold bar practically had me drooling (okay, I was actually drooling) while unboxing everything. With its unique mix of sweet caramel and lovingly-crafted chocolate, this bar was rich, delicious, and near impossible not to scarf down in one sitting. I also appreciated how the caramel had the same consistency as the chocolate, meaning it wasn't overly chewy and is probably safe for those with dental work concerns. While $5 may seem steep for a chocolate bar, the outstanding quality certainly justifies the cost.
1 of 4
The Chocolate Garden of Ireland Chocolate & Hazelnut Luxury Chocolate Spread, 195 g - Retail Value $4.77 (€4.25)
A lot of people are absolutely bananas for chocolate and hazelnut spreads and by no means and I an objector! This spread strikes me as more sophisticated than Nutella thanks to the lightly whipped texture, the lovely crunch of hazelnuts, and the gourmet chocolate. The chocolate is on the darker side, but I still enjoyed it, even as more of a milk chocolate enthusiast. Beware: if you put this one in the fridge after opening like I did, the texture firms up quite a bit, so be sure to bring it to room temperature before you're ready to slather it onto weekend waffles and late-night treats. This spread is also gluten-free and matches the excellent quality of the chocolate bar from the same company reviewed above.
1 of 6
Kilbeggan Original Irish Oat Cookies, 200 g - Retail Value $4.99 (€4.45)
These oat cookies were my favorite item of the box, hands down. Kilbeggan Organic Foods creates their products with organically-grown oats from a fifth-generation family farm and the amount of love and care that went into these cookies is apparent in every bite. They're made from an old recipe handed down through generations of the Lalor family. From reviewing this box in the past, I've learned there's absolute magic in unsalted Irish butter, which is what gives these beauties a touch of richness to their humble oat base. They were hard to put down just on their own thanks to a light sweetness and comforting oat flavor, and with a swipe of that chocolate hazelnut spread? Perfection. I've got a birthday coming up, so if anyone wants to ship me a truckload of these...
1 of 3
Supernature Organic Peanut Butter Cups, 40 g - Estimated Value $2.57 (Buy a pack of 12 for $30.85 [€27.50])
Supernature was founded out of a mother's passion for making natural treats for her daughter, who was unable to eat dairy, gluten, or processed sugar, so if you have similar dietary avoidances, these could be great news for you! This pair of butter cups contains only four ingredients: peanuts, cocoa butter, coconut sugar, and cocoa powder. I thought they far less sweet than a run-of-the-mill Reese's cup which I quite liked. The chocolate was dark and satisfying, making it easy to stop at the half I sliced apart for the photo so the rest could be enjoyed later. You know, instead of being blindly shoved into my gullet. I appreciate the short, natural ingredients list and the sturdy texture, though I wish a second pack had been included since the product itself was a bit small.
1 of 4
Erne Larder Irish Stout & Onion Chutney, 205 g - Retail Value $4.06 (£3.29)
According to the info card, this item was supposed to be Irish bacon ketchup, but I'm thrilled to have received this onion chutney instead! I spread some of this deep caramel-colored topping over a veggie burger for lunch and was blown away by its savory and sweet taste. It's like having a jar of caramelized onions ready to go at a moment's notice, which is appealing to me since I rarely have the patience to properly caramelize onions. Who has the time! This felt like something I'd pick up at a farmers' market (the exact experience Irish Taste Club aims to replicate), bring home, fall in love with, and immediately go back the next week to purchase jars for all my loved ones. Did I mention Erne Larder, the brand of this chutney, was started by a professional chef? I'm gonna be so sad when I reach the bottom!
1 of 4
Erne Larder Irish Bacon Jam, 2oo g - Retail Value $4.06 (£3.29)
Bacon jam? Don't threaten me with a good time. The info sheet says this spread is extremely popular in Ireland, and for good reason. It's smoky thanks to a generous helping of cured Irish bacon, sweet from the different sugars and sugar syrups, has a little bit of texture, and is a bomb of flavor. A little bit of this jam will go a long way and truly feels like another specialty farmers' market find. I've yet to test drive this jam on a sandwich but I plan to include it on a charcuterie plate to spice things up a bit.
Verdict: I really enjoy Irish Taste Club. Independent businesses everywhere are feeling the impact of the current state of the world, so it feels good to support folks with a passion for their craft through this thoughtfully-curated subscription. All of the brands are ones the curators really believe in, and with how delicious all of this month's inclusions were, I'd say Pauline and Tom know what they're doing. The oat cookies stole my heart this month, I know I'm going to reach the bottom of the onion chutney in no time, and I swear to you that I recently had a dream about that caramel gold bar. Let's not forget how lovely and gift-ready the presentation of this box was as well. The total retail value comes to $25.50, which is only half of the $49 box cost. It's worth noting that international shipping is included in the cost of the subscription ($15), but value-wise, we're still coming up a little bit short. It would be great to see a few extra items to help this box at least break even. If you're after a subscription that promises a real steal in terms of value, this one might not be for you. However, if you're dedicated to supporting independent businesses or want to send a thoughtful, nicely-packaged gift to a socially-distanced family member or friend, I do think Irish Taste Club is worth a try.
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No, you will receive the July box.
ACTIVE DEAL: Get 10% off your first box!
CODE: MSA10
Value Breakdown: This box is $49 a month with free shipping. I received a total of six items, which is an average of $8.17 each. While I understand how some may feel this is a bit steep, especially for the peanut butter cups, the quality of each item was truly exceptional, and being able to support independent businesses during such a difficult time adds some additional value to me personally.
Check out all of our Irish Taste Club reviews and our list of the best snack and food subscription boxes of 2020!
Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!
Have you tried Irish Taste Club? What was your favorite product from June?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.