Last weekend I was in the shops and came across some new limited edition Horlicks. I don't know how popular Horlicks is around the world. For those not familiar with it, it's a malt drink made with water, or milk for a richer taste. It was a popular drink when I was growing up and often drank as a hot bedtime drink.
I'm always very suspicious when I see limited edition products. Calling a product "Limited edition" makes it sound very exclusive creating a sense of fomo, and everyone will rush out to buy it. In reality, what it's really saying is "we got this new weird product and we don't know if will sell. To avoid it being a total flop, we're going to call it limited edition so all your idiots will rush out to buy it."
Banoffee pie
This is a British dessert though many think it's American. The name Banoffee is a combination of the two main ingredients - banana and toffee - hence the brown packaging. The dessert itself has a biscuit base, then a layer of caramel/toffee, followed by a layer of sliced bananas, and finished off with whipped cream. Sounds delicious, right? But as a malt drink? I have images of myself choking to death from banana and caramel.
Apple pie
Moving onto the next one, apple pie Horlicks. Apple pie needs no introduction, it's one of UK's most loved dessert and also very popular in Europe such as Poland where I found out on my recent trip. I love a warm apple pie with a vanilla ice cream on the side. Or a cold apple juice in the summer. But a hot apple malt drink? Nah! I'll pass on that.
Cherry bakewell
This is a truly English classic. Bakewell is the name of a town in the Peak District, highly recommended to visit if you're ever in UK and love the outdoors. Bakewell tart is one of it's famous product. It has a shortcrust pastry base, a layer of jam, then it's filled with frangipane, a mixture of a ground almonds, butter and sugar. A cherry Bakewell has an addition layer of icing on top of the frangipane and is finished off with a cherry on top. As a dessert, I stop at Bakewell tart as I can't stand icing. I mean I like sweet stuff but I don't like eating mouthfuls of sugar. Imagine how sweet the cherry Bakewell horlick will be !! They even had to use a red packaging to remind consumers of the sickly sweet cherry.
I just can't get my head around these flavoured Horlicks. What is wrong with the good old basic malt flavour Horlicks? I like a cup made with hot milk on a cold winter night, it gives me a lot of comfort. Adding flavour is like a third person coming into my relationship, how dare them?
Anyway, it seemed like these limited edition Horlicks aren't exactly flying off the shelf. Banoffee is the least popular,maybe people think they're going to choke to death like me. And apple pie is the best seller out of the three. Good ole apple pie. Always a favourite.
Would you try these limited edition Horlicks? Which flavour would you chose?
If Horlicks isn't your thing, how about a sweet potato latte that I saw in Singapore some years ago 🫣
Have a great weekend and please stay away from weird drinks.
