Before the tariffs: Keogh's Atlantic Sea Salt & Irish Cider Vinegar crisps

A friend of mine, aware of my salt & vinegar potato chip addiction, snagged a bag of the Keogh's Atlantic Sea Salt & Irish Cider Vinegar variety while in Chicago not too long ago. I was pleased to discover that they were imported from Hibernia and don't think they were unduly expensive so they must have reached these shores before the tariffs kicked in. At first I thought that these would be my first foreign salt & vinegar chips but then realized that I have sampled some from our friends up north in Canada. And so these would be the first to traverse the Atlantic Ocean.

How does one pronounce "Keogh's"? (Apologies to any Irish folks out there.) The name refers to the family that owns and runs the company that grows potatoes somewhere in the vicinity of Dublin, it looks like, and has been turning them into chips/crisps since 2011.

Going in, I was curious as to what kind of potatoes Keogh's uses for their crisps. Presumably a different variety or varieties than American chip makers use. Keogh's doesn't say but, then again, neither do most American purveyors of this tasty snack. But it would be interesting to taste if there was something unique about the potato flavor here. 

These crisps looked mighty fine. They generally had a medium yellow hue, although there were some that veered towards tan, and, with the skin on, had brown edges. I spied an occasional bubble. Putting my nose in the bag, I smelled a nice earthy potato aroma followed by oil and a hint of vinegar.

"Thick cut" said the bag and so the crisps had a good, solid crunch to them. Perhaps not quite as stentorian a chomping clamor as kettle chips but darn close. The Atlantic Ocean's salinity does not suffer from these chips as the salt level seemed average to my taste. Vinegar was on the mild side. My tongue tasted the tang but didn't feel threatened by it.

The potato flavor was excellent - earthy with a bit of sweetness. I couldn't really distinguish these Hibernian spuds from their North American cousins. Perhaps the vinegar got in the way of being able to taste fine distinctions. But I'd guess not. And about the vinegar: what makes it sweet? Is it actually sweetened or is apple cider vinegar, which the website says is used here, considered "sweet"?

These were tasty chips. Despite needing a bit more vinegar they had a nice crunch and I'd eat them if they were to come my way again or if I found myself on The Emerald Isle.