Monday, July 14, 2008

Test Taster Review - SKOR vs. HEATH

This is the first review of food I've done. I choose SKOR and HEATH because honestly, WHAT is the difference?? They're both chocolate covered toffee, right? WRONG, well, almost.

Here's the story of how I decided to put SKOR and HEATH head to head: I was in the store looking for a great way to reduce my pregnancy cravings for both chocolate and hard toffee. First, I found a yummy looking Heath bar, which I've had many times in the past. Then, I saw a Skor bar and curiosity got the better of me. I started to look at what it was...a yummy chocolate toffee bar. Then I asked myself, "self, what is the difference in these chocolate temptations?" to which I answered myself "I don't know lets eat them and blog about it." And so the birth of this blog posting came about.

Let me note now that both Heath and Skor are made by Hershey's. Not that surprising I know, but the shocker will come at the end of the blog, so please read on.

I'll start with the ever popular HEATH which has been featured in things like Ice Cream and more recently turned into some sort of cookie concoction. Heath is described by Hershey's on the package as a "Milk Chocolate English Toffee Bar". Here's the low down on HEATH from the Hershey's website.

The lesser known Skor bar is given the description of "Delicious Milk Chocolate/Crisp Butter Toffee". Here is Hershey's information on SKOR.

Here are a few points about each bar

- Heath has a long history dating back about 100 years starting with a lovely story about the Heath brothers hand making this yummy confection. Whereas, SKOR was merely introduced in 1983.

-A Skor bar has an entire 10 fewer calories than a Heath bar making it a more healthful choice when you're looking to consume 200 calories in a single sitting.


I started this experiment very innocently. I set myself up in my bed at night (the time I most enjoy eating yummy candies, away from prying little hands) and got out my camera. I opened each package and immediately noticed they look exactly alike.

I then started with a small nibble on each bar noting the flavor and texture. Skor bars have slightly harder toffee to bite into but the quality, texture and flavor of the milk chocolate seems to be consistent between bars.

Second, I noticed the color of the toffee which actually varies significantly between the bars.


The Skor bar is on the top and has a distinctly darker toffee coloring than the Heath, though the Heath has a slightly milder flavor, the Skor definitely sports a bit nuttier and butterier flavor.

I asked my husband to do a blind test for me just randomly feeding me a bit of each without telling me what was what but he had to "check" something on the computer and by the time he came back I had eaten both bars. My taste buds had co-mingled the flavors so completely it was like eating 2 of the same candy bar.

Overall, the experience was gratifying except I'm now addicted to both Heath and Skor bars. The pleasant side is that anywhere that sells candy bars usually has at least one of the brands on hand.

If you're looking for a yummy chocolate covered hard toffee bar, you're probably good to go with either candy bar! While they're marketed differently, (Heath a whole bunch and Skor not at all) it seems that Skor is just a second attempt to sell you the same candy bar in a different package by the same company.

9 comments:

Steph said...

You are cracking me up with this post. I LOVE chocolate/toffee, especially broken up into chocolate ice cream....yummy.

By the way, you've been tagged:
http://s2m2show.blogspot.com/2008/07/i-was-tagged.html

Sally Heap said...

Gotta say, I'm a Skor fan. Sure it's hard to bite into and shatters half the time, but it is the dark and brooding cousin of the corporate sell-out Heath bar. Ice cream and cookies, who needs it?

Unknown said...

Heath came first, long before Hershey came along and bought them out, but Hershey's attempt to best Heath in 1983 with the Skor bar has not gone unnoticed. Skor is for the toffee lover while Heath is for the chocolate lover and that is how they both coexist. Me? I'm a Skor person.

Anonymous said...

SKOR all the way!

Unknown said...

There is no contest here. Skor bars rock!!! I die a little everytime i look at the candy isle and only see the less tasty Heath.

Ben Pearson said...

Actually there is a difference between the skor and heath. The heath bar has a slight coconut flavor. Why? It has palm oil. The skor bar has a much more buttery flavor, and tends to have stronger almond flavor as well because of the lack of palm oil. This small difference accounts for 10 extra calories, as well as a more chewy texture in the heath bar. The skor is definately more brittle because of this too, and usually I find most of the skor bars broken before I open them. The chocolate also seems a bit less creamy in the skor.

BayAreaElite said...

I get the munchies after I medicate soo this brings me here OK. I am also a Fat Girl Food Wierdo too and Have in the last 2 weeks began my Love and Fascination for this Skor Bar! I used to be all about the Heath Bar bcuz its easier to find in stores but something said their the same; buy both & do a taste test, so I did! Skor Won, Umm Buttery Flavor with a hint of chocolate, how can you beat it?
Score Skor Skor is the winner of the chocolate Butter Toffee Candy Test PERIOD.

Anonymous said...

My sister loved the Heath growing up and I love the Skor. I notice the Heath has toffee pieces in it whole the lovely Skor is smoother and creamer! Hail to the Skor! :-p

Unknown said...

I favor Heath bars. Its not even close as I favor Pepsi over Coke. Skor us a jonny-come-lately rip off of Heath. I only found this article wondering how they so blatantly got away with copying another company's product-- and found out weirdly they're both now produced by the same company. Which brings up the obvious question: WHY??? It took Ford about fifty years to figure out making duplicate cars and name plating them Mercury was a dumb idea. Can't someone at Hershey figure this out as well?