Award winning chef says maple syrup ‘quality gap’ is small

There is a negligible gap in quality between the most expensive 100% pure maple syrup, and the cheapest – that’s the view of acclaimed chef Tom Hunt.

Hunt is the founder of London’s Poco Tapas Bar, which won Sustainable Restaurant of the Year at the Food Made Good Award, as well as an author, columnist and global food activist.

Writing for the Guardian, the respected food industry professional was tasked with ranking 10 of the best grade A maple syrups available in the UK.

Summing up his experiences in sampling the syrup, using a tasting process recommended by Agriculture Canada, Hunt remarked on the consistency in quality that he found across all the products, regardless of price.

Agriculture Canada supports and regulates the maple syrup industry through scientific research and market promotion. Its scientists mapped 91 unique flavour profiles and created an official flavour wheel for maple products.

In its maple syrup tasting guidelines, Agriculture Canada recommends four basic steps. Firstly, the syrup should be smelt using three quick sniffs, before a note is made of the impression made. Then a small sip should be taken, with the syrup being swirled around the mouth, before it is spat out, if possible.

It is then advised that the taster takes a minute to concentrate on the variety of flavours present, associating flavours with their own experiences (for example, the scent of a bag of toasted marshmallows).

After the character of the taste has been assessed and described, the tasting process ends with classification of the flavour – from mild to medium or strong.