Taste Test: Heinz's Jalapeño-Flavored Ketchup

By Kelly Dobkin

If you blog about it, it will come. We told you about Heinz's new Real Jalapeño ketchup which is due to hit shelves officially in January 2013, and wouldn't you know it, a mere 12 days later, a bottle of the stuff miraculously shows up at our door. Well, we don't mind if we do. Let's taste test this new concoction straight away. (PS, you can buy some online now for $4.99 via the company's Facebook page until December 7.) Here are some Zagat staffers' unedited first responses:

Kelly: It just tastes sweeter to me. Does it still have high fructose corn syrup in it? (Reads label.) Yup.

James: It's great. I would put this on everything. I like having spice on my burger, but when you order jalapeños on your burger in a restaurant, sometimes it's so overwhelmingly spicy. This is much more subtle. (The rest of James' gleeful comments were edited for the sake of journalism.)

Charlotte: It actually tasted a little fresher and more homemade than regular Heinz. It can appeal to anyone also, not just spice fiends. 

Jackie: I burned my tongue before I ate this, so I can't tell how spicy it is….it's good, though.

Justin: Oh it's good. It's definitely spicy. I wouldn't want this on fries, maybe on a burger.