Fortnum & Mason's £120 Valentine's Hamper Unboxed: A Detailed Review
High-end department store Fortnum & Mason, founded in 1707, is an instantly recognisable brand celebrated for its vast selection of luxury foods and drinks. Its hampers are particularly coveted items, often associated with special occasions like Valentine's Day.
A man recently spent £120 on a Valentine's Day hamper from this luxury retailer and was thoroughly impressed by the contents inside. The upscale department store, based in London, was first established as a grocery shop but quickly gained fame for its high-quality food, leading to rapid growth.
The Unboxing Experience
Carmie Sellitto, who posts online as @touchdalight, ventured to the popular store and purchased the £120 Valentine's Day hamper. On Instagram, he documented his unboxing process and shared his candid thoughts on whether the hefty price tag was justified.
Beginning his video, he opened the lid and remarked: "First impressions, it's got a bunch of hay." After removing the decorative shredded paper, he revealed a small box containing a slab of chocolate with four squares featuring heart detailing.
He opened the packaging and explained: "It's got a little leaflet that says 'to and from', sadly I won't be sending this to anyone so this is pointless." However, his opinion quickly shifted when examining the chocolate: "Wait, that actually looks unreal. The detail in this is crazy - they've got circles on the back."
After splitting the chocolate in half and displaying the centre to the camera, he took a bite and continued: "It has honeycomb and salt on top of it, the flavours are actually insane. This is getting a 10 out of 10."
Assessing the Contents
The content creator then moved to the next item: a "really beautiful" silver tin with embossed detailing containing a "decent" selection of Turkish Delight rose sweets. Carmie quipped: "It must be real silver considering how much I spent on this." After sampling a cube of the rosewater-infused jelly, he branded it "insane" and scored it nine out of 10.
Next, he revealed a round, pink box containing "milk and dark chocolate flowers", praising their intricate appearance as "unreal". Carmie said: "These genuinely look too beautiful to eat," before taking a bite and noting: "This chocolate tastes like expensive Advent calendar chocolate - I can't lie, it's the best." He rated them 8.5 out of 10.
He then unearthed a box of fudge with generous slabs decorated with dried raspberries. After sampling, he said: "I can't lie, it tastes absolutely beautiful. That first bite, it was melting in my mouth. I genuinely think if I took a bite and let it sit in my mouth, it would, like, completely dissolve."
Rummaging further, Carmie declared there was "still so much in here", pulling out a tin of the brand's popular "chocolate pearl biscuits". On the Fortnum & Mason website, these are described as "all butter biscuits" that are "choc-full of Valrhona Chocolate Pearls". After trying one, he said he was "confused why everything was tasting so good" and likened them to shortbread, his favourite biscuit type.
The hamper also included a jar of strawberry and gooseberry conserve and a tin of 20 'Berry in Love' strawberry and honeyberry large leaf tea bags.
Public Reaction and Value Assessment
Carmie concluded by asking viewers whether they believed the hamper was worth £120. In the comments section, Instagram users shared mixed but generally positive opinions.
- One person said: "I actually think that's quite good for £120, out of my price range but the basket is a must."
- Another agreed: "I think that's pretty good" while a third noted: "You're paying for the basket and the name but I love it."
- Someone else added: "I think that's quite a good deal for F&M, you get to keep the basket and make use of some of the pretty boxes! I would buy."
Despite expanding into other departments over the centuries, Fortnum & Mason's food hall remains famous and beloved for its eclectic array of food and instantly recognisable hampers. This Valentine's offering appears to have largely delivered on expectations, combining aesthetic appeal with high-quality treats that impressed even a critical reviewer.
