A detailed tasting of ten supermarket light soy sauces reveals Poon’s premium first extract soy sauce as the top performer, while the Co-op Chinese Menu light soy sauce falls behind the rest.
Standout Performers
Poon’s premium first extract soy sauce emerged as the standout, available for £16.30 for 250ml at Ocado and £18.99 for the same amount at Selfridges, making it £6.52 and £8 per 100ml, respectively. This soy sauce impressed with a complex aroma enriched by banana blossom and forest-floor notes. Tasters found its flavour intricate and astringent, combining roasted popcorn, caramel, salt, and bean flavours, all achieved by using non-GMO soya beans from Taiwan, pressed once and naturally fermented without additives.
In terms of value, Yutaka organic tamari soy sauce is noteworthy. Priced at £2.35 for 150ml at Sainsbury’s (£1.57/100ml), it delivers a deep and rich taste profile with dark malt and molasses hints. It maintains its intensity with an organic soybean content of 45% and enhances dishes with its gluten-free, naturally fermented composition.
Runners-Up
Kikkoman soy sauce, found at Tesco and Sainsbury’s for £3 per 150ml (£2/100ml), provides a profound, beany aroma accompanied by meaty, caramel-like flavours. Its profile is substantial and includes umami complexity achieved through six months of natural brewing.
Clearspring organic yaemon tamari soya sauce, available for £3.80 for 150ml at Ocado (£2.54/100ml), boasts a sweet, malty aroma. The double-strength gluten-free product, aged in cedarwood kegs, offers savoury umami tones from its 52% soybean content.
Underwhelming Options
Amoy light soy sauce, priced at £2 for 150ml at Tesco, includes six additives and provides a strong alcohol note alongside meaty mushroom undertones.
Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose, and M&S soy sauces received two-star ratings due to low soy content and reliance on additives. Prices start from 55p for 150ml at Sainsbury’s up to £1.35 at Waitrose.
Least Recommended
The Co-op Chinese Menu light soy sauce, available for 74p for 150ml at Co-op (50p/100ml), earned just one star. Its intense, smoky flavour and high salt content should be used sparingly, with a 20% soy sauce extract complemented by several non-soybean ingredients.
Reporting based on coverage first published by theguardian.com.