Marmalade on toast for 77 quid!! What a bargain!!

The £77 slice of marmalade on toast

To call this luxurious concoction marmalade is a bit like describing the finest caviar as fish paste.

It contains more than £4,000 worth of vintage whisky, champagne and edible gold leaf.

That works out at £77 for every slice of toast on which it is spread, or £11 for a dainty mouthful.

And I have been invited to try it - a daunting prospect for someone who has hated marmalade all her life.

Created by jam and marmalade maker Duerr's to mark its 125th birthday, the orange concoction in its commemorative crystal glass decanter, complete with silver lid, has been valued at £5,000.

While waiting for the lightlytoasted white bread to arrive, I discover that the 1kg jar contains 82ml of Dalmore 62-year-old malt whisky worth £3,450, 500ml of vintage Pol Roger champagne (£348) and £120 worth of gold leaf.

More importantly, but considerably less pricey, 500g of Seville oranges shipped from Spain to the Duerr's factory in Manchester went into the one-off creation. The rest is 40 per cent liquid sugar.

Surprisingly, it took just half an hour to make the marmalade, a process of heating the mixture to 105c in a steam-surrounded pot to allow the water to evaporate.

The booze and gold leaf were added only at the end to avoid the risk of the alcohol going the same way as the water.

This all happened last Thursday and the first samplings occurred at Duerr's board meeting the following morning. And then along came me.

As advised I spread a thick layer of butter on a slice of toast and spooned a healthy dollop of marmalade on top. And then I took a bite. And it was good, really, very good.

The alcohol was probably not unconnected to my enjoyment, but I could taste the oranges too. And even though there were bits of peel in it, which I have never enjoyed before, actually it was rather nice. I think I might grow to appreciate that bitter bite.

I even went back for a second slice. What further proof is needed of its worth?

Sadly, I think I might have ruined my chances of ever appreciating the bog-standard jar of fine-cut marmalade having now tasted the best.

The commemorative jar is to be auctioned for charity, so someone with sizeable pockets will get to enjoy many a fine breakfast.

As for Duerr's, the family are considering whether there is a market for a more exclusive breed of marmalade.