How to Taste Chocolate

Fine Flavor chocolate should be tasted intentionally and thoughtfully to fully appreciate its character. We take a very similar approach to that used in professionally analyzing wines or spirits. Try considering the following aspects while tasting our chocolates and bonbons.

Appearance

• Brightness: The shine of chocolate comes from its cocoa butter content, and it truly gleams when in contact with the non-porous surface used for molding bars and bonbons. If your chocolate isn't shiny, it may have been hand-dipped, which gives a silky rather than shiny appearance. 

• Temper: Powdery, stippled, or striped patterns can indicate that your chocolate is out of temper. Properly tempering chocolate arranges the crystalline structure of cocoa butter (which can exist in 5 different forms at room temperature) such that it is strong, evenly textured, and with a higher melting point that allows for optimal flavor release on the palate. Chocolate that is out of temper is not spoiled (and can be tempered again), but will not have the same audible snap, melting properties, or texture on the palate.

• Color: This varies based on the genetics of the bean. Our roasting processes are typically very subtle, and do not change the color greatly. Don't be fooled by an intensely dark (near black, or deep brown) chocolate--this does not necessarily mean that it is more bitter. Some of our darkest chocolate (Ecuador for example) is actually rather low in bitterness, and has some of the most delicate floral aromatics. Conversely, some beans naturally have a paler color intensity (reddish brown, or amber) but may have very intense flavor profiles. Our Piura Blanco bars fit this bill, with a paler appearance even in the absence of milk additions, but very intense fruity and nutty flavors. 

Nose

• Aromas: Orthonasal olfaction (scent collected through the nose) is not as important in chocolate tasting as it is for wine or spirits. But this is still a good method of getting a general sense of the chocolate before placing it in your mouth. Consider whether the chocolate smells broadly fruity, nutty, floral, or densely chocolatey.

Palate

• Texture: Place a piece of chocolate on your tongue, and allow it to melt while gently moving it against the roof of your mouth. Avoid chewing until the chocolate has mostly melted. Pay attention to the texture. A well-crafted chocolate will melt relatively slowly, and have silky, velvety or slightly fine-grained textures. The body (or mouth-coating sensation) will vary based on the type of bean.

• Taste: This relates specifically to the 5 tastes that we are capable of perceiving on our palates.  Acidic, Bitter, Sweet, Umami, Salty. The first two are characteristic of the bean, and are elements that we can minimize or highlight in our roasting and refining processes. The last three come from additions of sugar or fruit; milk products, spices, or nuts; or salt. As you move the melted chocolate around on the palate, pay attention to where you sense any of these tastes. Bitterness generally develops on the finish and can be sensed at the back of the palate. Sweetness sits more forward to center palate. Every person is different, and the location in which you sense these tastes is highly personal. Take note of it, and enjoy comparing with others' experiences.

• Flavor: This is retronasal olfaction, or the release of aromas into the nasal cavity via the back of the throat. In chocolate, this is the best way to assess aromatic qualities, as the chocolate melts on our tongue. One can wax poetic, but we like to start simply so as not to overwhelm or detract from the experience. Is the chocolate fruity (berries, tropical fruit, citrus) or nutty (raw or roasted nuts)? Does it have woody (oak, cedar) or earthy (tobacco, soil, hay) elements? Is it roasty (coffee beans, dark cocoa) or browned (dried fruits, oxidized fruits)? What are the chocolatey flavors--are they reminiscent of the corner pieces of baked brownies, cool fudge, cocoa powder, chocolate cookies, etc? Our chocolates vary greatly in the flavors that can be detected, and this changes based on the amount of time we roast or refine, as well as the harvest date of the beans. Vintage matters in chocolate too!

• Finish: How long do the flavors linger on your palate? Where and how do the sweet, bitter, or umami tastes settle? This will be your final overall impression of the chocolate, and includes the all important question: do you like it? Not every chocolate is suited to every palate, as we each experience taste, flavor, and texture differently. Never be afraid to say that a particular chocolate is not to your liking--make a note of it, and focus your tasting attention on other styles.

Wine and chocolate has been promoted as the ultimate romantic or indulgent pairing, but from a professional taste perspective, it is in fact a very poor pairing!

The sweet and bitter tastes of chocolate have a negative impact on the flavors and textures of wine, making a glass enjoyed alongside taste more tannic/bitter, more acidic, and less fruity. For some, this isn't a problem, but for those who prefer lush and fruit-forward wines, or who are sensitive to tannins and acidity, this can prove highly unappealing. 

If you want to pair wine with your chocolate, we recommend the following:

Dark or Dark Milk chocolates, with their lower sugar content, will make the easiest pairing for red or rosé wines. However, look for cocoa bean varieties with generally lower bitterness levels  -- those from the Carribean and Central America tend to work best. Make sure your wine has a lot of fruit character, focusing on wines from warmer growing regions. And unless you truly love the astringent drying sensation of tannin, avoid high tannin grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, or Sangiovese. Gamay-based reds suit both fronts, and the intense fruitiness of some Californian Zinfandel or Chilean Pinot Noir can also play nicely.

White and Milk chocolates can pair well with sweeter wine styles, including off-dry to medium-sweet rosés and Rieslings; late-harvest Semillon or Chenin Blanc; or demi-sec sparkling wines. 

That said, we encourage you to explore spirits (whisk(e)y, rum, brandy, etc.) pairings with your chocolate, rather than wine. The lack of acids and tannins in spirits makes for a much better pairing, detracting from neither the spirit nor the chocolate. Bourbon will highlight any nutty, spicy, woody, or roasted notes in your chocolate. Rum will promote any tropical fruit, molasses/panela, or herbal elements in a chocolate. Speyside or lightly-peated Highland Scotch Whiskies and Cognac/Armagnac help to lift all fruit characteristics in chocolates, particulary red berry or citrus notes. 

Cacao bean

The seeds of the fruit produced by the Theobroma cacao tree and pronounced kah KOW.

Cocoa bean

After fermentation, cacao beans are referred to as cocoa beans, even before the roasting process.

Fine Flavor Cacao/Cocoa

Beans that are considered high in both quality and flavor. They comprise only 5% of the total global cocoa bean market.

Cocoa Liquor

Ground cocoa nibs which contain their inherent cocoa solids and cocoa butter (approximately 50%). The heat of the friction in the grinding process melts the cocoa butter making the mass "liquid" until it cools and hardens.

Lecithin

A naturally derived emulsifier and stabilizer used to improve the fluidity of chocolate, and the ability of a ganache to form a micro-emulsion. It is present in eggs, and is what allows eggs to play a binding role in baking and culinary sauce making. For chocolate use it is generally derived from either soya or sunflower.

Ganache

An emulsion of chocolate with liquid--generally cream, but also fruit juices/purées, dairy alternatives, olive/nut oil, or water.

Gianduja

Traditionally a blend of roasted hazelnuts with milk chocolate, its modern versions may be made with any roasted nut and any style of chocolate.

Praliné

Toasted nuts caramelized in hard toffee, then ground to a paste.

Bonbon

An individual confectionery center (often a ganache or gianduja) that is either enrobed with chocolate to cover, or encased in a molded chocolate shell.

Dark Chocolate

Cocoa liquor plus sugar and possibly additional cocoa butter, vanilla, or lecithin. The percentage indicated on the label is the total weight of cocoa (bean and butter). The remainder is indicative of the overall sugar percentage. A 70% bar contains 30% sugar.

Milk Chocolate

10% - 40% cocoa liquor, plus sugar, milk powder, and possibly additional cocoa butter, vanilla, or lecithin.

Dark Milk Chocolate

Contains a higher percentage of cocoa liquor than traditional milk chocolate, and a lower percentage of sugar. The milk is added solely to promote nutty, malty, or creamy flavor nuances, while adding some umami character.

White Chocolate

A minimum of 20% cocoa butter, with no cocoa paste. The remaining percentage is sugar, milk powder, and possibly vanilla.