What Is Barrel Aged Chocolate & Why is it Becoming More Popular?
Palo-Santo-wood Copyright ©️ 2021 by To'ak International Inc.
Just as barrel aging may improve the flavor of wine, beer, or spirits, aging may improve the overall flavor of some craft chocolates. Infusing cocoa with the taste of bourbon, whiskey, and other spirits, through barrel aging, can mellow chocolate flavor while adding a hint of the spirit it contained. Each spirit emphasizes certain notes in the chocolate, creating a unique flavor. But the technique is fairly new, experimentations continue and is only used by small craft producers.
History of Barrel Aged Chocolate
Quito, Ecuador-based To’ak Chocolate has been a pioneer in creating barrel aged chocolate. Since 2013 the company has aged chocolate in 15 varieties of barrels, specialty casks, and Ecuadorian wood – for as long as four to five years. Today, several U.S. artisan chocolate makers are also barrel aging chocolate. James Le Compte, CEO of To’ak reports that their most successful and popular cask-aged edition was their Cognac Cask Aged bar (which sold out back in 2019) and Islay Whisky Cask Aged bar, which is still available in limited quantities. He adds, “In the next couple of months, we will be releasing editions of our single-origin chocolate aged in the following barrels: Barbados Rum, Mezcal from Mexico, Sotol from Texas, Gin from Utah and a Port Rye.”
Why Barrel Age Chocolate?
Up to 80 percent of the flavor of a well-aged spirit or wine comes from the barrel itself. That’s why choosing the ‘right’ barrels and aging conditions are important when working with any spirit or food.
Wood has naturally occurring oils and other natural chemicals, which are key to the aging process. Lignin may contribute vanilla flavor plus spicy aromas, while lactones may provide coconut overtones, and aroma compounds from hemicellulose may range from caramel to sweet or nutty.
In addition, because cacao beans are roughly 50 percent fat, they have increased absorption abilities after undergoing intense pressure. The resulting cacao butter readily absorbs other aromas. American based chocolate makers are experimenting with different kinds of barrels, and whiskey and bourbon barrels have proved some of the most popular.
Barrel Aging Process
“[The barrel aging] process is about using the nibs before they are ground, and become chocolate,” says Scott McClean, Sales Manager with Ritual Chocolate, in Heber City, Utah. “We do a light roasting and nurseries pick up the shells. He adds, “We put the nibs into bourbon barrels and then cover them with more bourbon, for three to four months until all the bourbon evaporates.” The cacao-nib blend absorbs flavors and aromas from High West Distillery barrels, crafted with white American oak.
The magic occurs in the barrel. Says McClean, “It’s about allowing the bourbon to evaporate plus oak from the barrels gets into the nibs. Once the nibs are dry, then we craft them into chocolate. This is a pretty simple process but there’s a lot of intention in all these little steps. We really have to think about where the nibs are coming from. It’s kind of amazing how simple this really is.”
Barrel Aged Chocolate Bars
Several American chocolate companies are currently producing or have produced notable barrel aged chocolate bars, including Bourbon Barrel Aged 75% chocolate from Ritual Chocolate, which like many barrel aged chocolate, has extremely limited availability due to its unique aging process. McClean shares that it is one of their company’s most innovative and popular offerings. “I think there are all kinds of opportunities to use a similar technique [in the future],” McClean says. “We already have the Ritual Après Chocolate Bar, covered with sparkling white wine, and gin is another possibility.”
Askinosie Chocolate recently sold out of its first, multi-award-winning, barrel-aged chocolate bar – the 70% Barrel-Aged Dark Chocolate Bar. The five-year aging process featured Direct Trade, ethically sourced Tanzanian Trinitario cocoa nibs in whiskey barrels. Vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, it had a smoky, yet smooth flavor profile. A micro batch bar, it won 3 awards in 2022 and quickly sold out. Although a second barrel-aged chocolate bar is in the works, it won’t be ready for release until 2025.
In Brooklyn, New York, Raaka Chocolate also creates an 82 percent cacao, Bourbon Cask Aged Virgin Chocolate bar. A single origin bar with beans also sourced from Tanzania, it is aged in Berkshire Mountain Distilling bourbon barrels for 2 months and won an award in 2013.
Islay Whisky Cask Aged bar is a soft and subtle expression of Ecuadorian dark chocolate from To’ak, aged for 3 years in a single malt whisky cask from Laphroaig distillery in Islay, one of the most iconic whiskies in the world. It uses the rare Heirloom Nacional, a cacao certified by Heirloom Cacao Preservation. An exquisite and luxury bar, it costs $210 for a 50g bar.