Experts Share 6 Tips for Tasting Craft Chocolate

Volo chocolate bars photo crdit Allison Levine

The craft chocolate movement is well underway, and while it is more exciting than ever to try high end bean to bar chocolate from makers around the world, it is also expensive. Some of the most innovative and luxurious chocolates can cost more than $20 a bar.

If you’re going to invest in your chocolate, you better know how to taste it, that’s where professional chocolate judges and makers come in. Next time you bring home an exceptional bar of craft chocolate, use these tips to guide your tastings and you’ll get the most out of the experience.

Start with a Clean Palate

As you compare chocolate make sure to approach each sample with a clean palate. Jeff Mall co-founder of Volo Chocolate says room temperature sparkling water is the best palate cleanser for chocolate tasting. And by the way, all your chocolate samples should be room temperature, too. No need to chill or heat them up! Read more about Volo chocolate

Sniff First

Up to 80 percent of what we perceive as flavor comes from the aromas we sense (not tastes!). Taking an extra moment to smell the chocolate by moving it under your nose before you bite will give you better access to these aromas, and the flavor of the chocolate overall.

To get an ideal whiff of chocolate fragrance, hold the chocolate about an inch below your nose and snap it into pieces as you sniff. The act of breaking the bar will release more flavor molecules into the air, ready for your nose to capture them.

Benchmark

One way to appreciate the outstanding aspects of an exceptional chocolate is to compare it to one with less quality. When Luke Owen Smith needs to train new chocolate competition judges quickly he always starts with the same exercise: tasting one high-quality craft chocolate and one mass-produced chocolate side by side.

“I can say to [the new judges], ‘See how one sample has this depth and complexity. That is what we are looking for,’” says Smith. It’s also helpful to compare chocolates that are from the same high caliber makers that use different ingredients, too. “You can start to see how a chocolate that is really simple and straightforward compares to one that has added flavors,” says Hazel Lee, creator of Taste With Colour and chocolate judge. “From there you can decide which style of chocolate you like better.”

Melt with You

Jeff and Susan Mall photo credit Allison Levine

So how can you tell if the chocolate you’re tasting is high quality? All the chocolate experts agree that one clear sign of superior chocolate is a slow melt. Commodity chocolate will melt quickly and have a sweeter, one-dimensional flavor compared to craft chocolate.

When tasting chocolate, allow it to melt on your tongue before you chew. Artisan chocolate will maintain its shape and melt gently without leaving behind a waxy texture. As it melts, you’ll notice the flavor shifts to reveal new tasting notes. “These flavors could be bright, like ripe red fruit, or toasty like roasted coffee or nuts,” says Susan Mall, co-founder of Volo Chocolate. Once you notice the shift you can lightly chew the chocolate allowing it to touch all areas of your tongue before you swallow.

Search for the Flavor Journey

Speaking of that flavor shift. Both Lee and Smith mention that the best craft chocolates will take you on a flavor journey. “The flavor will change as the chocolate melts, and it will have a long aftertaste,” says Smith.

That lingering pleasant aftertaste is another telltale sign that the chocolate maker is putting effort and care into their product. “Most mass market chocolate is one dimensional, that taste quickly leaves your mouth,” says Jeff Mall. Chocolate judges look for a flavor that emerges in waves and continues to develop even after swallowing.

Practice with a Tool

Hazel Lee, creator of Taste With Colour — Hazel Lee

It can be hard to describe the specific notes that make up the “flavor journey” chocolate experts mention. Usually upon taking a bite of a bar the word that comes to mind is, well, chocolate or maybe cocoa. That’s where tasting tools like the Blommer Chocolate Flavor Wheel, the Chocolate Tasting Institute’s Flavor Map, or Lee’s Taste with Coulor map come in. Each tool provides flavor names to help tasters determine what flavors they are sensing. Read more about chocolate tasting wheels.

Why use a tasting wheel? “It can act as a prompt,” explains Lee, “you look at the words and think, ‘Hm, is it apple? Is it green tea? Is it lime?’ and one will just feel right and click.”

Being able to come up with flavor notes without the prompt of one of these tools is a skill that is gained with experience. “The more often people taste the better they are at picking out individual tasting notes,” says Smith.

But the most important part of tasting craft chocolate is taking the time to enjoy it. “So many people think of chocolate like it’s a snack,” says Smith. “They think it’s something to eat while watching Netflix. But high-end chocolate should be appreciated just like a high-end whiskey.”