Temperature
Chocolate should not be stored in the fridge, but in a cool, dry place around 18 degrees. Because cold chocolate makes it harder to detect flavour nuances. If you have a wine fridge that is a good place as you can set the temperature and there is no humidity.
If you have stored chocolate in the fridge, it is very important to allow the chocolate to come to room temperature before tasting.
Cleanse your Palate
When tasting lots of different chocolates, it is best to drink some water in between chocolates to cleanse your palate as you would when you taste wine.
Smell
Bring the chocolate to your nose and deeply inhale its aroma. Does it smell fruity or sweet? Can you detect any vanilla or spice? Our coffee and cardamom bar has a very fragrant aroma. Smelling chocolate before you put it in your mouth is important as it stimulates your taste buds.
Hear
Break off a piece of the bar. How did it sound? Good dark chocolate has a clean snapping sound, while milk chocolate has a softer snap due to the milk content. A lack of a good snap could either indicate bad tempering or that the chocolate is too warm.
Chew Vs Melting in your mouth
It amazes me how many people I see chomp chocolate and quickly gulp it down! Chocolate is not meant to be chewed and gulped it is meant to be savoured and allowed to melt on your tongue. Your mouth is the perfect vessel for chocolate to melt slowly. So let the flavours unfold, and move the chocolate around in your mouth and indulge in the tasting experience.
Tasting experience
During your tasting experience you will notice the texture of the chocolate, is it smooth and creamy? Does it coat your entire mouth? Are there crunchy inclusions like nuts? Three of our bars have nuts so you will get a mix the smooth silky chocolate and the crunchy nuts. You will also pick up on the flavours, for example with our Australian Dark 70% you will notice a mix of fruity and nutty flavours.
Lastly the finish is how the chocolate lingers in your mouth. Does it have a long finish, or do the flavours disappear quickly?
We hope that by tasting chocolate in this way you will gain a deeper appreciation for chocolate!