How to Taste Chocolate

The flavor compounds found in dark chocolate exceed those of red wine, and detecting all these notes can be an extremely fun and educational endeavor. Chocolate tasting skills will allow you to truly savor chocolate. However much of what has been written about tasting and enjoying chocolate has come from traditional European practices focused more on appearance and display. At Intentional Chocolate we feel there is are additional steps you can take to develop a deeper relationship with the “Food of the Gods”.

As people's taste for chocolate is developed and refined, they can distinguish the subtle differences in the flavor of chocolate made with cocoa beans of various origins and intensities. The final step in chocolate discrimination is to be able to discern its coherent energy levels.

Room Temperature
For best tasting, chocolate should be at room temperature. This allows the chocolate to begin to melt the moment it hits your mouth. Cold chocolate doesn't release its flavors and aromas as quickly, altering the tasting experience.

Be Still
You can't appreciate good chocolate if the phone is ringing or you are checking your e-mail. Chocolate comes from all over the world to end up in your house, so turn off the TV and give the chocolate some respect. Take a deep breath and release it. Take a moment to appreciate the intention (actual or inferred) in the chocolate arising from its journey from the chocolate maker, the grower, the cacao tree and the earth. It will reward you for it.

Clear Your Palate
You don't want other tastes interfering with your experience of the chocolate. Make sure no flavors are lingering in your mouth before you begin tasting your chocolate. A piece of apple, a bit of bread or (believe or not) a bite of a pickle are all said to erase flavors in your mouth.

Look at the Chocolate
European traditions value chocolate appearance highly as one of many criteria to judge its quality. While important for display it does not matter for tasting whether or not chocolate has a shiny even gloss on its surface. The color of the chocolate depends on the origin of the beans and the roasting process. Often the most intense chocolate is the most primitive in appearance.

Break Off a Piece
European standards have also stressed breaking chocolate to listen to the sound. They say quality chocolate produces a sharp, crisp sound and a clean edge or the chocolate's "snap." This is simply a function of the “hardness” (melting point) of the cocoa butter and its tempting. It is NOT an indicator of quality, flavor or energy.

Smell the Chocolate
Much like wine experts, chocolate experts can find an incredible array of scents and aromas. Some chocolate flavors include:
burnt bread
nutty
spicy
fruity


The list could continue forever. When you begin tasting chocolate, these aromas probably won't be clear to you. That's okay. Spend more time just smelling the chocolate. Warm it up more with your finger, close your eyes, and let your smell-imagination run wild. Eventually different chocolates will recall different odors. You will start to know which regions of the world produce chocolate with which aromas.

Feel the Chocolate in Your Mouth
Good chocolate should literally "melt in your mouth." Depending on the “hardness” of the cocoa butter chocolate will begin to melt at 88 degrees. While melting the chocolate should feel silky, rich and luscious in your mouth. Don’t chew the chocolate; just let the flavors release on their own. Appreciate the texture of the chocolate -- it can vary from smooth to grainy. A sensual mouth feel is one of the highlights of the chocolate experience.

Taste It
Finally, you should taste the chocolate. You can chew if you want, but just a couple of times. Like with smelling the chocolate, pay attention to the flavors that just pop into your head. These could be the same as what you smelled, or completely different. Most truly interesting chocolate will have at least three primary flavor release points (some have up to 7). The first flavors present just as the chocolate melts in your mouth opening up to the cacao bean or the earth notes. This is followed by the second release of flavors or the “chocolate bouquet”. It is here, in the middle of the tasting, that you are transported to the floral garden, the fruited jungle or to chocolate’s deep soul. Finally, well after swallowing, there arises a hint, a memory of a pleasure gone by, a note (if the chocolate is very special) that will call to you for up to 30 minutes after you are finished.

Feel the Energy
If the chocolate has been intentionally handled you will feel its energy emotionally. It triggers feelings similar to the emotions experienced while viewing a tropical sunset or beautiful orchid. At its height it increases or adds to your own inherent energy. Well after the chocolate experience (if the chocolate is energetic) you should have a strong sense of increased well being.