Chocolate Makers and Chocolatier Profiles

Pralus Fortissima 80%

The aroma indicated that it was likely to be a robust bar of dark chocolate. Unfortunately it came across as being very understated and not at all interesting. I wanted those strong aromas to be evident as their Chuao bar but there was only a very slight appearance of acidity on the tip of my tongue.

Vosges Black Pearl

I know this chocolate bar was four months past it's best before date, but I could still pick out the ginger flavour, but that's about it. I can imagine it would be a nice bar for a Summer's evening, but it's just doesn't stand out for me.

Sir Hans Sloane Marbles

Sir Hans Sloane has produced these white chocolate marbles for people to munch on whilst watching the Jubilee and the London Olympics on TV. There're not chocolaty in the conventional sense, but still enjoyable.

South Devon Honeycomb Chilli Chocolate

This chocolate from the South Devon chilli farm hit the sport. It uses 60% couverture chocolate as well as some honeycomb and their won chillies that they grow at the farm. Other's might not like it because it doesn't use fine chocolate, but I love it.

My Chocolate Bar Lemon Truffles

It's a shame that you can't buy these online any more as they're nice, but not as enjoyable as most of their other truffles that I've enjoyed.

Menakao 100% Cocoa

Obviously 100% dark chocolate isn't one that beginners should start off with. But if you're comfortable with very bitter chocolate then this has to be one of the best you could try. If you allow yourself to melt it slowly on the tongue you can find lovely flavour and textures.

Thorntons Lemon & Sea Salt

This certainly isn't the best milk chocolate they've produced, but I still enjoyed the sharp flavours. The lemon and sea salt did work well together and make the inherent chocolate flavour stand out more. I'd love to try a 50% version of this bar to see what the salt could do with the darker tones.

Duffy’s 65% Star Of The Dominican Republic

I definitely think that something went very wrong with this bar. Perhaps the ingredients were used in the wrong quantities, perhaps the sunflower lecithin wasn't quite right. All I know was that there was a very strange soapy quality to the chocolate that really shouldn't have been there.

Potomac Chocolate Upala 70% Dark Chocolate

This bar of lighter chocolate from Potomac Chocolate certainly isn't heavy on flavour, but it is mild, clean and very enjoyable. It's certainly not as heavy on the pallet as the 82% version. I do suggest that if you get the chance to try some then you should give this bar a go and compare it to the darker one.

Fruition Dark Milk Chocolate with Fleur de Sel

Although I typically do like dark milk chocolate, this wasn't rustic enough. There weren't enough rough edges and variation for me to class it as a remarkable bar of chocolate. It was, however, expertly made and undoubtedly it would be popular with people who like less bitter chocolate.

Chapon Madagascar 75%

This Madagascar 75% dark chocolate bar from Chapon is my least favourite of the four bars that I've reviewed. It's far too acidic. It has a very strong red fruit flavour that gets a bit much after a while. There is a hazelnut flavour beneath it all, but it's not obvious enough.

Chicken Tikka Masala Milk Chocolate

Say it isn't so? This is definitely for those that will eat anything. I couldn't eat more than a couple of pieces as I found it far too dry for my liking. Paul, you're a mad, mad man!

Duffy’s Nicaragua Chuno

This Duffy's Nicaragua Chuno bar is possibly the finest I've tried this year. It's mild, relaxing and incredibly enjoyable. The main flavour that should come through for you is chestnut, but you might also get the very slightest hint of red fruit and hay at the very end. It's a fantastic bar of chocolate.

Milk Chocolate Dirty Bunnies

Who doesn't want to give their children something different this year? If you did and it hast to be top quality then you've got to look at these from Rococo Chocolates. They're made with top quality ingredients and combine an intense sweetness with a delightful crunchy texture.

Ginger Truffles

It's a shame that you can't buy these online any more, but they were lovely, soft, creamy and full of flavour. Hopefully they'll change their website soon. But I fear they're just wholesaling now.

Paul A Young Selection Box

This has to be one of the most adventurous and interesting chocolate selection boxes I've tried. There's only the one classic truffle whilst there are numerous ones with unusual flavours such as cigar leaf and red onion.

The New KitKat Crunchies

I don't think I'd be buying any of these new KitKat Crunchies, not when there's far better chocolate out there. But who am I to tell several millions of people that they're no good, you guys love them and that's all that counts!

Matcha Chocolat Mothers’ Day Selection Box

If Mothers' Day was one to truly endulge her in magnificence then you have to get her a box of these wonderful ganaches and feuillantine, they are really fantastic! I adored the fruit flavours against the dark chocolate bitterness.

Menakao Madagascar 72%

This bar of Meakao 72% is one of the finest Madagascan dark chocolate bars I've ever reviewed. It's very much full of flavour which lasts an age. If you're ever able to try it I would. It's made in Madagascar from locally grown cocoa.

Thorntons Truffles Heart Little Gifts

I can't say these truffles are my most favourite I've ever tried purely because they're very sweet. I prefer them to be more creamy and have less sugar.

Divine White Chocolate And Strawberry Hearts

Unusually, these white foil-wrapped hearts chocolate were actually pretty nice. Perhaps I wouldn't reach for them as I do dark chocolate when I'm working and need a distraction. But still, they were a lot nicer than I thought they'd be.

Thornton’s Continental Chocolatier’s Tasting Collection Heart

If size matters for you and you've got to find the biggest box of chocolates on the high street then you should take a look at these. I found them too sweet to consume in any great quantity, but I'm sure most people will love them.

Hotel Chocolat Love Notes

Hotel Chocolat create Valentine's gifts that have more thought put into them than many chocolatiers - especially when it comes to the functionality and process of how they're given. If you want to show you love someone and want to lay the romance on thick, then this is what you need to buy.

Chococo Raspberry Pavlova Milk Chocolate Heart

Every chocolatier seems to sell chocolate hearts for Valentine's Day, but too few make anything worth taking notice off. Most of them seemingly use the cheapest couverture they can and then sprinkle some ingredients on top. There's nothing original about that.

Gnosis Chocolate Aphrodisia

You've got to be fairly open-minded to buy a bar of raw, organic chocolate which has ingredients included to make you feel more inclined to have some loving. But if you are, then I'm sure you'll find it pleasant.

Matcha Selection Box for Valentine’s Day

Katie always comes up with supper awesome selection boxes that take you on a journey and over the two years or so I've been reviewing her chocolates I don't think I've had a more pleasurable journey than I've had reviewing this Valentine's Selection Box.

[Closed] Win A Dozen Valentine’s Chocolate Covered Strawberries

A wonderful competition to win a dozen chocolate covered strawberries in time for Valentine's Day. I've reviewed one of the gift boxes that Berry Scrumptious create and they are most certainly one of my favourite chocolate treats. There are just two simple question to answer in this competition so it should be easy to enter.

Chococo Sea-Salt Popcorn Chocolate Clusters

If you're looking for something different then you should really give these sea salt milk chocolate coated popcorn clusters as they're something you just won't want to put down.

Oialla Organic Wild Chocolate from Beni, Bolivia

This 70% dark chocolate bar made with wild Bolivian cacao, but not from Felchlin, is very soft, mild and fragrant. But that shouldn't deter those who love aggressive chocolate from trying it.

Pierre Marcolini Kendem Lembu Java

Although this bar from Pierre Marcolini isn't from an unusual source, it comes across as a fairly rustic bar of dark chocolate more akin to a chocolate maker that doesn't use soya lecithin.

Patric Chocolate Madagascar 67%

This bar of Madagascar 67% is one of the finest bars of dark chocolate I've ever tasted. It's like drinking red wine in your favourite countryside pub with a log fire roaring!

Madre Chocolate Bars

These Madre Chocolate dark bars offered an excellent variety of flavours from both Hawaii and the Dominican Republic. There were all made exceptionally well. If you do get a chance to try them, then please do.

Black River Chocolates Selection Box

I had expected a great deal from these Black River Chocolates Selection Box given the price, but I just don't think they matched up to the price label. Don't get me wrong, they were nice, but not unique enough to stand out from the crowd.

Daniel Jones Orange & Bee Pollen

The Daniel Jones Orange & Bee Pollen milk chocolate bar intrinsically be the finest I've ever tried but it had a fantastic enjoyable quality to it which I'm sure many of you would appreciate.

Fruition Chocolate 66% Dark Chocolate

There is something magnificent about micro-batch chocolate makers putting the effort in to create utterly delightful chocolate as this 66% bar. It may be a touch sweet, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Amma Chocolate 60%

A superb bar of bitter-sweet chocolate from an amazing company. The local environment is central to the manufacture of this bar and wonderful flavours very much in evidence.

Rogue Chocolatier Hispaniola 70%

The Rogue Chocolatier AKA Colin Gasko makes chocolate the right way - with fairly basic machinery and without added ingredients to cheat the chocolate making process and manages to create some fine chocolate as a result.

Artisan du Chocolat Gingerbread Cookies White Chocolate

This Artisan du Chocolat Gingerbread Cookies White Chocolate is quite possibly my most favourite white chocolate bar of all time. I know its sweet, but unlike the others, there are various interesting flavours going on that seem to mitigate the sweetness.

L’Artisan du Chocolat O Magic Collection

This L'Artisan du Chocolat O Magic Collection was far below what I expected in terms of flavour and experience. However, there can be no criticism of the ingredients, its just that the flavours of the jam weren't allowed to take centre stage at all which is a shame as I expect them to be fantastic.

Devnaa Limited Edition Honey & Cardamom Fudge

Devnaa never fail to surprise me with how wonderful their chocolate is. The flavours are mild but sufficient to give you a clear, smooth taste that doesn't dominate your senses. They just produce fantastic Indian-inspired confectionery.

Say it with Brownies Cookies & Cream Brownie

These Cookies & Cream Brownie from Say it with Brownies are absolutely delicious. Of course they're incredibly rich and fairly sweet, but they have a tanginess which I found incredibly addictive. You'll also get a lot more than you think as you get twelve decent sized slices.

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