Encourage Your Customers to Become Chocolate Connoisseurs

Introduction to Chocolate Tasting

You've likely heard of wine and cheese tastings, but chocolate tasting is an equally enriching experience that many overlook. If your customers are among those who devour chocolate bars in one go, they might be missing out on a world of flavors. Willie Harcourt-Cooze, the founder of Willie’s Cacao, believes that savoring quality chocolate slowly can be as fascinating as enjoying a vintage wine.

The Quality Test

Willie asserts that, much like fine wine, high-quality cocoa products deserve to be appreciated slowly. Each chocolate product is a unique blend of flavors, discernible to a true cocoa enthusiast. Connoisseurs can identify the nuances of vanilla, sugar, and cocoa beans used in the chocolate.

The Terroir of Chocolate

Just as wine reflects the terroir of its grapes, chocolate carries the signature of the region where its cocoa beans were grown. Factors such as soil, sunlight, and harvest time significantly influence the flavor profile of the chocolate. This is why Willie’s Cacao sources cocoa beans from single estates, ensuring consistent quality akin to a Grand Cru wine.

Chocolate Tasting Techniques

To fully appreciate the subtle flavors of quality chocolate, customers should approach it like a fine wine. Here are some tips to enhance their tasting experience:

Store at Room Temperature

Inform your customers that the delicate flavor combinations in quality chocolate can be altered by improper storage. Too hot, and it will melt and separate; too cold, and the flavors become locked in. Willie recommends storing chocolate at 18ºC (64ºF) and warming it to body temperature before eating to ensure it melts perfectly in the mouth.

Savor the Aroma

A significant part of tasting is actually about smelling. Encourage customers to take their time to inhale the chocolate's aroma. Suggest breaking the bar close to their nose to fully appreciate the olfactory experience.

Let It Melt on the Tongue

Most people tend to gobble down their favorite chocolate, but this prevents them from savoring the flavors. Encourage customers to place a square on their tongue and let it melt slightly. This allows the taste buds to identify the various layers of flavors.

Becoming Chocolate Connoisseurs

Like any skill, chocolate tasting takes time to master. To aid your customers, Willie’s Cacao offers a Discovery Tasting Kit that breaks down key flavor elements, helping them become adept at identifying them. Once they’ve mastered the basics, they can test their newfound knowledge with a tasting of the brand’s 12 Bar Stand.

Interesting Stats

• The global chocolate market was valued at $130.56 billion in 2019 and is projected to reach $187.08 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 4.4% from 2020 to 2027 (source).
• Dark chocolate contains up to 2-3 times more flavanol-rich cocoa solids than milk chocolate, which can improve blood flow and lower blood pressure (source).

Conclusion

Once your customers have mastered these basic tasting tips, they can proudly call themselves chocolate connoisseurs. The next time someone accuses them of being a chocoholic, they can confidently inform them that they are, in fact, a chocolate connoisseur.

By following these guidelines, your customers can transform their chocolate-eating habits into a sophisticated tasting experience, appreciating the rich and complex flavors that quality chocolate has to offer.