Taste like a Maitre Chocolatier: with all 5 senses

Learn to Taste Like A Mâitre Chocolatier

From the intense cocoa aroma and complex flavour nuances to the smooth and velvety texture. Taste our luxurious Lindt chocolate the way we intended: with all five senses.

Master Chocolatier examining chocolate bar.

Sight

The first impression is important when it comes to chocolate tasting. Premium chocolate should have a silky sheen and even texture. If you’re opening different bars for a tasting, take note of the wide range of brown shades.

Touch

High-quality chocolate should melt at your body temperature. Hold a piece of Lindt EXCELLENCE chocolate between your thumb and index finger and gently rub. Once it begins to melt, feel the texture. Notice the smooth composition; the particles in Lindt chocolate are so small that the texture is never grainy or rough.

Master chocolatier feeling chocolate bar.

Master Chocolatier listening to chocolate bar snap.

Sound

Can you hear a crisp “snap” when you break off a piece of the bar? Quality chocolate will separate easily and neatly. Dark chocolate makes a clear, sharp noise, while milk or white chocolate has a more gentle snap because of its milk content.

Scent

Bring the chocolate to your nose and inhale its aromas before you taste it. The scent can vary depending on the region where the cacao beans were sourced and the flavour of the bar. Do you detect any other notes, such as vanilla, spices or fruit?

Master Chocolatier smelling the delicious aroma of chocolate.

Taste

Put a small piece in your mouth and let it begin to melt slowly on your tongue. Inhale through your mouth and out through your nose – this allows the flavours and aromas to fully penetrate your senses. Now chew the piece three to five times and concentrate on the taste and texture. Is it spicy or neutral, sweet or salty, nutty or fruity? Challenge yourself to identify all the flavours.

Make sure you neutralise your palette

If you are trying several varieties in succession make sure you neutralise your palate in between each tasting. White bread, weakly brewed rose hip tea or mineral water are ideal. Before embarking on your tasting journey, refrain from smoking or eating highly spiced foods.

Begin your tasting with the chocolate with the lowest percentage of cocoa and gradually work up to the intenser higher cocoa varieties: start with white chocolate, then milk chocolate and finally dark chocolate.

Chocolate is best tasted in a calm atmosphere so that you are able to concentrate on your senses.

The journey from Bean to Bar to you

We take pride in what we do. Which means we are one of the very few manufacturers that produce chocolate from bean to bar. This gives us control over every step of the process, so you can be guaranteed you’re getting the finest quality chocolate. Every time.

Perfect Pairings

For added depth and a more complex flavour, savour our dark chocolate with a carefully curated selection of coffees, teas and wines. Try combining our much-loved Excellence Orange Intense with a Bolivia Copacabana macchiato for an unparalleled, nuanced flavour. Discover more pairings with Lindt.