What to Expect from Handmade Gourmet Chocolates

Appearance
Good Quality chocolates have a consistent colour and a natural-looking shine without air bubbles or other blemishes. The best chocolates are also noticeably smaller than mainstream products and they typically display a high degree of craftsmanship in their appearance and design.

Aroma
When you purchase fine chocolates your enjoyment begins when you open the box and smell the rich aroma of the contents. Fine chocolates have a fresh, deep aroma, not an overly-perfumed or sugary smell associated with lower quality products.

Taste
Freshly made gourmet chocolates have very intense but refined flavours and subtle nuances of textures. The couverture or outside coating of fine Gourmet chocolates should "snap" when you bite into it. The inside of a chocolate piece is called the filling and, in fine chocolates, it is specifically blended to complement the couverture in terms of both flavour and texture. The main points to look out for in chocolate are firstly the hit of flavours and how long these last; ideally the flavours in the chocolate should steadily rise and linger. Also, the finest chocolate will produce a series of flavours thereby creating a full and varied flavour profile from the first taste to the finish, rather than just one level of flavour.

Mouthfeel
When tasting a piece of fine chocolate, let it melt against the roof of your mouth to feel the texture. A fine chocolate should be velvety smooth without the graininess that comes from either poor or incomplete refinement.

Price
Fine chocolates are a little more expensive because they cost more to make. The quality and provenance of the ingredients used is usually far greater than that of mainstream chocolate products. However in the context of a bottle of fine wine or champagne, fine chocolates are very affordable, making them accessible as a special treat for most people.