Reference

Tasting Notes

A guide to flavors in fine bean-to-bar chocolate, and what each origin brings to the process.

Fruity

Bright, fresh fruit tones

Red Berry raspberry jam, dried cranberry, cherry

Citrus orange peel, lemon zest, grapefruit

Stone Fruit ripe peach, apricot, plum

Tropical mango, pineapple, passionfruit

Dried Fruit raisin, fig, prune, date

Nutty

Warm, toasty nut tones

Almond marzipan, raw almond, amaretto

Hazelnut Nutella, praline, roasted hazel

Walnut bitter walnut skin, earthy

Peanut peanut butter, roasted legume

Toasted toasted bread, biscuit, granola

Floral

Delicate perfumed notes

Rose Turkish delight, rose water

Jasmine white tea, night-blooming flower

Lavender herbal, slightly medicinal floral

Orange Blossom neroli, honey-like floral

Violet parma violet candy, soft purple flower

Earthy

Deep, grounding, raw notes

Tobacco pipe tobacco, dry leaf, barnyard

Leather saddle leather, aged book

Mushroom forest floor, umami, truffle

Soil petrichor, wet earth, clay

Wood cedar, oak, dry timber

Spicy

Warming, peppery sensations

Cinnamon warm baking spice, cassia

Pepper black pepper finish, prickle on tongue

Clove eugenol, holiday spice, dentist-y

Cardamom floral spice, chai tea

Anise licorice, fennel, star anise

Roasted

Dark, developed, bitter-sweet

Coffee espresso, dark roast, mocha

Cocoa pure dark cocoa, brownie batter

Malt Ovaltine, malted milk, beer

Caramel toffee, butterscotch, burnt sugar

Smoke campfire, char, smoked wood

Sweet

Soft, confection-like sweetness

Vanilla vanilla bean, custard, soft cream

Honey wildflower honey, beeswax, nectar

Molasses dark treacle, raw cane sugar

Brown Sugar muscovado, warm sugar cookie

Cream heavy cream, whole milk, butter

Acidic

Bright tartness, ferment notes

Vinegar sharp acetic bite, balsamic

Lemon sharp citric acid, lemon candy

Fermented kombucha, sourdough, funky

Yogurt lactic tang, fresh cheese

Wine red wine tannins, grape must

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