I recently had the opportunity to try something I’ve never done before- an official chocolate tasting! My neighbor invited me and we had a girl’s night out, sampling different chocolates and it was SO FUN. We visited Taste, a company located in Provo, Utah.

The night began with a tour of their store. They actually make their own chocolate, and so we were able to go to their small factory in the back of the store and actually see all the machines that are used in the process of making chocolate. They passed around dried cacao beans, still in their shells- they’re huge!

They take the beans from the shell, and roast them in a giant oven. They chop them, press them, sift them, mix them with their chosen formula of flavors and ingredients, refine the chocolate by heating it up to a super high temperature that allows them to remove any impurities, and then they temper the chocolate (which is what makes it creamy, smooth and shiny) and then pour into molds and let cool. I wish I had thought to take pictures at the time because it was really neat to see all these different machines! Who knew that there was so much to making perfect chocolate!

We were able to sample raw cacao beans that had been roasted and chopped; picture the darkest chocolate you’ve ever had, but even more bitter because there is no added sugar or flavoring.

They had a nice crunch, a bitter yet rich chocolate taste, and I thought they would actually be super tasty on top of a smoothie or oatmeal! But they’re definitely not for everyone!

After we had toured the whole factory, the really fun part began! We sampled 9 different types of chocolate, and with each one, we were encouraged to use all 5 senses.

• Eyes- Look at the chocolate to observe its shine. If it has been tempered correctly, it should have a beautiful gloss to it.
• Ears- Take your piece of chocolate and break it in half near your ear. Low quality chocolate will just kind of crumble in your fingers, but a correctly tempered and high quality chocolate will break directly in half with a delectable little snap.
• Touch- Gently rub the chocolate between your fingers on the chocolate to release the smell, and feel the creamines.
• Nose- Take a big inhale of your piece of chocolate to help all your olfactory senses to prepare for this unique flavor of which they are about to sample
• Taste- Put it in your mouth and gently suck on it, savor it, chew slowly, and observe all the flavors and textures this unique little piece of chocolate gives you!

We had such a fun variety of chocolates. Ones that really stood out to me- my absolute favorite was their Cuba chocolate- the store owner said that some people said it tasted like a leather armchair, or that it reminded them of their grandpa. It had such a deep, rich flavor- it was just divine!

They had Rowley’s Red Barn chocolate, which is actually local to my little city! It had dried apples and cloves mixed into the chocolate, and it tasted like creamy cider in your mouth. So unique and flavorful!

There was a sourdough chocolate- like, actual sourdough bread pieces in the chocolate! It was such a uniquely different piece of chocolate- I loved it! It had tiny little crunchy pieces of bread throughout the chocolate, and it had a literal sourdough bread taste. So unique and decadent!

There was a white chocolate with pistachios and that was such a great combination! Although to be honest- I’m a huge fan of white chocolate, but after sampling some of the other darker chocolate flavors, I have to say that those were my favorite.

They give you a paper on which to take notes, and they encourage you to do so to help you hone the flavors and experience with each piece of chocolate!

After sampling our chocolates, they also had vinegar for us to try.

The first was a super fruity vinegar- much better than downing shot of apple cider vinegar! Though, it was still vinegar so you definitely got a nice burn in your throat after swallowing ;). There was a fig vinegar, a honey vinegar (which was so weird because it was REALLY strong and burned everything going down- but totally tasted like honey at the same time- supposedly really good as a salad dressing when combined with lavender olive oil), and then a delicious lemon oil combined with a special balsamic (I believe it was cherry?) and the combination was perfection. Apparently they serve it on top of vanilla ice cream with strawberries- and that is a combination I totally need to try now!

We ended the night with a decadent little spoonful of hazelnut chocolate. Creamy, thick, perfection. Picture Nutella on the best steroids possible. ;)

It was such a fun night, and such a great experience! I was able to try flavor combinations I would never have put together, and learn more about the whole process of making chocolate. It broadened my horizons with taste, and helped me appreciate good chocolate a little more. And it was just so much fun!!

If you’re local to Provo, Utah, I highly recommend a chocolate tasting at Taste! You could do it for a special date night, a girl’s night out, or even a fun adult activity for friends or a family reunion. It was totally worth it.

Have you ever attended a chocolate tasting, whether at Taste or somewhere else? I’d love to hear your experience below!