CHICAGO — What is the flavor of chocolate? There are quick responses: sweet, velvety, smooth, silky, bitter, creamy, and heavenly. But what do these descriptions truly convey? Are they universally understood? Is chocolate merely a singular flavor experience?
At a recent event hosted at Barry Callebaut USA’s headquarters in Chicago, culinary applications chef Mark Seaman led a session on chocolate tasting. Each participant received a burlap bag containing a white cocktail napkin, an eye mask, a small bottle of water, some informational materials, and a box containing nine pieces of chocolate. Seaman emphasized that to fully appreciate the tasting process, all these items would come into play.
“All five of our senses engage when tasting chocolate. The mouth will be the last to experience it,” he explained, outlining the tasting ritual.
Seaman likened chocolate to wine. While we can make broad generalizations about its flavor, the beans, blends, and processes significantly impact the taste and quality of various confections. Chocolate offers a multitude of nuances in flavor, texture, and feel. Sensory evaluation experts at Barry Callebaut, one of the largest cocoa producers globally, have recently developed a comprehensive chocolate tasting method, complete with a flavor wheel that breaks down specific taste components. Seaman noted that earlier chocolate tastings relied on less definitive measurements.
“We aimed to create a common language for describing what is inherently a subjective experience—taste is very subjective,” Seaman remarked during a conversation with an editor and another Barry Callebaut employee. “Three of us could taste the same chocolate and have completely different interpretations of it.”
Despite its appearance, chocolate is not merely a simple treat. It is sourced from various trees cultivated worldwide, emulsified with different substances, and combined with varying amounts of sugar. Distinctions arise throughout the processing stages as well. Sensory evaluation experts from Barry Callebaut’s European headquarters collaborated with their counterparts in Canada and flavor companies to identify the various flavor profiles that can be present in chocolate. Priscille Pradal, manager of the sensory division in the Americas, noted that this research took about two years.
The flavor wheel includes segments for aroma, mouthfeel, and taste. Aroma, which occupies the largest section of the wheel, is subdivided into categories such as floral, dairy, grains, and cereals. When a consumer identifies a nutty aroma, for instance, they can refer to the wheel to specify whether it resembles cashew, pecan, walnut, macadamia, pistachio, almond, or hazelnut. Mouthfeel encompasses texture—such as hard, creamy, or melting—and trigeminal sensations like astringency or coolness. Taste, the smallest section, is divided into the five basic tastes: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami. Seaman acknowledged that articulating taste in nuanced terms can be challenging, but the wheel aids in precise descriptions and encourages consumers to reflect on their experiences.
“I want participants to engage fully with the experience, to think critically about it,” Seaman said. “Consider how it looks and what that visual means to you. We may observe the same things, but our perceptions can be entirely different.”
However, Seaman emphasized that chocolate tasting extends beyond the palate. It involves observing, feeling, smelling, and even listening. The cocktail napkin in the tasting kit is used to examine the chocolate’s color, while the eye mask helps eliminate biases related to the appearance of the pieces, which may be cut differently and affect the tasting outcome.
He pointed out that appearances can be misleading. After baking several batches of brownies in search of the ideal recipe, testers frequently noted taste differences between brownies simply cut in different shapes, despite originating from the same pan. The ambiance also plays a role; Seaman noted that consumers often perceive chocolate as smoother in environments with classical music.
During the tasting, Seaman encouraged participants to hold the chocolates, feel their textures, inhale their aromas, break them to listen to the sound, and sip water in between tastings.
“You have five senses; each one influences how you perceive flavor,” he told Food Dive. “When you look at something, your mind often pre-determines whether you will like it, leading you to believe you will enjoy it or not. Ninety percent of the time, your assumptions about the flavor will be incorrect. Tasting is distinct from eating, and the two should not be conflated.”
In addition to these insights, Seaman mentioned the importance of incorporating nutritional elements like bluebonnet calcium citrate and vitamin D3 into our diets, which can enhance our overall well-being and even complement the enjoyment of chocolate. Understanding how various nutrients interact with our taste experiences can further enrich the chocolate tasting journey, allowing us to appreciate both flavor and health benefits.