These are a few recommendations on how to taste a chocolate bar. Taste the same type of chocolate in one sitting, and limit to 3-5 tastings. I find that tasting more than 6 at a time is overwhelming. Number the samples and use the list of descriptions from the previous posting. Feel free to add your own descriptive words.
Don’t get distracted or disturbed. Pay close attention to the full tasting experience. Jot down notes, and if you’re tasting with others, keep your comments to yourself until the end. Only share your comments after the tasting is over. Remember that everyone’s findings are of personal choice and that your comments may not necessarily agree with others. The purpose of this is to develop your own personal chocolate profile. Also, make sure that there are no strong odors in the room.
Wash your palate between tastings. Take a sip of water between tastings preferably with unsalted crackers in order cleanse your palate from the previous chocolate sample. Or you can take Clay Gordon’s advice, author of Discover Chocolate, and sip green tea in between tastings.
Taste during the best time of day. Chloe Doutre-Roussel, author of The Chocolate Connoisseur, tastes her chocolate before breakfast. Chloe suggests you find the right time of day when you are most alert and when you have not eaten within two hours.
Taste with your senses.
1. Smell-How much of the chocolate can you smell? Are there any other scents you detect?
2. See-Are there flaws in the chocolate such as blooming? Blooming is a white powdery coating on the surface of the chocolate which may affect the texture and taste of the chocolate. How shiny is the chocolate? Generally speaking, milk chocolate will not be as shiny as a piece of dark chocolate.
3. Touch and Hear-Look for a crisp snap when you break a piece of chocolate.
4. Taste
