Chocolate Pairing Suggestions | Wine, Whisky, Teas

From wines to tequilas to green tea, we have something for everyone with our chocolate pairings.

Sea Salt 70% Dark Chocolate Bar

Sometimes simplicity is the best flavour and that’s what you get with our Sea Salt bar. 

Emulate and mimic the flavours of this bar when deciding on an appropriate pairing, look for a medium-bodied red wine, ideally with notes of cherry, raspberry and plum, soft tannins and elusive smokiness. We recommend a South African pinot noir, hits of spice with gentle Pinotage qualities the salt in the chocolate will enhance the fruit flavours and blend accordingly with the smokiness.

Alternatively, Lapsang Souchong tea dried over a smoking pine fire, imparts a sweet, clean smoky flavour and creates a unique exquisite pairing for our chocolate, the richness of both mingle and merge and create a sumptuous experience.

For a more mature flavour pairing, we recommend the warm and peaty aromas of an Islay single malt. For a serious flavour pairing try Laphroaig single malt, medicinal in flavour with a rich amber colour, warm, mature and intense.

South African Pinot Noir

Look for a Robust, medium bodied red wine. Ideally with notes of cherry, raspberry and plum with soft tannins – degree of smokiness the wine which would work well with the bitter qualities of dark chocolate and would be enhanced by the saltiness

• River's end stellar organic pinot noir (Fairtrade)

• Earthbound Organic Fairtrade Pinot Noir - Fresh , young fruitiness, with sticky pudding notes of fruit cake, and spice.

Peaty Single Malt Whiskey

Warmth, earthiness and lingering smoke flavours from the peat would work well with a dark chocolate with a hint of salt.

• Laphroaig

• Lagavulin

• Ardbeg

• Bowmore

Lapsang Souchong Tea

Smoky, peaty with lingering flavors.

 

Ecuador Single Origin 70% Dark Chocolate Bars

Our Intense 70% Ecuadorian chocolate is deep, velvety and forceful with notes of dark fruit, ripened plum and concentrated bitter-sweet smokiness.

With its dusky complexity brightened by hints of jammy fruit , this richly nuanced chocolate affords you an opportunity to explore with your pairings –Argentinian Malbec, full bodied with soft tannins and strong notes of cherry and plum would create a wonderfully indulgent treat. For an after dinner experience, pair this chocolate with a fruit laden espresso, choose a coffee with hints of rich cherry and almond; perfect in lieu of a dessert course.

For something quite different you could choose to pair with a green tea, stewed only for a few minutes the grassy qualities of the tea would balance the natural earthy bark aromas of the chocolate and with each sip, cleanse the palate ready for another moreish bite.

Argentinian Malbec

Full bodied red, with soft tannins. The cherry and ripe plum flavours would complement the blackcurrant flavours of Ecuadorian dark chocolate and would create a certain Black Forrest flavour profile. 

As with all Mendoza reds, there is a certain earthiness and smokiness to the wine which matches the flavour profiles of this particular chocolate bar.

• Monteflores Reserve Malbec (Fairtrade)

Green Tea 

Very balanced flavour

Multitude of flavour profiles: Buttery and sweet to earth and grassy.

Buttery sweetness would work well with dark chocolate and counterbalance the intense bitterness.

The earthy, grassy tones would complement the bark flavours of 70% cocoa solid chocolate, but would also cleanse the palate and leave a fresh taste.

• Organic Dragonwell Lung Ching Green Tea (Fairtrade)

Pact: Sertao Natural Coffee

Dark chocolate flavours , with hints of rich cherry and almond creates a mature Cherry Bakewell flavour. Ideal in lieu of a dessert course.

 

Dominican Republic Single Origin 37% Milk Chocolate Bar

Milk chocolate is truly versatile and you will be hard pushed to find an unsuitable pairing.

Velvety milk chocolate is a natural partner to the toasty aromas of oolong tea. With warm spicy notes and a deep, mellow body. This paring will bring about accents of honey, toasted grain and white sesame. For a coffee pairing, try it with light or medium roast coffee, Pact’s Planalto Estate coffee is ideal, a rounded slightly acidic coffee with notes of chocolate malt.

For a beer pairing try a light bodied, dark beer with a low level bitterness and chocolate tones, we recommend Hock or its generic name Mild.

For an more mature flavour this bar pairs with whisky liqueurs and smooth, sweeter whiskies with vanilla tones preferably aged in bourbon casks: Drambuie, Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch and even Glenlivet 12 year old Scotch Whisky work well.

 

• Pact Medium Roast Panalto Coffee

• Glenlivet 12 Year - Grassy and floral, with a delicate perfume. Soft citrus notes of lemon and grapefruit, joined by nutty notes of almond and hazelnut.

  

Earl Grey 41% Milk Chocolate Bar

Our Earl Grey bar blends especially well with a Rioja wine or a Pinot Noir, or in fact any wine made using a blend of Tempranillo or Pinot Noir grapes.

The low acidic levels in this variety blend well with the sophisticated flavour profiles of the Earl Grey bar, especially with the predominant citrus undertones from the Earl Grey's Bergamot oil which prevents the wine from feeling too dry, or tart.

Alternatively a citrus laden IPA or Riesling would work very well. Chose an IPA with notes of grapefruit and lime, which will marry perfectly with the bergamot oil, instead a young Riesling with its steely, mineral qualities combined with notes of citrus blossom, lime and meyer lemon would work remarkably well.

• Earl Grey tea

• Citrus IPA

• Riesling

• Earl Grey infused Gin

 

English Mint 70% Dark Chocolate Bar

Mint chocolate is unbelievably diverse; Rauchbier, a German dark beer smoked over beechwood is not a natural pairing buy works very well the sultry tones of the 70% cocoa. Alternatively, you could pair this chocolate with a fresh, metallic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. The classic mint flavour and rich texture of this dark chocolate bar compliment the elderflower, citron and gooseberry notes in the wine. Only a small piece of chocolate is needed to make a wonderful combination for your taste buds.

For a more obvious pairing, create a Moroccan after eight flavour profile by pairing this bar with a mint tea, with lots of sugar and an extended steaming, Summerdown English mint tea would balance and lift the subtle flavours of mint in the chocolate.

Alternatively Syrah Port, with its unassuming flavours of allspice, clove and eucalyptus would complement the dark richness of the chocolate and the unassuming eucalyptus flavours will enhance and lift the mint oil aromas.

As an alternative choose a more fun an vibrant pairing in the way of an aged extra anejo tequila the lively, grassy warmth of the tequila would emphasize the coolness of the mint, whilst the richness of the chocolate would mellow the experience.

Summerdown English Mint Tea

Cooling refreshing tea, served with lots of sugar would create a pseudo Moroccan/after eight flavour profile.

The powerful flavours of the tea would enhance the subtle flavours of mint in the chocolate.

Syrah Port

Unassuming flavours of allspice, clove, and eucalyptus .

The allspice and clove will complement the dark richness of the chocolate, whereas the subtle eucalyptus flavours will work well with the mint oil.

Tequila

Whilst not a traditional to pair tequila with chocolate, mint and tequila are classic pairing, the lively, grassy warmth of the tequila would emphasize the coolness of the mint, whilst the richness of the chocolate would work well with aged extra anejo tequila which drinks like a single malt whiskey or a cognac.

• Casa Noble Anejo Tequila

• El Tesoro Paradiso Extra Anejo

  

Gin & Tonic 70% Dark Chocolate Bar

Gin

Choose a light flavoured gin, with citrus notes, so as not to have an overwhelming juniper flavouring e.g.:

Portobello Road- A beautifully poised traditional gin with a real kick of pepper. Whilst the flavour profile is still traditionally gin like, it is not heavy on the juniper, plenty of citrus, fennel, coriander which would contrast well with the flavours of this chocolate.

Beefeater 24- extensive, spicy quality of coriander and liquorice and the whole flavour profile will complement the citrus and juniper flavours, whilst the spicy undertones will contrast with the rich bitterness of the dark chocolate.

Green tea and lemon

The earthy, grassy flavourings of the green tea would harmonise with the botanical flavours of the juniper berry whilst the lemongrass would complement the citrus kick from lime

Match and enjoy our juniper-infused chocolate with its alcoholic counterpart, choose an uncomplicated gin with good botanical notes and spicy flavourings that will contrast well with the rich bitterness of 70% cocoa. Portobello Road Gin, beautifully poised, with a real kick of pepper, is not heavy on the juniper but with excesses of citrus, fennel and coriander will contrast well with the tastes of this chocolate.

Alternatively, choose a green tea accompanied with lemongrass, the earthy, grassy flavourings of the green tea would harmonise with the botanical flavours of juniper whilst the lemongrass would complement the citrus kick from the lime oil.

Tegothnan, the first tea grown in England is a perfect choice, it will cleanse the palate and bring certain freshness to the forefront of the tasting

 

Honeycomb 41% Milk Chocolate Bar

This sumptuously sweet chocolate bar, with its honeycomb crunch and floral notes calls for an equally delightful honeyed wine similar to those found in Sauternes dessert wines. Alternatively you could sample one of the sweetest wines in the world, Pedro Ximenez with aromas of raisins, molasses, figs, toffee and honey - unsurpassed sweetness and prolonged length. The ultimate sweet wine!

Alternatively Tregothnan Manuka infused tea, grown on the shores of Cornwall creates a sweet complexity blending well with the sweetness of the honeycomb.

For an elegant flavour profile, pair with a fine champagne, buttery and floral, The Dom Perignon 2001 Vintage will create the ultimate chocolate experience whilst paying homage to the champagne qualities of the Barnes and Webb London honey.

• Pedro ximenez

• Sauternes

• Elderflower tea

• Prosecco

• Tregothnan Manuka infused tea

 

Crushed Coffee 37% Milk Chocolate Bar

You can afford a degree of richness with your pairing choice for this bar, a dark roast espresso would work wonderfully well, choose a similar coffee profile to that contained within the bar, they will lift one another and blend in tonal harmony.

Dry, sweet or oatmeal Stouts will also pair well, bold, smooth-stouts ooze aromas and flavours of espresso and semi-sweet chocolate. The toasted oatmeal finishes well with a creamy body and a semi-dry finish.

Alternatively, choose a young ruby port, a fruit loaded rose or a semi-dry cava.