Moksha Chocolate Tastings and Pairings

Moksha Chocolate Single-Origin Chocolate Pairings 

February was the month of exquisite tastings and pairings. Moksha paired our single-origin chocolate with tea, mocktails, whiskey, cheese, and wine. When pairing our single-origin chocolate, we consider the chocolate’s unique flavor profile: similar to grapes varietals, single-origin cacao also has intrinsic flavors and different tasting notes because of genetics and terroir. But the chocolate maker also has a big role in the roasting, grinding, and tempering techniques. Moksha’s chocolate maker, Michael Caines, teases out the specific aromas in the cacao. For example, our Peruvian Criollo cacao tends to have big red fruit notes, while Tanzanian has tropical fruit and honey notes.

When pairing chocolate with beverages, it’s important to pair them to similar intensity to ensure that one doesn't overpower the other. For example, we paired our 70% Zorzal Dark Chocolate with a barrel-strength Boulder Spirits whiskey while our lighter white chocolates paired well with a light prosecco from Crush Wine.

Sometimes, contrasting flavors can create a harmonious balance. During our mocktail pairing at Spa Wailele, their signature tart cherry mocktail contrasted the caramel cinnamon depth to our 65% Oko Caribe’s chocolate flavor profile.

Out of all of the pairings, the tea from Tea o Graphy my personal favorite. The overall sensory pleasure of herbal teas melts the cocoa butter from the mouth. (Plus alcoholic beverages can sometimes overpower the delicate flavors of chocolate.) Different types of teas, such as black, green, or herbal teas, can offer various flavor profiles that can pair differently with the diverse range of percentages. The contrasting flavors of black tea contrast but don't overpower the richness of 80% Camino Verde. The aromas and tannins interact well with the rich and deep flavors of chocolate. Likewise, Chamomile tea is a perfect pairing for our delicate white chocolate. Unlike cold drinks, hot tea can provide a nice temperature contrast to the coolness of chocolate, helping melt the cocoa butter in the mouth.

Ultimately, the best pairings depend on personal preferences, and experimenting with different beverages and chocolates can lead to discovering delightful combinations.

Our signature Game of Four chocolate tasting experience showcases four varieties of single-origin cacao from different parts of the world. Our format is very unique because we make the tasting into a type of “game” and give the guests the tasting notes to match the descriptions: floral, fruity, herbal, nutty, earthy, etc. The “players” try to find the best words to match the flavor of what they are tasting. It takes sharp focus to conduct this exercise. Unlike wine tasting, we give guests the descriptors to describe the chocolate, so it’s not intimidating. Reach out to jen@mokshachocolate.com to schedule a tasting.