A taste test of UK supermarket dark chocolates has revealed a clear winner among luxury bars, with an expert praising one brand as 'expensive, but totally worth it'. The tasting, conducted by a chocolate aficionado who runs meditation workshops, evaluated bars ranging from £2.10 to £3.99 for flavour, texture, and ethical credentials.
The top-rated chocolate was a single-origin bar made with trinitario beans, described as having 'dark and complex flavour with wine notes, hints of tobacco, fermented barley mash and mulberry'. The tester noted its 'bright acidity and moreish texture', adding that transparent direct trade made it worth the premium price. 'Remember, less is more,' they advised.
Among the best value options was an organic bar from Green & Black's, which starts with vanilla before building to a 'powerful bitter cocoa flavour' with sour notes and a lingering sweetness. Another standout was a Tony's Chocolonely bar, praised for its 'sweet, complex aroma' and classic bitter-cacao flavour lifted by cherry and caramel notes, offering 'incredible value'.
However, not all bars impressed. A raw cacao bar with coconut sugar had a 'strong coconut aroma' and complex roasted cocoa but lacked broader provenance. Another bar, made with cocoa from Santo Domingo, contained soya lecithin and flavouring, which the tester said 'does show in the taste'. A cooking chocolate, while enjoyable straight, was dominated by vanilla.
The tester emphasised that chocolate is a clear example of 'you get what you pay for', with premium products offering traceability and complexity. They recommended 70% cocoa for most people, but personally prefer 80-100% to avoid sugar cravings. The overriding question—whether you can taste the difference between a £2.10 bar and a £3.99 one—was answered with a resounding yes.
