Pairing Chocolate & Liquor (2024)

FAQs

What liquors go well with chocolate? ›

Pairing Chocolate with Liquor

Though a few spirits fall out of these categories, it's generally accepted that the six types of distilled spirits are: brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, and whiskey. Each pairs particularly well with chocolate, but the pairings depend on the blend in question.

Milk chocolate can highlight the spicy kick of whiskey, and dark can be softened by the sweetness of an ages whiskey; smokey Dram works well with white chocolate. Shop our suggested selections below via our "build your own tasting flight" option to host your own chocolate and liquor pairing.

Fruit-infused chocolate pairs well with Vodka, while sweeter milk chocolates will sweeter Vodka's natural flavor profile, but it depends on the particular Vodka blend as well.

While there may be additional health benefits to eating chocolate, pairing it with alcohol might trigger gastrointestinal issues that harm the intestinal lining, especially if you are prone to digestive issues. Chocolate contains both caffeine and cocoa, which can exacerbate stomach problems and cause constant hunger.

For additional, out-of-the-box flavor combinations, pair dark chocolate with sea salt caramel, ginger, lavender, mint, cardamom, wasabi, chipotle, jalapeño, cinnamon, fennel or black sesame seeds. Milk chocolate pairs well with caramel, honey, coconut, lavender, curry powder and asiago.

The fruity, oaky and somewhat sweet notes of brandy pair perfectly with the rich cocoa, culminating in a truly luxurious drink. Whisky: If you prefer a punchier kick to your hot chocolate, a dose of whisky is the way to go.

Experience tells us that aged rums combine very well with chocolates that have intense flavors thanks to a high percentage of cocoa, generally around 80%. Rums such as Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva has such a smooth and delicious taste that combines particularly well with the intensity and bitterness of the best cocoa.

Ballotin's perfect combination of hand-selected whiskies and finely crafted chocolate is as close to too much of a good thing as you can get.

Cognac and chocolate are known to combine in countless harmonious culinary pairings. Cognac and chocolate are in fact created very similarly, from the way the fruits are grown, to the ways the subtle aromas are perfected in the production process. This helps them develop a complementary flavor profile.

What liquor pairs best with dark chocolate? ›

Dark chocolate and US whiskeys of the American Oak variety.

Triple distilled and aged exclusively in Bourbon casks, often endowed with pronounced notes of sweet vanilla and coconut, flavours which meld beautifully with darker chocolates.

Some good combinations include dark chocolate with stout, porter, and dark ale. Chocolate and Wine: Some red wines have a fruity flavour that pairs well with dark chocolate. Some good combinations include dark chocolate with Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel.

Brandy pairs well with nutty chocolate, even Gianduja blends. South American single-origin blends often omit a nutty aroma, but you just as well can pair Brandy with a nut-infused chocolate blend; the subtleties of Brandy will not overwhelm the chocolate as some othe spirits might.

Think of it as matching sugar with sugar. Sweet white chocolate pairs well with sweet wines high in residual sugars and bitter darks with dry wines with just a hint of residual sugar. A good rule of thumb is to always pair wines that are equally or slightly more sweet than the chocolate being eaten with it.

Melt the chocolate slightly, then add water, Cointreau and vodka over the heat and stir a few times.

Alcohol can have various effects on the taste of chocolate. The presence of ethanol in chocolate fillings can cause migration of water and ethanol, leading to quality defects in the product. The higher the storage temperature, the faster the migration of water and ethanol occurs.