My Birthday at Chocolopolis: an inside look at the self-guided, in store tasting

 

A few months ago, I had a birthday. Adult birthday's are funny cause some years you totally forget about it and other years you want to have a huge party with all your friends, just to act like you are children again.

Since I started this blog I've dreamed about having all my chocolate-loving friends over for a big chocolate tasting extravaganza. I was considering doing one for my birthday. One day I was doing some "chocolate research" and discovered a really cool experience available at Chocolopolis in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. They call it a "self-guided, in store tasting." The best part about it is it is super affordable and repeatable, so I'm sure I'll be back time and time again. 

The experience is pretty well explained on their website:

Let us help you set up a self-guided tasting experience during store hours. Give us a call a few days in advance of the day you'd like to have your tasting. Let us know the time of day you'll be coming, the number in your party (up to 6 people) and any preferences you have in terms of chocolate. One of our chocophiles will pick out a selection of single-origin chocolate bars that demonstrate the differences in terroir among cacao beans and growing regions. We'll reserve a table for your party at the appointed hour, and we'll provide you with tasting sheets that provide chocolate tasting instructions and a place to record your notes.

Minimum chocolate purchase of $60 before sales tax

1-6 people

I emailed a few weeks in advance since I wanted to do it on a Friday night. Everyone I've ever had contact with at Chocolopolis was super friendly and helpful. I suppose it'd be hard to be grumpy working around chocolate all the time...but all the same...great service is a plus in my book!

When my girlfriends and I arrived at the store, they had a table set up in the middle of the store with chairs, water and chocolate tasting notes set out. We felt a little VIPish. :) 

We sat through a brief spiel about how to taste chocolate properly and were given the bars that were selected for us for our tasting (you can request specific bars/bonbons/drinking chocolate etc). I had opted for single origin bars and specifically requested an Amedei Porcelana bar so that my friends could all taste it (so far it is my all-time favorite bar)!

I'm in my happy place.

Then, we got down to business. We took turns reading out loud the instructions on our chocolate tasting notes. One of the workers suggested that we taste the darkest bar first and work towards the lightest bar. 

In order of tasting: 

Everyone with their fave:

The tasting was a lot of fun and my friends really got into it with me, pointing out different notes and identifying textures and flavors. Chocolate is seriously complex. At least the good stuff is. We spent a fair bit of time shopping after we tasted and chatted. My BFF got me a chocolate peanut butter drinking chocolate...and it was divine. Like drinking a candy bar. So good. Really wish I had one right now.

Selfie!

Ladies, we must go back soon! Writing this blogpost is seriously giving me a hankering. 

We spent too much (if that's possible to do).

I'll post power rankings for this experience later when I find my misplaced chocolate tasting notes. But spoiler alert...Amedei Porcelana is the best chocolate bar of all time (so far for me, anyway).

Cheers!