The 2023 Diversity Kit offers a carefully selected set of cacao mass from the 2023 Edition entries. Following a tailored methodology, 10 cacao mass samples from all 4 producing origins of the world were selected for the diversity of their flavour profiles.
This Diversity Kit offers a unique opportunity for sensory experts, cacao professionals and chocolate aficionados to witness the diversity of flavours cacao has to offer through a tasting journey across the cacao world.
SELECTION METHODOLOGY
The samples included in the Diversity Kit represent a variety of cacao-producing regions and a range of flavour attributes. The selection is derived from an analysis of 2023 cacao sample evaluation results of the 2023 Technical Committee panel, where a sub-set of 109 samples crossing a threshold of Global Quality scores and with low to absent Off Flavours were considered.
To guide the selection of samples presenting a range of flavour profiles, sensory evaluation results were analysed to identify different groups by applying K-means clustering. The graph below displays the resulting 5 groups with samples plotted using the first two principal components from a PCA analysis.
INGREDIENTS
- 100 % cacao mass
WEIGHT
- Approx. 20gr net weight
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Tasting Guide
Whether you're tasting for enjoyment, to extend your knowledge on cacao flavour diversity, or to train in cacao flavour evaluation, you can follow these steps below for a deeper sensory experience.
You can prepare your tasting of cacao mass samples by:
- Avoid smoking, eating, alcohol, coffee, and strenuous exercise within an hour before tasting.
- Bring chocolates to room temperature one hour in advance if refrigerated.
- Sit comfortably in a quiet, distraction-free space with good ventilation, lighting, and a table. The room temperature should be 20-22°C.
- Have a glass of room-temperature water and a plain, unsalted water cracker to cleanse your palate.
- Postpone tasting if you have any illness affecting smell or taste.
- Remove diversity kit cacao mass samples from a cold storage environment and bring them to room temperature.
- If stored in the freezer, transfer the samples to the refrigerator for 24 hours before allowing them to adjust to room temperature before use.
For the best flavour experience, melt the cacao mass samples to a temperature of 48–50°C (118–122°F). This range ensures consistent texture, optimal flavour release, and minimises variability caused by uneven crystallisation.
*When heating, avoid exceeding five minutes at the target temperature to prevent the loss of delicate aromatic notes. Reheating or prolonged exposure to heat may negatively affect the flavour.
During tasting:
- Place the cup or jar with the melted cacao mass close to the nose.
- After clearing your nostrils by breathing out, take several inward sniffs to sense the aroma present.
- Deeply smell the sample immediately while simultaneously mixing it with the tasting spatula/spoon of your choosing.
- Scoop the cacao mass onto the tasting spatula/spoon. Spread the cacao mass on the tongue, hold it in the mouth for the time necessary to score the attributes, slowly rubbing the tongue against the roof of the mouth.
- Inhale tiny amounts of air through the mouth, as if sipping, and exhale through the nose to allow the aroma and flavour to become fully apparent. Only inhale small sips of air.
- In the mouth, notice the different attributes that become apparent at three contiguous time intervals: (1) the initial, (2) middle; and (3) residual end flavour notes. Some flavours appear or disappear very quickly or are easily masked, while others linger with a distinct aftertaste.
- While the different attributes become apparent, evaluate the flavour of the cacao mass using the attributes and the intensity scale between 0 to 10 defined in the ‘Glossary of Terms’ (Chapter 20 'Tools for sensory evaluation of the Guide for the Assessment of Cacao Quality and Flavour'). The appearance and perception of flavour attributes may not necessarily follow the order specified in the 'Glossary of terms' or the evaluation form. Any attribute, regardless of its category (core, complementary, off-flavours), can become apparent during the initial or middle-time intervals and may subsequently disappear.