Pairing Liquors and Chocolate: A Simple and Delicious Guide

How to pair liquors and chocolate

Cocoa and spirits have always gone hand in hand, as confirmed by the many combinations of liqueurs and chocolate that have given rise to this winning pairing. This, however, does not mean that finding the right combination is easy. Here are some tasting tips .

First of all, not all liqueurs go well with all types of chocolate . A sweet liqueur, such as a passito wine , will preferably be paired with milk chocolate. To bring out the intense flavour of a dark chocolate, however, it is preferable to choose a drier liqueur, such as grappa or whisky.

Scented liqueurs can be paired with flavoured bars or pralines, but be careful that their aromas do not clash. Avoid overly sweet liqueurs, as the combination would end up being cloying.

Read also: Enrico Rizzi's artistic chocolate eggs

Pairing liquors and chocolate: how to proceed

To pair liquors and chocolate, the best way to proceed is to take a small sip of the chosen liquor, let it “take hold” on the palate, then taste the chocolate. Once it has had time to slowly melt in the mouth, revealing all its complexity, take another sip of liquor to perceive the pairing at its best.

Pairing Whiskey and Chocolate

A good starting point for pairing liquors and chocolate without making mistakes could be whisky , which pairs well with the robust notes of dark chocolate . An interesting combination that takes inspiration from the creations of Enrico Rizzi consists of pairing a good peat with a bar of single-origin dark chocolate with a cocoa percentage greater than 70%, whose robust scent does not run the risk of being overshadowed by the whisky.

Pairing passito and chocolate

As mentioned, fortified wines such as Passito, Sherry or Porto are best paired with milk chocolate . So, for this pairing we propose the classic Enrico Rizzi milk chocolate bar, whose sweet notes highlight the characteristics of this type of wine.

A slightly more daring alternative is to choose a scented white chocolate , such as the single-origin Glaciar Colombia 35% , one of the most interesting new entries in the Enrico Rizzi Rare Chocolates Collection.

Read also: Artisanal chocolate online, how to find it

Pairing rum and chocolate

A great classic, so much so that we have already dedicated an exhaustive article to five ideal pairings between rum and chocolate . As a general rule, dark rums are best , such as the single-origin Paroisse St. Mary Jamaica 75% , acidic and stringent, with notes of wood and cocoa. For younger rums, however, a pairing with a fruity chocolate can also be interesting, such as the single-origin San Francisco de Maroris Dominican Republic 70% , slightly spicy and with notes of ripe cherries and figs.

Pairing grappa and chocolate

If you want to pair a dry liqueur like grappa with chocolate, then there's no escape: the only solution is a dark chocolate with a strong flavour . And if you really love pure cocoa, you can also dare with a bar of 100% Dominican Republic cocoa mass El Cibao , which with its robust and decisive flavour will be able to "stand up" even to the most important grappas.

Read also: The origins of cocoa and chocolate

Chocolate, tasting tips

Do you want to pair liqueurs and chocolate and are you passionate tasters? In this article we have grouped ten easy tips for you. And to put these tips into practice, all you have to do is choose your Enrico Rizzi Milano single-origin chocolate bars in the Online Shop .