A Letter from Lauren, Chief Chocophile
I find that I slow down and truly enjoy the experience of tasting chocolate when I do it with someone else. Recently, my good friend Barbie brought bars from Hawaii for us to taste together. We closed our eyes, let the chocolate melt slowly, and found ourselves reaching for words to describe what we were experiencing—was that caramel? Toasted nuts? Something floral?
Had I been tasting alone, I would have moved through those bars much more quickly, maybe jotting down a few notes before moving on to the next task. But tasting with Barbie created space for conversation. We talked about the maker on Maui, debated their roasting approach, and laughed about how differently we each experienced the same bar. Her perspective opened mine. The chocolate became more than just chocolate—it became a reason to be present with someone I care about.
That's why we created The Connection Collection.
An Experience Worth Sharing
The Connection Collection is our Valentine's and Galentine's offering this year, but really, it's for anyone who wants to share something meaningful. This complete tasting kit includes six full-size artisan bars and two mini bars from small-batch makers around the world, along with everything you need to make the experience memorable: two tasting placemats with guided flavor discovery, a chocolate pairing tips card, and conversation starter cards with playful prompts like "If you were one of these bars, which would you be?"
You'll also get access to a live virtual tasting event with me over Valentine's Day weekend. We'll explore each bar together, I'll share professional tasting techniques, and you'll connect with fellow chocolate enthusiasts. Choose from two live sessions (February 14 or 15).
But before we get to all that, let me tell you why these particular chocolates are special.
Why Craft Chocolate Matters
Each bar in The Connection Collection is made by a craft chocolate maker using some of the finest flavor cacao in the world. Like winemakers, these artisans search cacao-growing regions for flavorful varietals that are well-fermented by farmers, then transform those beans into something remarkable. The flavor profile of each chocolate reflects cacao varietal, terroir, fermentation and drying methods, and the maker's unique approach to roasting and refining.
These are high-percent cacao chocolates, which means they contain more cacao and fewer ingredients than what you'll find from mass market producers. Plain craft dark chocolate bars typically contain no more than three ingredients: cacao, sugar, (optional third ingredient - added cocoa butter). Plain milk chocolate adds milk. Flavored bars may include fruits, nuts, or spices thoughtfully paired with the chocolate. With so few ingredients, there's nowhere to hide—every element must be delicious.
The makers we've selected also prioritize direct relationships with cacao farmers, creating shorter supply chains that enable farmers to retain more of their crop's value. It's better for everyone involved, and you can taste the difference that kind of care makes.
Now, let me take you on a journey.
A Tasting Journey Across Six Countries
Brazil: Caputo's Wild Juruá 70%
We begin in the remote rainforests of the Brazilian Amazon with chocolate maker Luisa Abram. Luisa's role is unique—she's not just making chocolate, she's finding and nurturing wild cacao in areas most people will never visit. She travels deep into the jungle to identify wild cacao trees with incredible genetic potential, then works with local communities to improve their post-harvest processing. Through better fermentation and drying techniques, Luisa coaxes out flavors that were always there but never fully realized.
When you taste this bar, notice how the tropical fruit notes—guava, papaya—mingle with hints of smoked wood. This chocolate represents dedication not just to craft, but to communities and the biodiversity of the Amazon itself.
Tanzania: Dandelion Chocolate Kokoa Kamili 70%
Our next stop is Tanzania, where Kokoa Kamili operates as a social enterprise with a powerful model. African cacao doesn't have the same genetic diversity as South American varieties, so post-harvest processing (fermentation & drying) becomes even more critical to developing flavor. Kokoa Kamili purchases freshly-harvested, unfermented cacao beans from smallholder farms and ferments them in a centralized facility where they can carefully control every variable.
This precision consistently produces delicious, high-quality beans that command premium prices from craft chocolate makers worldwide—and that payment premium flows back to the farmers, helping raise the price floor for all Tanzanian cacao. When you taste the port wine and earthy notes in this bar, you're experiencing the result of innovation that benefits entire farming communities.
Dominican Republic: Fruition Zorzal Eco Reserve 73%
The Zorzal Eco Reserve in the Dominican Republic holds a special distinction: it's the world's first certified Bird Friendly cacao farm. Fruition created this "bird seed bar" as a tribute to that story, adding puffed quinoa, candied sunflower seeds, wild blueberry, and citrus to chocolate made from Zorzal's cacao.
This bar demonstrates something beautiful—that cacao production can protect fragile ecosystems while creating meaningful employment for local communities. As you taste the red fruits, oatmeal cookie warmth, and bright citrus notes, consider how your chocolate choices can support environmental stewardship.
Haiti: River-Sea Chocolate Desert Flower 60%
This dark milk chocolate offers something different in the collection. Made with flavorful cacao from Haiti and infused with honeysuckle, jasmine, and sage, it's an unexpected pairing that works remarkably well. The added milk creates a creamy base that carries the delicate herbal and floral notes beautifully.
First come notes of condensed milk and caramel, then notice how the botanical infusion unfolds— jasmine, honeysuckle, sage. It maintains the intensity of dark chocolate with just a hint of milk added.
The Rest of Your Journey
Your exploration continues with two bars from Uganda that tell a fascinating story about how different makers approach the same origin. Zotter, an Austrian chocolate maker, and Latitude Craft Chocolate both worked with cacao from the Semuliki Forest region, yet created completely different flavor experiences. Zotter's bar offers creamy almond and walnut notes with hints of melon and a lingering maple finish, while Latitude's Vanilla Sesame bar brings earthy chocolate with notes of cherry, burnt toast, and the nutty crunch of sesame seeds grown right there in Uganda.
Finally, two mini bars from Marou Chocolate in Vietnam showcase how terroir varies even within a single country. The Dong Nai bar comes from Marou's own fermentation station near Cat Tien National Park, where volcanic soil contributes to flavors of Bing cherries and earthy spice. The Ba Ria bar, infused with Vietnamese ginger and lime, brings bold personality—save this one for the end of your tasting.
The Virtual Tasting Experience
When you join me for the live virtual tasting, we'll move through these bars together, and I'll share the techniques I use when evaluating chocolate professionally. We'll talk about how to identify different flavor notes, why texture matters, and how the finish of a chocolate can reveal so much about how it was made.
But more than that, we'll create space for you to slow down. Whether you're tasting with a partner in your living room or connecting with a friend across the country, the guided materials and conversation starters help you be present with the chocolate and with each other. Some of my favorite moments from past virtual tastings have been hearing people laugh over the "which bar are you?" question or watching couples discover they experience the same chocolate completely differently.
Who This Is For
The Connection Collection is perfect for couples seeking a meaningful date night at home, friends celebrating Galentine's Day, or anyone who values shared experiences over conventional gifts. It's for long-distance loved ones who want to taste "together" even when apart. It's for food lovers and culinary explorers who appreciate quality and craftsmanship. And honestly, it's for anyone who's curious about craft chocolate and wants an accessible, guided way to explore it.
You don't need to be a chocolate expert to enjoy this experience—you just need to be curious and willing to slow down for an hour or two.
How to Order
The Connection Collection is available now for pre-order, and it's open to everyone—members and non-members alike. Boxes begin shipping on Monday, January 26.
Important dates:
- Standard Shipping deadline: February 5 (shipping included in price)
- Expedited Shipping deadline: February 10 (additional fee at checkout)
- Live virtual tasting sessions: February 14 or 15
Virtual tasting access is included with your purchase, and you'll receive login details and the session schedule after you order.
A Final Thought
I've spent years exploring the world of specialty chocolate, visiting makers, learning about fermentation, and tasting thousands of bars. But some of my most memorable chocolate experiences haven't been at origin or in a professional setting—they've been sitting across from someone I care about, sharing a bar and a conversation.
That's what The Connection Collection is really about. Yes, you'll taste flavorful chocolate from six countries. Yes, you'll learn about craft chocolate making and ethical sourcing. But mostly, you'll have a reason to slow down, be present, and share something meaningful with someone who matters to you.
I'm looking forward to seeing you at the virtual tasting.
With warmth and a little chocolate,
Lauren
Chief Chocophile, The Chocolate Explorers Club
