The World’s Best Chocolate Spirit—According To IWSC

This year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition results were drenched in chocolate.

For the spirits category, more than 100 international judges gathered in London to taste more than 400 spirits. The liqueur category was impressive overall this year but “the chocolate liqueurs were the most impressive with a wide range of chocolate expressions,” noted the IWSC judges in a statement.

Some industry analysts have predicted significant growth for flavored spirits this decade, and the IWSC results seem to confirm this prediction. The number of liqueurs submitted to the competition increased in comparison to previous years, as did the quality, particularly when it came to chocolate spirits, said the judges.

David T. Smith, the head judge for the competition’s Liqueur Awards, told me the chocolate liqueur category has grown more complex than some consumers might realize. “In recent years, we’ve seen brands embrace a wide variety of styles, from dry, unsweetened varieties to indulgent white chocolate,” he said. “We’ve also seen producers getting creative by combining it with other popular flavors such as coconut and mint.”

The top chocolate liqueur was a two-way tie between two very different offerings that were awarded 98 points by the judges. They are: Mozart Distillerie, Mozart Coconut Chocolate Liqueur from Austria and De Kuyper Royal Distillers, and Dutch Cacao Liqueur from the Netherlands.

The judges described Mozart Coconut Chocolate Liqueur as “A thoroughly decadent offering with a milky white chocolate profile. The palate has a melody of flavors, with well-defined notes of vanilla cream, coconut, and nutmeg. This is beautifully balanced and indulgent.”

Meanwhile, judges praised Dutch Cacao Liqueur for its “inviting nose with layers of coconut, bitter chocolate, and herbal aromas, leading to a sweet and voluptuous palate.” The judges added, “cocoa notes build in intensity from the first sip, ending in a long and complex crescendo.”

Mozart Distillerie earned medals for six additional chocolate liqueurs including for a chocolate cream liqueur, coffee and chocolate liqueur and strawberry chocolate liqueur—all of which sounds like a distillery run by Willy Wonka.

But they had lots of company during the competition.

“Chocolate liqueur entries did so well this year, that in fact every entry was awarded a medal,” Kristen Dougall Marketing Manager for the competition told me. “This is a remarkable achievement for a category as the IWSC prides itself on being the most rigorous drinks competition in the world, where a medal awarded is a real seal of approval from our expert judges.”

The IWSC started back in 1969 and is a well-respected competition, so it means a lot to flavored spirits in general and chocolate spirits in particular to get the competition’s stamp of approval. Generally speaking, I am not the biggest fan of chocolate spirits of any kind. But I’ve noticed a trend toward higher quality chocolate flavored products myself and when you get a good chocolate pour, that can be hard to beat. It’s easy to dismiss these spirits as sweet-tooth crowd service or fun dessert course offerings, but the best chocolate spirits are that and so much more.