Single-Malt Scotch Whisky: The Fine Chocolate of the Beverage World

Since I have been scarcely old enough to consume alcoholic beverages, I have had an interest in Scotch Whisky. At the age of 21 as I tried to figure out what in the "spirits" category appealed to me, I kept feeling drawn, again and again, to Scotch. At first I just ordered whatever was affordable, but gradually I became more interested in pricier blends, and upon arriving in Columbia, MO to finish my B.A., I was introduced to the multifaceted world of single malts. I've never looked back. Now I have enough familiarity with the whisky-making process, various distilleries, and their geographical locations and styles, that I don't feel completely lost, but at the same time, I realize that there is a great deal left for me to learn, and so I persevere--let me tell you, it's a tough life. ;-)

At any rate, perhaps because I still have so much to learn, it only recently began to occur to me that fine chocolate and single-malt Scotch whisky have so many qualities that they share. True, this is not the first time that I have said that chocolate is analogous to Scotch in its complexity of flavor, but I have also said the same about chocolate and wine, beer, or even cheese. So let me take the opportunity to clarify that the similarity that I have now come to see between chocolate and Scotch is much more than just noting a certain level of shared complexity. In truth, I sometimes feel as though I'm tasting a distilled single-origin chocolate when enjoying a dram of a favorite single-malt.

Here are just a few reasons why this might be:

1) Texture and Body: Scotch has body and texture supported by various compounds, some of which, if they were encountered in wine, would be referred to as "tannins." Among other compounds, these tannins often give Scotch a particularly pleasant body and mouthfeel. Whisky writers may describe various characteristics as thick, creamy, viscous, light, medium or full, syrupy, firm, rounded, smooth, silky, oily, and even chewy. Length is also relevant when speaking of Scotch and can be impacted by such compounds. In all cases, I am reminded of fine chocolate.

Texture is one of the things that, as a chocolate maker, concerns me most. I am not generally partial to thin, fatty, or waxy chocolates, nor those that are overly refined with a sticky mouthfeel or coarsely refined and rough to the tongue. Rather, I prefer a fine texture, with a full, almost thick, mouthfeel, which I believe adds to length of the tasting experience, and impacts flavor in a positive way. I would certainly use creamy, viscous and even chewy as descriptors. Of course, some of these characteristics of chocolate are, in part, due to cocoa butter content, presence or absence of emulsifiers, and refinement/conching of the chocolate, but as with whisky, tannic polyphenols in chocolate also play a substantial role in this mouthfeel, and the length of the chocolate-tasting experience.

2) Aroma: Scotch often has, amongst other aromatic compounds, plentiful fruity esters due to initial fermentation, skillful distillation, and common cask aging in Sherry or other wine/spirit barrels, that may lend a bright, sweet, floral, honeyed and fruity mouthwatering quality to the beverage just as careful fermentation adds such qualities to a fine cacao-based chocolate. There are other aromatic profiles that may be shared by Scotch whisky and chocolate as well, including herbal, spicy, nutty, buttery, coffee-like, caramel and vanilla notes amongst others, but interestingly and more to the point, Scotch can even be found to have a clear chocolate note present in its flavor. A brief scan through the late Michael Jackson's (no not that one) Complete Guide to Single Malt Scotch shows more than a handful of references to chocolate, including descriptors such as: chocolate, black chocolate, chocolaty, spicy chocolate, chocolate cream, chocolate powder, bitter chocolate, light chocolate orange, and chocolate digestives amongst others. One difference, however, is that some Scotch whiskies, also contain simple compounds, called phenols without the "poly-" prefix, that are aromatic, smokey and medicinal in nature. These compounds are due to the smoke from peat fires, that are used to dry/flavor the malted barley in the kiln. In any case, when it comes to chocolate, smoke flavor, caused by simple phenols, has historically been seen as a defect. Still, despite any differences, Scotch and chocolate have a lot to share when it comes to aroma.

3) Taste (i.e. sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami, etc.): As with most foods of more than just slight complexity, Scotch whisky can have any number of possible combinations of sweetness, acidity, bitterness, and even saltiness. Chocolate, of course, is often classified in terms of its bitterness to sweetness quotient: Bitter/unsweetened, Bittersweet, semisweet, sweet, etc., but chocolate also has an often overlooked acid component, though it can be far more obvious in some single-origin chocolates than others. Additionally, though it seems to have mostly fallen out of favor in dark chocolate, chocolate companies often used to add very small quantities of salt to help round out and balance the flavor. Still, balance is a subjective quality, and as with chocolate, where a mouthwatering tartness, overarching sweetness or rather more dry bitterness may be preferred in different amounts by the chocolate maker and chocolate connoisseur, single-malt Scotch whisky may also come across as anything from a sweet honeyed elixir to a drying, spicy, even medicinal and peppery concoction, and lets not forget the salty, seaweed-tinged single malts that exist. The beauty of both single-origin chocolate and single-malt Scotch, in this regard, is in the diversity and complexity of combinations available, to which there is essentially no end.

All of this has caused me to wonder if my preference for Scotch above all other spirits is based upon the same part of my palate that is drawn to chocolate above many other foods. Complexity, sure. But as you can see, there is more, much more that is shared in flavor and texture. Let's put this hypothesis to good use with a couple of pairings.

Here are a couple of my personal favorite single-malt Scotch whiskies that go very well with Patric Chocolate. I have made an effort to choose two bottles that are true bargains, as they are most amazing whiskies, yet come in at prices between $40 and $60. Both whiskies have been paired with Patric Chocolate's 67% Madagascar.

First a clearly complementary pairing:

Longmorn 15-year is a full-bodied whisky with clear aromas of apples and citrus that follow through to the palate. When combined with the fruity citrus qualities of the 67% the pairing really shines as the whisky helps elevate the prevalent fruits rouges of the bar, most notably the cherry, which fills the mouth and nose, and for its part, the chocolate highlights the otherwise light nuttiness and more noticeable spice of the Longmorn. This whisky and chocolate seem to meld together perfectly and effortlessly like two old friends.

Next a pairing with substantial contrast:

Talisker 10-year is a huge whisky with real island character--smoke coming through immediately in the nose and palate--brightened by only a touch of sweet fruit in the aroma, which is only slightly more noticeable on the tongue. While the Longmorn and 67% may go together like two old friends, the Talisker has a slightly more difficult relationship with the same chocolate. However, after careful attention, it becomes clear that Talikser's smokey character is supported by the subtle roasted edge and mild bitterness of the chocolate, as the chocolate's roasted quality seems to grow by the second. Furthermore, the fruit of the Talisker, which heretofore was more of a slight hint, expands in the mouth and nose, becoming far more encompassing. Best of friends, perhaps not, but the Talisker and 67% are like two sides of the same coin, each with its own important role to play as equal parts of the whole.


Eat chocolate; Enjoy Life!

Alan McClure
Chocolate Maker
Patric Chocolate

Working at Patric Chocolate: Guest Blogger Ilene

I started working for Patric Chocolate when I moved to Columbia about seven months ago. As a self-professed dark chocolate lover, I was looking forward to my new gig, though I would quickly learn I didn’t quite realize what I was getting myself into. It didn’t take long to recognize that my narrow view of fine dark chocolate and the reality of it were quite different. Below I shall relay my thoughts and experiences here at the factory (my coming of age story, if you will) in an informal blog for your reading pleasure:


My first memory of what I believed to be fine chocolate is a tad hazy, as is true for most any memory. It was a school trip and I was a wide-eyed 17-year-old traveling through Switzerland. One of the many orchestrated stops was at a chocolate shop which I’m sure had some relevance, but it evades me now. I do, however, recall perusing row upon row of delicious chocolates before carefully selecting a medium sized package in a radiant shade of royal blue. “Lindt,” it read. Ah-ha! Real chocolate! I even saved the wrapper.

Fast forward eight years. Good news, dear readers! My once naïve opinion of quality chocolate, Swiss or otherwise, has been revised. I’ve found the light. My taste buds have been reborn. I’ve discovered chocolate the way it was meant to be: pure and complex yet simply delicious.

How did my revelation occur? It all started my first day on the clock at Patric Chocolate.

I had no idea what to expect when I walked through the factory doors. I had only recently heard of the company, but certainly never expected to work there. I showed up dressed like I was headed to a disco. Needless to say, my wardrobe required some alterations.

When I finally looked out into the Patric Chocolate workshop, I noticed a large, odd-looking device constructed from seemingly random hardware store materials situated in the center of the room. I soon learned this was the winnower. Of course I didn’t know what that meant, but I went with it.

My job was to sift and sort the cracked cacao beans. And sift and sort I did. And sift. And sort. And sift. I sifted until I wanted to scream out in weakened defeat. By the time I got home I was exhausted, sore and a good two shades darker from the coating of cacao dust that had settled comfortably into every nook and cranny of my being. What have I gotten myself into?

The days and weeks that followed were somewhat challenging. Not in a bad way, mind you, but this was hard work! It had been a while since I’d been on my feet all day and done a lot of heavy lifting. Sure, it took some getting used to, but I found it to be rewarding work. Especially when you see (ahem, taste) the finished product. Plus, I’ve got a little definition back in the ole’ biceps.

Eventually, like any job, I learned what I was doing. First I figured out the winnowing machine. It’s really quite amazing when you break it down. It is an integral part in the “bean-to-bar” concept. Here is my simple layman’s version:

After Alan roasts the cacao beans, we pass them through a cracker, thus breaking them up. Wait. Back up. Before Alan roasts the beans, we hand pick through each and every 150 pound bag that enters the factory to ensure you get the best quality chocolate possible. It’s a tedious, yet necessary process. Anyway, after we crack the roasted beans, it’s time for the sifting (my specialty)! We manually sift the beans to separate smaller pieces of shell and cacao from the larger pieces. The size of the sifting screen gradually gets smaller, as does the gap of the cracker. This method is repeated several times. This is also where I get my biceps workout. I’m scooping and dumping and pouring and sorting beans into this tub and that tub. It took some time to get a cohesive system buffed out, but it’s now as smooth as Mr. Clean’s head.

While I’m busy sifting and sorting tub after tub of cracked cacao, the winnowing machine is hard at work. I should note that this process takes two people. I usually man the ground (the sifting and such) and my co-pilot, Chris, is operating the winnower. When turned on, the winnower sucks and blows the unwanted bean shells to one location while allowing the lovely, fragrant nibs to fall to another. It requires her to climb up and down a ladder many times throughout the process. The nibs are the finished product, thus the fruits of our labor.

I remember the first time I tried a nib. Unfortunately, I was unable to control the inappropriate contortion of my facial features. It appears that I expected something sweet and let me tell you, those little guys are anything but. Nowadays, however, I have to fight the urge to pop a few in my mouth as we’re working. I don’t, but it doesn’t mean I don’t want to.

Obviously, winnowing is not the only thing happening at the factory. We get to eat chocolate, too! And by that I mean taste. Let’s once again rewind to my first week of work and another awkward example of my foodie ignorance. We all gathered to have a tasting, my first. Alan hands me a small square of chocolate that I pop right in my mouth like a melted Milk Dud. A few chews and gulp, it’s gone. “Yum,” I think, “and it didn’t even stick to my teeth!”

Then I notice the silence. I look around and it appears that everyone around me is meditating. I’m confused. Their eyes are closed in what seems to be bliss. Or is it concentration? Then I hear a few soft smacking noises and realize everyone still had their chocolate in their mouths. They are tasting. I pretend to still have mine rolling around my tongue. Then we discuss what we actually tasted. Some berries, some nuts…and I realize I did notice some of those flavors. I’ve been working on refining my tasting skills ever since. I’m still not the greatest, but I’m getting better. It’s fun.

Anyway, the nibs we get from winnowing are eventually added to the refining machines. They are two big drums containing a granite base and two granite wheels that crush, grind and heat the nibs until they become a beautifully smooth pool of liquid chocolate. Or chocolate liquor, to be specific. A small amount of sugar is then added along with additional heat and the speed of the refiners is eventually reduced. The process produces a strong, almost sharp, scent within the refining room. However the rest of the factory smells absolutely delicious. Just ask the regular mail delivery drivers.

Four days later, the refiners are emptied out. It’s not a complicated process, nothing more than delicately pouring the chocolate into multiple large molds, but somehow I always manage to get chocolate all over me. Those drums are heavy!

The chocolate filled molds then go to a shelf where they age for a couple of months. When the time comes, the blocks are added to the tempering machine where they are melted, cooled and carefully reheated. By the by, I’ve learned that chocolate is a very persnickety little devil. If it is not heated and/or cooled at exactly the right temperature, and I mean exactly right, we have to readjust and start again. After Alan molds the bars of scrumptious chocolate, they cool properly and we wrap them. Yep. Every little thing we do here is by hand!

I remember when Alan was first teaching me to wrap bars. I looked at the stacks of wrapped chocolate and said, “They look like little bars of gold.” He replied, “Well they kinda are.” And after all the work that goes into them, I can see his point.

Anyway, I’ve given you a crash course in the kinds of things we do here at Patric Chocolate. I’m quite pleased to be able to add “chocolate making” to my list of job skills, but more importantly I’ve learned so much from my experiences here. I’m proud to be a part of a locally owned small business that has achieved some awesome things in a relatively short period of time. I can’t wait to see (and taste!) what happens next.

Chocolate: The New Fine Wine?

Those of you who have heard me speak, who follow this blog, or my tweets at http://www.twitter.com/PatricChocolate, know that I always dwell upon the many similarities between fine chocolate and other fine foods, with a specific emphasis on wine. I do this not because I want to charge more for fine chocolate, but because I truly believe that the similarities are clear when carefully considered, and that my comments will help people to think about chocolate in new and different ways. Of course, I work with chocolate each and every day, so this is something that is on my mind more than it will be for the average person, but lately the issue has been on my mind even more than usual.

I think that the main cause of this recurring thought is that I have been doing a lot of demos lately (demos are where, at stores or various events, I hand out samples of Patric Chocolate and talk about my products). Demos are interesting because I have the opportunity to interact with a lot of people who didn't stop by JUST to hear me speak, or to learn about fine chocolate, or even chocolate in general.

At a demo I am speaking with people who are at the store, for example, to do any number of things, from buying produce, to cereal, to seafood, and anything in between. There is no guarantee that the people with whom I am talking, in this fairly chocolate-neutral venue, have ever asked themselves the question "What makes good chocolate good?" All of this being the case, it should really have come as no surprise to find that when I asked people "What is your favorite chocolate?" most people would essentially say, "I've never thought about it."

Now, let me clarify that I am not speaking badly of the people who made these statements. They were clearly being honest with me, and that is exactly what I was looking for as an intro into a conversation about fine chocolate. Still, I can't help but be a bit disappointed that I didn't have more people who knew exactly what they liked and, importantly, why.

I guess that part of my disappointment rests upon the fact that people have much better selections of chocolate bars at their disposal now than they did 10-15 years ago, and that at least the _idea_ of fine chocolate no longer seems counter intuitive to most people. On top of that, people are constantly asking me about chocolate and wine pairings, so the comparison of chocolate and wine must somehow be infiltrating popular culture. Still, there are only about ten artisan bean-to-bar companies in the US, when compared with thousands of wineries, over one thousand craft breweries, and at least hundreds of artisan coffee roasters. You'd have far more luck finding someone in any American town espousing the beauty of single-bean coffee than single-origin chocolates. You'd have a much better chance finding serious beer appreciation clubs than any such chocolate clubs anywhere throughout the nation. And, you wouldn't have to look too hard to find a respectable dessert wine at many decent restaurants, despite the fact that the same restaurants would almost always be serving desserts made without an interesting chocolate.

All of this is to say that though we may be moving in the right direction, we are far from being at parity with the other items mentioned above. This being the case, and since part of this struggle, perhaps even most of it, has nothing to do with actually tasting chocolate and everything to do with learning more about chocolate, I'd like to take just a moment to highlight ten simple reasons why fine chocolate really should be seen to be in the same realm as other fine foods and beverages. I hope that you find them interesting.


1) Over 600 different aromatic constituents have been classified by food scientists while trying to understand what gives chocolate its flavor. These components make chocolate one of the most complex of any food or beverage in the world, and this doesn't even include the delicate balance of slight acidity, bitterness, and sweetness that we taste as a square of chocolate melts across the tongue.

2) Chocolate is made from fermented cacao seeds. This fermentation, as with any fermented food, adds complexity of flavor that simply doesn't exist in the raw material, just like with wine, beer, and cheese.

3) Chocolate is made from roasted cacao seeds. The roasting process, again, adds additional flavors and helps create and strengthen the quintessential and inimitable "chocolatey" note. Flavor technologists have been trying to mimic chocolate's flavor for many years and still have not come up with an acceptable substitute.

4) Combining #2 and #3 above, chocolate is one of only a handful of foods that are both fermented and roasted. This is a large part of the reason why #1 above is the case.

5) Terroir, a term used to discuss the impact that soil-type and macro- and micro-climate have on grapes, and therefore on the wine made from grapes, is also entirely relevant when it comes to cacao as any chocophile who has enjoyed single-estate chocolate from differing years could notice.

6) The definition of terroir can be expanded when it comes to cacao to include the naturally occurring yeast and bacteria populations in a certain place and the impact that they have on the fermentation of the cacao, since the fermentation of cacao is due to these naturally occurring microbes, and not added cultures. This is one reason that cacao from Madagascar's Sambirano Valley, for example, tends to have such bright citrus and berry tones to it (i.e. The specific mix of bacteria and yeast in that area help to create such flavors). Compare this to other naturally fermented fine foods such as some wines, and Belgium's tradition of naturally fermented Lambic beers.

7)Single-origin chocolates can have as many differences as similarities, just like single-bean coffees, leading to chocolates that can seem as different as night and day to the initiated. Some may be intensely fruity, while others are quite earthy, for example.

8) From freshly harvested seed to finished bar, chocolate takes longer to make than most beer. Craft chocolate makers may even age their dark chocolate for months to impact the flavor in positive ways before molding it into bars--something that used to be common practice in the early 1900's.

9)Fine chocolate is very rich, and is made for being appreciated in small quantities. Eating an entire bar of fine chocolate often takes from several days to a week, and in this way is comparable to fine wines that are intended to be appreciated in moderation instead of consumed as quickly as possible. For this reason fine chocolate is not the same as chocolate candy, and even further removed from mass-market chocolate candies, with their heavy doses of sugar.

10) Fine chocolate is best enjoyed slowly with your full attention on the melt, texture, and release of flavor of the chocolate. It shouldn't be chomped and gulped down as quickly as possible or the true complexity and character of its flavor will never be unlocked and uncovered. In this way chocolate is also analogous to artisan coffees, fine wine, and craft beers among other fine foods.


Hopefully most of you will find these facts as interesting as I do. My wish in sharing them is two fold:

1) That you keep these things in mind as you appreciate chocolate in the future, always pushing to further expand your comprehension of this amazingly delicious and complex food.

2) That you share what you have learned with those around you that might appreciate it.

Chocolate companies cannot change the public perception of chocolate alone. It really will take each and every one of you to help create the chocolate sea change that we need. Sure, such a change will help Patric Chocolate and companies like it, but more importantly, it will lead to a growing market for fine chocolate that can support more privately owned small chocolate making companies, thereby creating a substantial variety of quality fine chocolates for the marketplace. Even those who think that they don't have a preference will have to take note, and as for the rest of us...well, we will be in chocolate heaven.

Very best,

Alan

Eat Chocolate; Enjoy Life

Patric Chocolate Nib-Chip Cookies

What is delicious, buttery, chewy and chocolatey all at once?

That's right, Patric Chocolate Nib-Chip Cookies.

Here is the recipe that will become a staple in your home:

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp baking soda
½ lb unsalted butter (two sticks)
1 cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
1 tsp real vanilla extract
1 egg
¾ cup Patric Chocolate’s Roasted Cacao Nibs

Procedure:

1) Preheat oven to 375 F. Adjust oven
rack to middle position.

2) Combine flour, salt and baking
soda in bowl.

3) In a mixer cream the butter and mix in sugars.

4) Add the vanilla and egg to the
butter mixture and beat to combine.

5) Beat the flour mixture into the
butter mixture until just combined.

6) Stir in the Patric Chocolate Cacao
Nibs.

7) Refrigerate dough until cool and
stiff.

8) Drop by rounded teaspoons onto
a good quality baking sheet (thin black baking sheets are not good options).

9) Bake for about 10 minutes and remove from oven. After several
minutes remove to a rack to cool.