Chocao: New Cacao Gin Liqueur from Staffordshire

Chocao, a new cacao gin liqueur, is the result of a collaboration between two great Staffordshire independents. Its official launch is coming up later this month, but here I have a sneak preview for you. I’ve also given links to launch events where you can be among the first to taste Chocao.

Chocao is the result of a collaboration between Seed Chocolate and The Staffordshire Gin Company.

Seed Chocolate is a small batch, bean to bar chocolate maker based in Stoke on Trent. Winner of multiple awards, I loved their chocolate at first bite and wrote about it here.

The Staffordshire Gin Company was launched in 2018 and produces three gins from their base in Silverdale. They also offer three gin liqueurs.

I bumped into them at last year’s Stone Food & Drink Festival and a glass of their Original classic dry gin with tonic went down a treat.

This year got off to a great start for The Staffordshire Gin Company when their Black Violet gin won a bronze award at the 2020 World Gin Awards.

CHOCAO

In case it isn’t entirely obvious, Chocao takes its name from a combination of ‘chocolate’ and ‘cacao’.

Cacao beans are the raw materials of chocolate making and James at Seed Chocolate imports them direct from small family farms and cooperatives. This ensures they receive the best possible price and that some of the very unsavoury practices found in large scale chocolate production, such as child labour, are avoided.

The cacao nibs and husks used to infuse Chocao are organic Gran Yapatera from Peru. These are said to have ‘sweet, floral and fruity’ notes.

I certainly detected that when I tried my first sample of the liqueur back in mid-December. I was also very pleased to get my hands on a bottle from the very first batch.

However, the next day I was off for a long Christmas holiday. After that I was attempting what I call a Dry-ish January – although a cheeky whisky tasting dinner somehow snuck in there. That meant I didn’t actually open my bottle until the start of February. How uncharacteristically restrained of me!

Now I’ve have had my own, longer tasting session here’s my personal take on Chocao.

TASTING CHOCAO

It’s recommended that you drink Chocao over ice. So that’s what I did.

First smelling the liqueur, I’d say there was a light, chocolatey aroma. Was there almost a suggestion of orange? Perhaps that was due to those fruity Gran Yapatera cacao beans, because I’m reliably informed there’s no orange in Chocao.

But I could also detect The Staffordshire Gin Company’s traditional botanicals. These added to Chocao‘s complexity.

On the palate, the effect was similar. Light chocolate flavour but with almost floral hints from the gin.

After drinking the liqueur, I found the finish was definitely chocolate rather than gin.

Being a liqueur, Chocao does tend towards the sweet. But, as someone who finds sweet liqueurs undrinkable, I didn’t find it overly sweet.

Alcohol wise, it’s 26% ABV so don’t expect the hit of, for example, that well-known big brand orange flavoured liqueur at 40% ABV.

But you aren’t getting a big brand product here. What you are getting is a craft product, made in small batches and to high ethical standards. Given all that, I think £28.50 is a pretty fair price.

I’m not a huge liqueur drinker but could imagine a glass of Chocao alongside a good pudding as a change from a dessert wine or port. I hear there’s also plans to devise some new cocktails using Chocao, and I’ll look forward to having a go at those.

LAUNCH & TASTINGS

If you want to be one of the first to try Chocao, then get yourself along to one of the launch events taking place this February:

Thursday 6th February at Ten Green Bottles in Stone

Thursday 13th February at Ten Green Bottles in Newcastle-Under-Lyme

As well as tasting Chocao you’ll get to meet the makers, have some gin-soaked cacao nibs and Seed Chocolate. Also on offer will be Chocao cocktails specially created by Ten Green Bottles.

Tickets for the launch events are £5.

You can also buy Chocao online for £28.50 plus £4.99 postage and packing (UK only).

RECOMMENDED

If you like liqueurs and are looking for a quality, ethical product with distinctiveness then I recommend you try Chocao.

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