Charbonnel et Walker Chocolate

As an American, the idea of royalty is a novelty to me. I’ve come to love the monarchy since moving to London, so when one of London’s premier chocolatiers invited me to a Charbonnel et Walker chocolate tasting in honor of Her Majesty, I gladly joined the fun.

When I arrived at Charbonnel et Walker’s shop in the Royal Arcade on Bond Street in Mayfair, I was welcomed with a glass of pink cava.

As I sipped, I noticed that its color matched that of a nearby array of strawberry truffles. They were situated next to tiny heart-shaped boxes of cocoa-dusted milk chocolate truffles and special limited-edition boxes of chocolates featuring Queen Elizabeth II.

I perused the selection, passing boxes decorated with everything from the Union Jack to silver foil and purple velvet.

Chocolate Tasting in London

When all the guests had arrived, the cava was replaced by Louis Roederer champagne and the main event began: a Charbonnel et Walker chocolate tasting.

Adam Lee from Charbonnel et Walker gave us a short introduction to the company, which was founded in 1875. An official purveyor to the monarch, it makes some of the best chocolate in London.

Charbonnel et Walker Truffles, Creams, and More

Afterwards we were able to taste a selection of Charbonnel et Walker chocolate, starting with the famous pink champagne truffles.

They were followed by milk and dark chocolate champagne truffles, of which the latter were my favorites.

Next came trays of rose and violet creams, which were smooth and sweet. After that we tried rose and violet truffles, which had similar flavors but were a bit more understated.

After sampling the existing Charbonnel et Walker flavors, we were lucky enough to try some of the newest additions to the company’s range.

These included a passion fruit chocolate, which was heavenly, and a sea salt caramel truffle, which was the winner of the evening. I could have eaten five more, but I had dinner waiting for me.

But before eating a proper meal, I had one last treat at the shop: Pimm’s. The classic English drink was served in dainty teacups, and was the perfect ending to a great evening of Charbonnel et Walker chocolate and champagne.