Discover Cacao are excited to announce that the Brighton Chocolate Festival is returning in 2022. This event is now in the capable hands of a new organiser, Rachel Paton, who is already making waves with her fantastic Brighton Chocolate Festival Advent Calendar 2021.

As Rachel prepares to take over the reins of this event from Discover Cacao, she has already found the time and inspiration to crowdfund an Advent calendar for this December, choc-full of fabulous flavours from some of the best chocolate makers from around the world.

We just had to secure our own calendar to see what goodies were inside, and so far we haven’t been disappointed. Every square has been crafted from beans-to-bar chocolate makers. This is chocolate in its purest form, without fillings or fondants, presented individually wrapped with festive colours and neatly packaged in a recyclable box.

December 1st – we started the month in Tanzania, with a 70% chocolate from Bullion Chocolate Makers. With soft fruit, floral, and roasted nuts in the tasting notes this bar came in strong with an intense flavour that softened out to a fruity nut finish. It had a slightly grainy texture but left our palate clean and rewarded.

December 2nd had us travelling to Belize, courtesy of Tosier Chocolatemakers, who offered a 70% from the mountains of Maya. The tasting notes suggested pineapple, pepper and rainforest fruits. The pineapple came through on this selection more so than the pepper, leaving us with a smooth finish.

December 3rd presented us with an old favourite. Solkiki Chocolatemaker flew into the world of chocolate events via our Denbies Chocolate Fair, and since then have been making waves, and winning awards for their creative collection of vegan chocolate. This Ecuadorian 64% bar offered tasting notes of biscuit and caramel, and didn’t fail to deliver – in classic Solkiki style.

December 4th introduced us to Anisa Chocolate. With a citrus / berries combination, this micro-batch chocolatemaker took a handful of beans from Kerala to create a 72% flavour sensation from India. One we hope to revisit again soon.

December 5th and away we sped to the Caribbean island of St Vincent with Islands Chocolate. The tasting notes stated just one flavour suggestion: 65% Disco – which included citrus and banana to enliven our palate. To appreciate ‘Disco’ imagine the lively moves of those with a passion for grooving. We absolutely loved the flavours bouncing out of this bar.

December 6th said hello to Bare Bones Chocolate, and one of my personal favourites, 70% Madagascar. Who can resist maple syrup, cherry and raspberry all wrapped into the guise of dark chocolate? This was smooth, fruity, grown-up cacao that we didn’t want to share.

December 7th had us at the first bite. That maple syrup again, but this time with a 58% Togo from Nearynogs Chocolate that includes macadamia in the tasting notes to complement the maple. Again, we didn’t want to share this smooth little square of heaven.

Today will see us in Brasil with Beanu Cacao, then Duffy’s on Day 9, Dormouse Day 10, followed by Terre de Sienne, J.Cocoa, then Chocolate Tree, before we circle round again but with variations of bean to bar chocolate from this outstanding list of makers.

If you want to continue the journey, we hope you managed to get your hands on this first-edition Advent calendar from the Brighton Chocolate Festival. If you missed out, check the calendar for their 2022 event date. We know we have the date in our diary, and hope you do too.

Brighton Chocolate Festival
17th – 18th September 2022

Brighthelm Centre
North Rd
Brighton BN1 1YD
11am – 5pm

Contact: hello@brightonchocolatefestival.co.uk