Finding the Perfect Match: Whisky and Chocolate Pairing Tips For Valentine's Day

For a mix of historical and romantic reasons, chocolate became the quintessential Valentine’s Day gift. Originating from ancient, often bitter, Mayan and Aztec cocoa, chocolate was long seen as a luxurious aphrodisiac. Its modern popularity as a Valentine’s Day item was cemented in the 1860s by Victorian-era chocolatier Richard Cadbury, who introduced the first heart-shaped, decorated chocolate box, making it a convenient, indulgent way to express affection. But until you can give your love a heart-shaped bottle of their favorite whisky on Valentine's Day, declare your adoration with thoughtfully curated pairings of chocolate and whisky.

In bygone times, the archetypal box of chocolates for February 14 was a heart-shaped selection of factory-made bonbons with assorted fillings. These days, however, even supermarkets stock artisanal, high-cocoa-content chocolate in boxes that typically hold just one or two varieties of fillings, making the choice of a suitable whisky pairing far simpler.

The second bit of good news is that whiskies of all sorts are natural partners for chocolate, so much so that numerous distilleries, from Glenmorangie to Westward, have made expressions using chocolate malt, a dark and flavorsome variety of malted barley usually reserved for brewers making chocolaty stouts and porters. Still, while a generic whisky and chocolate partnership can be lovely, a perfect pairing is a thing of true gastronomic beauty!

If Your Beau Loves Bourbon

Of all the world’s chocolate-friendly whiskies, bourbon could be the friendliest, with lighter-bodied versions pairing well with nutty milk chocolate, while richer, older, and barrel-finished bourbons lend themselves to dark, robust, 70% cocoa-content chocolate or higher. Where they all meet, however, is in the chocolate that many believe is not chocolate at all: white chocolate, with its high levels of cocoa butter and milk solids and sweet, mild character. It’s the ideal canvas for the “paint” of complex and sweet bourbon flavors.

If Your Sweetheart Loves Scotch

Across the ocean in Scotland, sherry barrel-aged or finished single malts often showcase a range of flavors from dried fruit to nuts, and orange to marzipan, all of which pair wonderfully with chocolate. Here, a mix of chocolate intensities works best—dark and bitter filled with milk chocolate, perhaps, or dark with caramel, nougat, or even cherry fillings. Add a pinch of salt to bring out the complexities of the sherry influence, and you have a winner.

Arguably, the most sensuous of whisky and chocolate pairings involves the smokiest of single malts married with hard and soft dark chocolate, for the simple reason that intense chocolate welcomes smoke as much as peaty whiskies do the bitter-sweetness of high cocoa-content chocolate and fudge. This is a classic blend that’s sure to delight any Islay fan you might fancy.

If Your Inseparable has Eyes for Irish

Irish blended whiskeys tend toward a fruity sweetness that partners well with the wide range of flavors found in filled dark chocolate truffles, from toffee to fruit to nuts. Where those spirits truly shine, however, is when they’re paired with something citrusy, which adds a certain gravitas to the grain component of the blend while rounding the pot still portion.

If the Jewel of Your Life Likes Japanese Whisky

Japanese and world whiskies, with their typically elegant and subtle characteristics, tend to pair best with lighter chocolate flavors, including those tempered with honey, marzipan, fruit, or praline. In the case of Japanese malt whiskies, opt for something light and airy, such as a whipped milk chocolate, but if you’re gifting a punchier blended whisky, seek out a mild to moderate flavoring combined with the gentleness of a soft, lower cocoa-content chocolate.

Gift These Whisky and Chocolate Pairings for Valentine's Day

Rabbit Hole Cavehill bourbon & milk and white chocolate swirl

The whiskey's floral honey and fruit notes wonderfully reflect the sweet mix of white and milk chocolate, while the truffle enhances the vanilla in the bourbon.

Glenfarclas 15 year old scotch & salted caramel chocolate

The salt draws out the sherry flavors imparted by the cask, while the single malt balances the caramel sweetness, allowing the chocolate to shine.

Ardbeg 10 year old scotch & dark chocolate truffle filled with ganache

The bittersweet chocolate brings out the malt of the whisky, while peaty smoke adds depth and complexity to the truffle.

Dunville’s 1808 Blended Irish & orange-flavored dark chocolate truffle

The citrus notes of the whiskey shine when paired with orange and dark chocolate, while the zestiness of the spirit enlivens the fruit flavor of the truffle.

Nikka From The Barrel world whisky & lemon meringue chocolate

Bright and potent at full strength, the whisky welcomes citrus and milk chocolate flavors while the tangy-sweet truffle brings out the oaky spice of the spirit.