> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://thechocolatelife.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Evaluating Chocolate: the What, the Why, and the How | #PSC 215 - URL: https://thechocolatelife.com/evaluating-chocolate-the-what-the-why-and-the-how-psc-215/ - Published: 2026-07-06T21:12:37.000Z - Updated: 2026-07-17T18:52:06.000Z - Description: OVERVIEW: Episode 215 of #PodSaveChocolate takes a look back, and forward, at how chocolate is evaluated – and asks the question, β€œHave we been doing it wrong all these years?” - Author: Clay Gordon - Tags: PodSaveChocolate, Live Stream πŸ—“οΈ Episode 215 streamed on Tuesday, July 7th, 2026\. Click a link below to view the archived episode. This ****YOUTUBE** link is shareable. 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[Participate/Watch on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/share/1C2jn2kyA3/) --- ## **Episode 215** Thinking about how to evaluate chocolate has been a part of my ChocolateLife for nearly 30 years. When I decided to become a professional chocolate critic in early 1994, I had no idea what I needed to learn, where I could go to learn what I needed, or who I could learn from. When I started my search I took a look at wine education. > After all, pairing wine and chocolate is a thing people do, wine is made from fermented grape juice and chocolate is made from fermented cocoa beans. I seriously considered how I could adapt the WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) methodology to chocolate but quickly dropped that avenue of exploration [Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET)The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) is the largest global provider of wine, spirits, beer and sake qualifications. Trusted by the world’s most recognised drinks organisations, WSET has led the design and delivery of wine and spirit education for five decades. With four progressive levels of study offered through a network of course providers in more than 70 countries and translated into multiple languages, WSET qualifications inspire and empower drinks professionals and enthusiasts.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/icon/favicon-192-bd91f7f2-8df2-4372-ab27-6003c674ad96.png)WSET![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/thumbnail/1200x1200_home-4b008260-3759-4948-ba9b-b81e9344ea80.jpg)](https://www.wsetglobal.com/?ref=thechocolatelife.com) πŸ““ ****Aside:** My First Rating System ***Looking back,*** I now realize that there are at least three aspects to consider individually and severally, and ***at least one*** of them has ***never been seriously addressed for chocolate***. > Unfortunately for chocolate – and chocolate fans – the aspect that has never been seriously addressed is the foundation upon which the other two necessarily must be built. This lack of consideration is at the heart of the lack of coherence across chocolate judging regimes. Those three aspects are: 1. Classification 2. Education 3. Evaluation and Judging Over the past two years or so I have undertaken a systematic review of the classification (e.g., types, styles, other descriptors), education (what and how are you teaching evaluation skills), and judging frameworks and methodologies (what and how do you judge) for: - Beer - Wine - Spirits - Coffee - Balsamic vinegar - Cheese - Chocolate ⁉️ Two of the above are not like the other five – which two are different, and why? The goals for my review are to understand: 1. Where the different methodologies are the same. 2. Where they differ. 3. What is chocolate doing (or not doing) compared with the others. 4. How to take the strongest elements from the others and apply them to chocolate. 5. How to avoid the mistakes they make … to aid and guide the processes of developing comprehensive frameworks and methodologies for chocolate classification, education, evaluation, and judging – the what, the why, and the how of each aspect of the framework. --- ### **The TL;DR** This episode of PodSaveChocolate will present some of the challenges I am working through, informed by several other approaches, especially those from IICCT (International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting), ICA (International Chocolate Awards), and Beanstalkr. Among other topics will be the utility and application of controlled vocabularies (flavor lexicons). ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/ChocolateFlavourMapPres_flavourNetworks.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/ChocolateFlavourMapPres_neuralModel.jpg) [ChocolateFlavourMapPresentation\_2019 RastChristyThe full presentation that includes the above illustrations.ChocolateFlavourMapPresentation\_2019 RastChristy.pdf4 MBdownload-circle](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/files/2026/07/ChocolateFlavourMapPresentation%5F2019-RastChristy.pdf "Download") [Flavor networks and the principles of food pairingThis paper provides a dive into some of the theory supporting the approachFlavor Networks-DOI 10.1038\_srep00196-2011.pdf3 MBdownload-circle](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/files/2026/07/Flavor-Networks-DOI-10.1038%5Fsrep00196-2011.pdf "Download") ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/ChocolateFlavourMapPres_fmapExpansion.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/beanstalkrWheel_upscale.jpg) \[L\]: IICCT; \[R\]: Beanstalkr ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/Flavour-lexicon_p3.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/Flavour-lexicon_p4.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/Flavour-lexicon_p5.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/Flavour-lexicon_p6.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/Flavour-lexicon_p7.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/Flavour-lexicon_p9.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/PyramidTastingHandbook_p41.jpeg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/PyramidTastingHandbook_p42.jpg) ![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2026/07/PyramidTastingHandbook_p44.jpeg) --- ### **Future Episodes** πŸ—“οΈ ****IICCT Certification Courses Deep Dive** **no confirmed date* --- ### **Episode Hashtags** #cocoa #cacao #cacau #chocolate #chocolat #PodSaveChoc #PSC #LaVidaCocoa #TheChocolateLife --- ### **#PodSaveChocolate and #TheChocolateLifeLIVE Archives** **To read an archived post** and find the links to watch archived episodes, click on one of the bookmark cards below. [Pod Save Chocolate Calendar and ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. #PodSaveChocolate!![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/11/TagImageBanner-PodSaveChocTagFinal_1920x1080-5.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/pod-save-chocolate-calendar-and-archive/) Episodes 201-300 (links to older PSC archives are in the top nav). [#TheChocolateLifeLIVE ArchiveNews, views, and conversations on topics in cocoa and chocolate streamed live to YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook.![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/size/w256h256/2020/12/JR_Pods60x60FavIconCutoutButtons.png)The Chocolate LifeClay Gordon![](https://thechocolatelife.com/content/images/2023/03/solen-feyissa-WG7v_wYZW4Q-unsplash-CalendarFeatured1920x1080.jpg)](https://thechocolatelife.com/thechocolatelife-live-calendar/) ⁉️ After a year-long+ experiment, the audio-only versions of PodSaveChocolate episodes have been taken down after an end-of-year review. There were not enough listens to continue uploading episodes and paying for hosting. --- ## Not a Member? Live The Chocolate Life – Live La Vida Cocoa! Sign up for ****Free** to comment and receive members-only content. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Premium subscriptions available. ---