Vietnam is a young origin by chocolate standards. Cacao was planted under French rule, largely abandoned, and only revived in earnest this century — which makes its speed onto the fine chocolate map all the more striking.
Much of the credit goes to bean-to-bar makers who work province by province, releasing separate bars from Ba Ria, Dong Nai, Tien Giang and Lam Dong so you can taste the differences. The style is often bold and spicy with notes of tropical fruit, honey and warm spice. A tasting flight of two or three Vietnamese provinces is one of the easiest ways to learn how much terroir matters.
Vietnam chocolate to try
Sorted from mildest to darkest
