IICCT Chocolate Taster study plan

Build a personal aroma reference kit of at least 20 items (fruits, spices, nuts, dairy, floral, earthy, woody, fermented) and label each with a one-line descriptor

Define and write down the difference between aroma, flavour, taste, mouthfeel and aftertaste, then use those terms correctly in 10 written tasting notes

Practise the five basic tastes plus astringency, bitterness and pungency using blind-coded samples and record detection thresholds informally

Set up a standard tasting routine: coded cups, water, plain crackers, neutral room, no perfume, timed evaluation

Identify and describe at least 8 common defects (smoky, mouldy, hammy, raw/potato, excessive acidity, burnt, grainy, stale) from memory with their likely cause

Apply a formal descriptive protocol (independent, then consensus) to 6 dark chocolates and record attribute intensity on a 0-5 scale

Distinguish flavour defects from origin-typical notes in written justification for each of 6 samples

Compare 3 paired samples (same brand, different origin or percentage) and state which attributes drove the difference

Score bitterness, astringency, acidity and sweetness separately rather than collapsing them into one judgement

Rewrite 3 earlier tasting notes to remove vague words and replace them with specific descriptors

Describe the sequence roast to winnow to refine to conche to temper, stating the purpose and main risk at each step

Explain how roast time and temperature profile change acidity, bitterness and aroma development

Explain particle size, refining and conching time effects on texture and flavour release

Describe the six crystal forms of cocoa butter and explain why Form V is targeted in tempering

Diagnose 4 tempering faults (fat bloom, sugar bloom, poor snap, sticking) from written descriptions and state the corrective action

Calculate cocoa percentage and check label consistency for 5 real product labels against their stated ingredients

Explain the legal and technical meaning of cocoa solids, cocoa butter, cocoa mass and added cocoa butter in a formulation

Describe the role of sugar, emulsifiers (lecithin), vanilla and milk solids in texture and flavour

Compare dark, milk and white chocolate formulations and state what each must contain

Explain how conching and added cocoa butter interact with viscosity and tempering behaviour

Describe the cacao tree's botanical requirements and the difference between Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario in general terms

Explain the fermentation process: heap vs box, turning, temperature and pH changes, and the role of yeast, bacteria and acetic acid

Explain how fermentation duration and quality affect flavour precursors and defect risk

Describe drying methods and the risks of over-drying, under-drying, mould and smoke contamination

Map 5 major producing regions to their typical post-harvest practices and flavour tendencies

Distinguish cacao varieties and their general flavour profiles without overstating certainty

Classify 8 products into style categories (dark, milk, white, single origin, blend, bean-to-bar, couverture, compound) and justify each

Explain what makes a cacao 'fine flavour' and how origin, genetics and processing interact

Compare 4 origin chocolates blind and write a short profile for each linking flavour to likely origin factors

Identify common mislabelling or marketing claims and explain what they do and do not guarantee

Explain fat bloom, sugar bloom, stale flavour and moisture damage, including causes and prevention

State recommended storage conditions and explain how temperature cycling and odour transfer affect quality

Interpret a best-before date in terms of storage and packaging rather than as a hard safety limit

Explain the purpose and limitations of certification schemes and traceability systems in the cacao supply chain

Describe the main ethical and sustainability issues in cacao production and how they affect quality and price

Write 10 tasting notes in a fixed professional format: appearance, aroma, flavour, texture, finish, defect call and score

Deliver a 3-minute spoken tasting presentation and self-review it for clarity and unsupported claims

Run a full timed mock exam across all domains and review every incorrect answer with a written correction

Revise weak areas identified by the mock and produce a one-page personal error log

Practise explaining a technical concept (fermentation, tempering or labelling) to a non-expert in under 2 minutes