Hotel chocolat- I just don't get it?

[theyhavenothingbuttheaudacity]

So I was in a steaming mood yesterday and was in the shopping centre and thought I would treat myself to a small pack (the three for 12 pound size packs)
I have never before tasted chocolate with such a cheap oily aftertaste. Have I had a bad batch or has anyone else found this?

Totally agree, horrid stuff!

I don’t like the mixed boxes because a lot of them aren’t that great but some of them are really nice so I tend to just buy those in a selector pack

I feel the same. Also Lindt. Just tastes of sugary oil to me.

I don't like it, but I don't know why people get snarky on threads like this. I don't think anybody is congratulating themselves for being too good for Hotel Chocolat - loads of people are saying they prefer brands that are quite a lot cheaper.
FWIW my favourite chocolate is a Ripple bar or an M and S white chocolate Alpine bar. I also wish Thorntons would bring back their Sicilian lemon bar. Nothing I've tasted from HC is a patch on any of these.

I think it's changed, I find it oily now, too, but I used to like it.

I find chocolate from Aldi/Lidl and Ritter Sport to be better than most British brands, but it doesn't feel like an indulgence. Thankfully, there's a nice shop not far from me that does "proper" chocolate, and when I want a real treat, or chocolates for a gift, I buy a box from there.

It also has the advantage that you can pick your own selection, so don't end up with the fillings you're not keen on lingering in the box.

Curious where people are seeing palm oil in their chocolate - I wouldn't want chocolate with palm oil in it so had a quick look at their site. I only looked at a couple of different chocolates, but none of them listed palm oil.

I've always liked their chocolate - the taste, and the ethical approach - although I haven't had any for a while so maybe the taste has changed.... (usually wait for post easter/christmas etc,. sales, but trying to cut back on unhealthy eating).

It's certainly not the best but HC is far nicer than Cadbury or Thornton's which is vile sickly wax. I agree with PP, I always check my chocolate for palm oil before I buy and haven't noticed it in HC.

Aldi chocolate is palm oil free and nice if you are looking for cheap and cheerful.

People are suggesting Artisan du Chocolat, Leonidas, Audreys, Charbonnel, all significantly more expensive than Hotel Chocolat.

It appears that they've reduced their use of palm oil.

That’s what chocolate is. That’s what makes it delicious. Sugar and fat. Our monkey brains love sugar and fat.

I have this on subscription as it's one of the few chocolates left that has a decent taste.

Looked, because I was curious. Can't find any mention of palm oil anywhere on their ingredients???? Soya and Sunflower emulsifiers........ perhaps that's it.

The 70% off range is great!
I like their chocolate but I like all chocolate.

Quick look at Lindt, and Artisan du Chocolat - They all have the same ingredients inc. Soya Emulsifier.

I love their alcohol chocolates, the carrot cakes ones also are amazing. We bought their easter eggs this year and I wasn't impressed but the filled chocolates are gorgeous.

The point of Hotel Chocolat is that they do quite attractive boxes of chocolates designed to fit through a letterbox. You're not meant to buy them to scoff yourself.

It’s quite variable. While I wouldn’t say any of it is luxury or amazing, some of their stuff is good. I like the Christmas penguins and fruity filled chocolates - they had a lovely blood orange one years ago. But more of it is just mediocre. If you want a bar that is a step up from Cadbury’s or Galaxy, the supermarkets’ premium own brands are way better. I buy the Co-op bars regularly, but also M&S and Waitrose. Aldi too.

What I do like about HC is being able to buy filled chocolates without breaking the bank or buying a box box. Bars you can get anywhere, but the selector idea is really good and nobody else does this afaik.I just think the chocolate itself could be better.

I'm not a fan of the chocolate I've tried from HC and found it very overpriced but equally I don't recall ever hearing anyone I know in real life hyped up about it either.

The marketing reminds me of how thorntons used to posture themselves as before they became supermarket chocolate.

I don't think I'm a particular food snob, am as happy with chocolate from poundland as anything else. If money weren't an object, I do like Leonidas chocolates but owing to a total lack of self control I generally find expensive chocolate is best avoided for me.

I prefer the Irish Aldi Roisin's chocolate bars.
They taste very yummy especially the salted caramel one.

Don't like anything with palm oil in so avoid all Cadbury's and similar crap.

I tend to buy nice chocolate from a stall on our local farmers market. It's always wrapped beautifully too.

That's exactly what the selector packs are for. Minimal packaging so you can just choose a few chocolates from loads of different types to treat yourself to.

18 truffle type chocolates from HC costs £12.
Audreys will sell you 19 for £19.50
15, but slightly bigger chocolates so a similar weight at Leonidas are £20.95.

I haven't had Audreys yet, but I have had Leonidas and didn't think they were anything special or significantly nicer than HC.

Yeah I'm not a fan either to be honest, the price is outrageous.

Hotel Chocolat has never really appealed to me, I either buy the bars from Aldi or push the boat out with some Montezuma’s giant chocolate buttons.

I was given some Noble and Stace chocolate a while ago - jolly expensive but tasted amazing.

We used to live in Switzerland and the chocolates there are amazing. For special treats we buy chocolate from the Swiss company Laderach and get it in the mail.

They also have three shops in London

www.laderach.com

Green and Blacks Milk Choc in the sky blue wrapper. That's all I want.

Hotel Chocolat are good for their boozy chocolates such as whisky truffles, enrobed boozy cherries etc. Their slabs are not worth the money, and some of their other filled ones are a bit tasteless.