Activity

Hazel Mountain Chocolate Tour

Duration .5 hours
Difficulty Easy

Nestled beneath the Burren Mountains in County Clare, Hazel Mountain Chocolate is Ireland’s only bean-to-bar chocolate factory. Surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Wild Atlantic Way, this award-winning artisan producer transforms sustainably sourced cacao beans into delicious chocolate entirely on-site.

During the guided factory tour, you’ll follow the chocolate-making journey from bean to finished bar. Discover how cacao is roasted, cracked, winnowed, stone-ground and tempered before visiting the truffle room, where delicate chocolates are prepared and decorated by hand.

Along the way, you’ll learn how the origin of each cacao bean influences its flavour and see how local ingredients are used to create distinctively Irish combinations. Naturally, the experience includes a guided tasting of Hazel Mountain’s creations, allowing you to sample chocolate at different stages of the process.

Why we love it

This is the kind of educational experience where nobody minds taking notes—especially when the lesson includes chocolate tasting. The passionate team, wonderful aromas and beautiful Burren setting make it a treat for every sense. There’s also a shop filled with tempting creations, so leaving empty-handed may prove difficult.