Luxury Valentine's Day Chocolate Taste Test: Six Premium Boxes Reviewed
For all the Romeos out there, the clock is ticking with Valentine's Day approaching rapidly. While many dismiss the holiday as overly commercial, it represents a significant business opportunity with substantial consumer spending. According to industry reports, spending on Valentine's Day is expected to surge by 12 percent to reach £1.6 billion, with 42 percent of consumers planning specific purchases for the occasion. Notably, over two-thirds of these shoppers are opting for premium products.
What Should You Buy This Valentine's Day?
Even previously respectable chocolate brands can become passé over time, as noted in previous reviews. However, for those seeking guidance, we have carefully curated and sampled six premium chocolate boxes that offer both quality and reasonable affordability. These selections are available through major retailers including Amazon, John Lewis, Fenwick, and various department stores.
Charbonnel & Walker - Marc de Champagne Truffles (£30)
Priced at £27 from Fenwick's food hall, Charbonnel & Walker's Marc de Champagne Truffles represent the upper end of most Valentine's Day budgets. These chocolates feature pink, milk, and dark chocolate varieties presented in retro glamour packaging. The truffles resemble exquisite compacts of makeup powder with what can only be described as a sleazy, Italianate decadence that proves irresistible. One can easily imagine them as props in a Fellini film or gracing Capucine's dressing table. While the chocolates themselves are scrumptious, it's the statement gold packaging and the inevitable delighted reaction from the recipient that truly makes this product worthwhile. Rating: 4/5
Love Cocoa - Pink Gin Truffles (£15)
The quirky, slightly psychedelic box of Love Cocoa's Pink Gin Truffles presents a beautiful gift option for partners who appreciate pink and bright patterns without being overwhelmed by traditional hearts and roses. The truffles themselves are stored inside a slightly tacky plastic wrapper, consisting mainly of soft white chocolate surrounded by a powdery pink crust infused with distinctive pink gin flavor. These chocolates avoid being sickly sweet, with the gin adding a subtle violet note to the benign white chocolate base. For white chocolate enthusiasts, these represent a great gift option, though the interior plastic wrapper somewhat diminishes what is otherwise delightful packaging. Rating: 3/5
Holdsworth - Marc de Champagne Truffles (£14)
Holdsworth's Marc de Champagne Truffles might just win on visual appeal alone. For anyone seeking a classic, classy box of chocolates this Valentine's Day, this option cannot possibly disappoint. The beautiful packaging contains truffles encased in a substantial half-centimetre of thick milk chocolate, with dense truffle filling offering deep, almost caffeinated flavor that oozes liquor. While other boxes on this list might score higher for ingenuity, as a traditional Valentine's Day gift for the discerning chocolate lover with delicious taste to match, this product ticks every box perfectly. Rating: 5/5
M&S Collection - Marc de Champagne Truffles (£10)
Marc de Champagne truffles appear to dominate this Valentine's Day season, and M&S Collection's version comes in a beautiful red, classic heart-shaped box that makes for an attractive presentation. However, the truffles themselves present significant issues. The chocolate exterior features an intense cocoa flavor with sugariness rivaling Hershey's, while the truffle filling possesses a pungent, acrid taste more reminiscent of industrial cleaning products than a premium treat. This stands in stark contrast to last year's well-received Box of Jewels from the same collection. Rating: 2/5
Hotel Chocolat - "With Love" Collection Box (£17.95)
Hotel Chocolat's memorable 'With Love' collection returns this Valentine's Day in exactly the same form as last year. While previously criticized for appearing somewhat juvenile, the brand has clearly stood by its design choices. The chocolates themselves offer fun variety with different colors and fillings that provide certain delight. However, this collection very much targets the 18 to 27 demographic, reminiscent of youthful social media displays of affection. Rating: 3/5
The Chocolate Gift Company - 'You're My Lobster' (£13.95)
For relationships where both parties might roll their eyes at Valentine's Day commercialism while still desiring something special, Bedfordshire's The Chocolate Gift Company offers the perfect solution with their amusing, ironic "You're My Lobster" creation. At 70g, it provides a manageable portion without overwhelming, while the message "you're my lobster"—suggesting "the only person that can pinch me is you"—makes for an instant gift pleaser. The milk chocolate lobster itself resembles a tasty, hollow Easter egg with thick walls. Rating: 5/5
And the Winner Is...
With so many compelling options—from the retro glamour of Charbonnel & Walker's Marc de Champagne Truffles to the psychedelic punch of Love Cocoa's Pink Gin Truffles and the sheer timelessness of Holdsworth's Marc de Champagne Truffles—the selection proves challenging. However, the anti-romantic sentiment must ultimately give way to 'You're My Lobster,' which paradoxically represents a pointedly romantic gift that is both thoughtful and well-considered for any Valentine's Day presentation.
