Blind veterans' guide to Valentine's chocolates
We know it's tough to choose the perfect chocolate treat for your Valentine. That's why our veterans have taken on the challenge to sample a variety of chocolate boxes and find the one that'll make your loved one's day extra sweet.
This Valentine's Day, our judging panel of blind veterans and their partners, gathered at our Llandudno Centre to find this year's top chocolate box.
Our judges rated each box of chocolate out of 40 (40 being excellent; 1 being very poor) in the following categories:
- Packaging
- Quantity
- Quality and taste
- Cost
Meet our judges
The results
1st place: Cadbury Milk Tray (£4.50)
Scoring an impressive 38 out of 40, the Cadbury Milk Tray stole the show with our judges describing it as "box of purple delight." Our judges said it was "traditional, attractive, and regal," offering two layers of delicious chocolates that promised and delivered on value, variety, and the best packaging. Our tasters were unanimous: this box represents "excellent value for money."
2nd Place: Nestle Black Magic (£2.99)
With a score of 32 out of 40, Black Magic's packaging lived up to its name, black! Our judges weren't enamoured with this, describing it as "unattractive". Though the tasters found the chocolates to be average in taste, the box was deemed good value, containing 17 chocolates. The consensus was clear: a solid choice for those who appreciate simplicity.
Runners up
3rd Place: Thornton's Continental (£4.00)
Earning a 29 out of 40, Thornton's Continental was praised for its elegant presentation. However, our tasters felt that the cost reflected more in the packaging than the quantity of chocolates provided. With only 12 chocolates, the quality was good. However our judges noted that the descriptions should be inside the box, not underneath, so you could pick your chocolate with greater ease.
4th Place: Guylian Chocolate Seashells (£4.50)
Guylian's distinctive seashells scored 22 out of 40. The packaging received overall approval, and the quantity for the price was generous, offering 22 seashells. However, their unique taste was noted as an acquired preference, and some judges found them challenging to remove from the tray.
Interestingly, last year, Nestle's Black Magic cast a spell on our judges and took first place. But this year, the classic charm of Cadbury's Milk Tray won their hearts and has taken over the top spot. It seems when it comes to chocolates, our veterans' tastes are as varied as the chocolate themselves!
A huge thank you to this year's judges for their help!
More veteran reviews
Curious about how our blind veterans' taste tests have evolved over time? Discover how this year's winning chocolate compares to the champions of 2023, and explore other past reviews of tasty treats.
Our blind veterans review boxes of chocolate
13 Feb 2023
This Valentine's, our blind veterans reviewed boxes of chocolate from local supermarkets.
Our blind veterans review Christmas cake
12 Dec 2022 • South England
Finding out where to get the best Christmas dessert staple has never been a piece of cake - until now.
Your local Easter eggs, reviewed by our veterans
7 Apr 2023 • South England
Our blind veterans helped us choose this year's best Easter egg. Find out how the top suppliers fare.
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