Luxury, I have learned, begins with attention.
It began quietly, in supermarket aisles, reading labels most people overlook — ingredients, certifications, discreet gold emblems that whisper quality. One symbol appeared again and again: the International Chocolate Awards. Following it led me into a world both alluring and intimidating — the International Institute of Chocolate and Cacao Tasting — a place that felt distant, exclusive, almost unreachable.
From Colombia, it seemed far away. From my Indian upbringing, it felt familiar: revered institutions, rigorous selection, long waiting lists. So I observed from a distance, absorbing stories, studying winners, allowing curiosity to deepen.
Until the day chocolate spoke directly to me.
CHOCOLATE TASTING COURSE – Level 1 plus 2 — Bogotá.
It felt like destiny disguised as coincidence. Despite doubts, currency conversions, and a failed international payment days before the course, instinct prevailed. I arrived with cash in hand — and an open heart.
The classroom was calm yet charged with anticipation. Water bottles, blindfolds, a chromatic map of flavors sat on each table. Chocolate was placed on the tongue — never bitten — allowed to melt slowly, deliberately. As others spoke of jasmine, citrus blossom, roasted nuts, spices…. doubt crept in. I began to wonder whether chocolate tasting was innate — or earned.
Guidance, patience, and practice answered that question.
By the second day, flavors revealed themselves with clarity. I passed the examination and earned my certification, leaving with something far more valuable than a title: discernment, confidence, and reverence for cacao.
A journey to the Cacao estates of Sasaima completed the transformation. Amid fertile soil and generous hands, we witnessed chocolate at its origin — seed, fermentation, drying — raw, honest, alive.
Kimaya, meaning Divine in Sanskrit, exists at the intersection of two cultures — Indian heritage and Colombian cacao. Each handcrafted piece reflects restraint, purity, and intention. No excess sugar. No shortcuts. Only time, technique, and respect for flavor.
Level 2 deepened the discipline. Each class began with palate calibration, followed by tastings from across the world — Africa, Europe, Colombia, Taiwan. Dark, milk, white. Countless pieces, each revealing a complex matrix of aromas and textures. I learned that without aroma, flavor cannot exist; chocolate must first be inhaled, then savored.
We explored the history of chocolate, the triumphs and challenges of early European chocolatiers and were nourished by an intimate virtual exchange with Claudia Franceschi of Franceschi Chocolates, who shared the legacy and cacao varieties of Venezuela.
Then came the moment of reckoning — the Level 2 written and sensory examination. As we all sat at the edge of our seats awaiting the results, only three names were called in the first round. Mine was not among them. Tension filled the room as we were granted a second chance. This time, determination eclipsed doubt.
After the second round of tasting when results were announced again, my name was called first! I jumped with delight. I had earned my Level 2 Certification as a Chocolate Sommelier.
At that moment, I knew — there was no turning back.
Chocolate tasting awakens a deeper way of understanding chocolate. It sharpens sensory awareness, expands vocabulary, and replaces judgment with knowledge. It has taught me to identify aromas, textures, aftertastes — to detect flaws, understand origin and terroir, and make intentional choices in sourcing and creation.
This philosophy lives in every piece of Kimaya Chocolates.
Kimaya Chocolates is not indulgent alone.
It is knowledge made sensual.
It is luxury with a soul.
¡Two Cultures. One Chocolate!
Written by-
Rochelle Ann Miranda
Kimaya Chocolates
