The craft chocolate industry has exploded over the past two decades, going from just a handful of bean-to-bar makers to hundreds. These makers offer thousands of different bars, many good, some mediocre, and some exquisite. Nothing can replace your unique experience of tasting a bar to decide whether or not you like it, but in a world of finite resources it's preferable to have at least a vague sense of which makers tend to do things well before you make your selection. Distinguished Beans does not aim to provide an exhaustive commentary on the offerings of the craft chocolate industry, but rather a curated selection of reviews and tasting notes for some of the best (or in some cases, the misleadingly best-looking) bars so that you can invest your time and money in the those most likely to fascinate, challenge, and delight your palate. To that end there are recommendations on tasting and pairing as well. Welcome and happy tasting!