Chocolate For Every Valentine

For the Hard-to-Impress

A truffle says, "I like you." A box says, "I love you." And a gorgeous four-tiered hatbox of chocolate-covered caramels in flavors like honeybee pollen and rosewater-peppercorn says, "Hell yeah, I'm in it for the long haul."

Price: $74

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For the Aspiring Somm

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Uncork a bottle (each) of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, then nibble on the star anise pink peppercorn, Force Noir and spring jasmine tea chocolates, respectively. Because a night of red wine and chocolate can never be bad.

Price: $26

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For the Lover of Surprises

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These Detroit chocolatiers like to play coy: You choose your chocolate preference (mostly dark, no milk) and any nutritional concerns (avoid dairy, vegan), then leave it to them to choose your flavors. Don't be put off by the industrial packaging when it arrives: Every delicately constructed, two-bite-size rectangle blew us away.

Price: $30

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For the Jilted Lover

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You know, sometimes love really does bite. But you know what doesn't? Twenty mini single-origin dark chocolate bars that make for the perfect stash whenever it's needed.

Price: $17.50

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For the TT Editor

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The deceptively simple, chewy goat's milk caramels covered in both milk and dark chocolate elicited a chorus of muffled "oohs" and "aahs" from every single one of our dedicated chocolate testers (even after we were a dozen boxes deep).

Price: $15

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For a Wild Thing

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One bite in and you know this isn't your average chocolate. Sure, it's raw, but that's beside the point. Once you appreciate the smooth, velvety chocolate, there's a subtle smokiness that balances the sweet. Feel that kick? That's the spicy chipotle that intensifies as you chew.

Price: $28

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For Your Lovah

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Oysters? Check. Pomegranate and figs? Got it. Round out a meal of aphrodisiacs with chocolate (also an aphrodisiac) filled with lust-inducing good stuff, like lemon peel-pink peppercorn, cinnamon-cayenne and olive oil-orange-fennel.

Price: $24.50

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For the Romantic

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Remember those chocolate jelly rings that were always much better in theory than practice? Atlanta's Cacao perfected them in the form of dark chocolate Champagne ganache filled with raspberry pate de fruit and topped with V-Day-appropriate dried rose petals.

Price: $41

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For the Endearingly Earnest

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No need for a cheesy, Cupid-emblazoned card when your gift of chocolate spells out the most important message of all.

Price: $12

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For the Bourbon Aficionado

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Attempting to buy a bottle for your bourbon snob won't end well. Go the chocolate route instead: Each of these truffles is made with small-batch bourbon—which you can actually taste—sourced from eight distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (including Woodford Reserve and Elijah Craig) and finished with the distillery's seal.

Price: $32

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For the NYC Transplant

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The famed NYC restaurant decided to expand its reach beyond the confines of Manhattan with limited-edition chocolates crafted by pastry chef Ron Paprocki. The cherry balsamic, smoky cinnamon and orange hazelnuts are as tasty as they are pretty (and they sure are pretty).

Price: $20

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For the White Chocolate Fan

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Dark chocolate diehards may find love of white chocolate confounding. Chalk it up to one of the great mysteries of the world and present your S.O. with the prettiest box of white chocolate around.

Price: $24

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For the Single-Origin S.O.

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He can talk for hours about cacao percentages and the subtle taste of leather. Give him a tasting flight of three single-origin bars that come complete with tasting notes, then let him wax poetic about the nuances.

Price: $30

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For Your Puppy Love

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Does he send you videos of dogs all day? Does she only follow small furry things on Instagram? Then a box of chocolate mice (whose ears are made with almonds!) are the only thing needed to induce a swoon.

Price: $48

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For the Serial Dater

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Juggling a bunch of suitors? Dole out the individually wrapped boxes (we'd save the malt balls and sea salt cashews for your favorites). If someone wins your heart before the 14th, put a bow on the whole collection.

Price: $60

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For the Traditionalist

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There's something charming about those red hearts of cheap chocolate lining drugstore shelves. Until you take a bite. Francois Payard gives samplers a good name with 10 varieties of top-notch confections, including his latest: ganache laced with mille-feuille.

Price: $75

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For the Bae in Training

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These Brooklyn chocolatiers won us over a few years back with their passion spice caramel bar with crispy rice and smoked paprika. Let them woo your soon-to-be S.O. with a no-fuss box of heart-shaped versions of said passion spice, peanut butter nougat with raspberry and chocolate nougat with croquante.

Price: $20

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For the Office Crush

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Should you be trying to win over the new cube mate, set your agenda in the form of a box of individually wrapped chocolate. Because nothing breaks ice faster than a snack, especially single-origin dark chocolate snacks.

Price: $45

More stories from Tasting Table:

Why You Should Be Drinking Cocoa Tea
Make a Luxurious Valentine's Day Dinner For 2
The Best Way to Cook Duck Breast

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