In the journey from pod to palate, Master Chocolatier Bill McCarrick, world class Chocolatier and member of the Academy of Chocolate, deepens the flavour of his bespoke chocolates by meticulously "conching" the chocolate himself on the premises of his studio. The Sir Hans Sloane Chocolate & Champagne House is the first chocolate studio in the UK to have its own in-house chocolate conching machine. The result is a chocolate with satiny texture and sumptuous mouth feel.

Why do we at Sir Hans Sloane conch our own chocolate while most other artisans buy finished chocolate couverture?

Simply because we believe that this enables us to make the most exclusive chocolates in the world. When we conch our own chocolate, we ensure that the chocolate kettle temperature raises gradually. We nurse the chocolate with great care and tenderness so that the subtle overtones of caramel, roasted chocolate and other flavours can develop naturally. The conching process for over-the-counter chocolates can be as short as 6 hours. We conch our chocolate for a remarkable 72 hours. Maybe that is why we received the Gold Award for the Best Organic Chocolate for 2007 at the World Chocolate Awards.

In the same way as a great Michelin-star Chef reduces his stock with diligent skill to coax from it shy but fabulous flavours, so we refine our chocolate particles to silky lava. Our ingredients are the best: for instance, we include Tahitian vanilla, cocoa beans from Orinoco and other exlusive estates, hazelnuts from Alba. Once you've tasted a Sir Hans Sloane chocolate creation, you will not be satisfied with anything else.