20 Boozy Chocolates To Give To Your Valentine This Year, Ranked

Valentine's Day symbolizes a lot of things. It's an opportunity to express gratitude for the people we love and care about the most, dedicate time to gather small tokens of affection to show others how much we appreciate them, and eat lots of chocolate -- we can't forget about that.

Seasonal Valentine's Day chocolates come in many different varieties, including decadent Belgian chocolate truffles elaborately adorned with piped designs, pre-packaged Reese's in heart shapes, and grocery store oddities that never seem to resemble the flavor listed on the package. But, we think the best types of chocolates are the ones that marry cacao with another tasty element: alcohol. Boozy chocolates are the perfect gift for the liquor enthusiast in your life or for any eater looking to enjoy some of the two most romantic foods in the culinary world in a single bite. We've ranked some of the top alcohol-infused chocolates that you can have delivered to your doorstep on factors including packaging, product quality, and variety to make your holiday shopping a bit easier.

All prices listed as are of the date of publication and may vary based on region.

Read more: 25 Chocolate Brands, Ranked Worst To Best

20. Prestat Fizzy London Gin Truffle Cubes

The packaging of the Prestat Fizzy London Gin truffles is very sophisticated and almost like a fancy tea box. But the truffles inside of this pastel box are less than to be desired. The white chocolate truffles, which are infused with Gordon's gin and lemon flavoring, look just like boring white balls. There's no intricate design or refined touches to set these truffles apart from competitors, which is why this product placed low on our ranking. Each box also costs a little over $33 -- not including the taxes and duties from shipping the products overseas.

Prestat sources its chocolate from single-origin producers, which we give some points for. It's also an established chocolate brand in Britain and has been making a range of chocolate products since 1902. But even though our interest is piqued as to how one could accurately infuse complex gin notes into chocolate, we couldn't stomach the thought of buying a box just to dislike the first bite.

19. Abtey Dark Chocolate Filled Mini Bottles

At first glance, this is a gift that looks like something you'd give your friend at a bachelorette party rather than to a Valentine. The box contains 12 different chocolate bottles, each individually wrapped and labeled, filled with Marc de Champagne, Cointreau, St. James rum, or Gibson's gin. It's available on Truly Foodie for $12.76, which is around the same price as some of the lower-end products we reviewed.

The packaging on this container is really what sets it back. The filled bottles are each packed in copious amounts of plastic, which increases the risk of the bottles rupturing significantly if the box were to topple over. Individuals who have bought similar bottles from the brand have noted that the bottles are smaller than expected, which makes for a measly gift for your Valentine.

18. Andy Anand European Dark Chocolate Bottles

We were initially a little nervous to see these filled Andy Anand candies because they gave us the vibe of elaborately wrapped Gushers candies. Each box includes 18 chocolates -- which feature liquor encased in a sugar shell and covered in Belgian dark chocolate. Liquor enthusiasts can purchase a box on Amazon for $37.84.

Although the packaging on this box looks pretty secure with a wooden display box, the risk of these candies breaking and leaking booze everywhere is real. Moreover, if the temperature was warm enough, the chocolate and sugar candy coating could melt and cause the contents to spill everywhere. And let's be honest -- we've all let an Amazon package sit on our porch for a little too long. We ranked this product low because the liquor taste is notably low-quality, and the chocolate quality was an afterthought.

17. Tequila Cordials Dark Chocolate

We aren't fans of tequila-flavored anything, so the placing of these candies shouldn't be surprising. Plus, the design of these cordials is too simple and, honestly, reminiscent of animal dung. However, the best thing about these candies is that they aren't just alcohol in the center of chocolate; the ingredients list also includes almonds and cornflakes. In turn, these candies aren't suitable for folks with gluten intolerances, nor those who have a tree nut allergy.

The issue with buying these candies online is that you can't ship to many states -- 34 states prohibit purchasing this candy or shipping it to someone in the state -- which is nothing but unfortunate. The price is $8.95 per container, which is cheaper than the candies we reviewed. But the price isn't worth it if you can't legally buy it.

16. Compartés Boozy Chocolate Gift Box

If we're going to splurge on a boozy chocolate gift set, Compartés is a solid option. This gourmet chocolate set features 20 elaborately designed truffles accented with 24-karat gold leaf and filled with either Moet Champagne or Macallan 18 Whiskey. Unlike other brands, Compartés offers a no-melt shipping guarantee to ensure that your chocolates come to your doorstep perfectly intact and beautiful. And honestly, for $65 a box, excluding shipping, we would expect nothing less.

This brand is so chic and giftable, but we don't know how exactly champagne would work with chocolate. We're also keenly aware that we're paying for the novelty more than we are for high-quality chocolate. If you want a gift that will stun your Valentine into asking, "Wait, how much did you pay for this?" then this brand is the one you'll want to select. Otherwise, there are better quality products out there for much less.

15. Baileys Chocolate Mini Delights Salted Caramel With Baileys

We can assure you that the Baileys Mini Delights candy doesn't scream Valentine's Day -- nor does it really fit any formal holiday based on the packaging alone. But it's what's on the inside that counts -- right?

One bag of these small candies, filled with salted caramel and real Baileys Irish Cream, retails for $8.30 on Amazon. Overall, it's a solid addition to a gift basket for your sweetheart, even if it's not the main present. However, there are some product flaws in this candy -- mainly that the chocolate was an afterthought rather than the star of the show. The texture of the caramel is smooth, creamy, and perfectly reminiscent of Baileys, but too many folks have reported the product arriving at their doorstep in a sticky, claggy mess rather than defined chocolate balls. Although this might be more of a distributor issue than a product malfunction, it does limit how much we can enjoy these candies.

14. Cocoa Mill Boozy BonBons

Cocoa Mill is a chocolate brand that offers a premium package of 15 dark and milk chocolate bonbons infused with a range of booze, including Grand Mariner, Jack Daniel's, and Baileys Irish Cream. Customers can purchase a package from the brand's website for $35.50, or pick up a box from one of the select chocolatier locations.

Overall, Cocoa Mill is an established chocolate brand with high reviews for chocolate quality. Folks who have purchased from this brand, including from its regular selection of truffles and booze-infused varieties, note that the packaging is immaculate, and the chocolates are equally stunning. We could definitely see ordering a box for your special someone, but the price tag of over $2.30 a truffle, not including shipping, would make it an impractical choice for someone on a budget.

13. Trader Joe's An Assortment Of Boozy Little Truffles

Trader Joe's is proud of its affordable prices and array of novelty products, including its Boozy Little Chocolate Truffles assortment. This box features four flavors, including London gin, scotch whisky, Navy rum, and Prosecco, so there is definitely a great variety of flavors in every box. Even if Trader Joe's isn't a fine chocolatier brand, it was successfully able to infuse flavors into each truffle and not skimp out on the chocolate quality, either. That being said, we don't expect to see these truffles make their way into the Trader Joe's Hall of Fame anytime soon, considering the grocery store offers much better items.

The issue with all good things at Trader Joe's (we're looking at you, Everything But the Leftovers seasoning blend) is that this box of chocolates is limited to the holiday season. So unless you're stocking up before Santa returns to the North Pole, you probably won't have any in time for Valentine's Day.

12. Victorie Sweets Boozy Luxury Chocolates Collection

The Victorie Sweets box has one important perk that not many other brands have: The ability to purchase it in several different sizes. If you're testing the waters with your Valentine, stick with a 12-pack for about $18. Or, treat your loved one to 48 truffles for just over $70.

The variation of this box is much more impressive than other brands we reviewed. You'll find a dark chocolate pear, port, and cinnamon truffle next to a tequila ganache in milk chocolate. The flavors here are punchy, ingenious, and ideal for gifting to a cocktail lover in your life. But, these chocolates don't ship outside of the United Kingdom, so American eaters likely won't get their hands on a box unless they travel across the pond.

11. The Chocolate Company Boozy Box Of Truffles

With a name like The Chocolate Company, it has to be good. The brand offers a Boozy Box of Truffles for $16.25. It includes five truffles: triple brandy, coffee bourbon, amaretto, Irish cream, and a salted caramel porter made with alcohol from the nearby Cascade Lakes Brewery. The brand notes that it cooks off the alcohol in the truffles, so you still get the chocolate flavor mixed with the delectable undertone of alcohol -- without the ABV.

This gift box contains significantly fewer truffles than other brands, which would be a tragedy if you found one truffle that you really liked and wanted more of. Plus, the alcohol selected for this box works with the flavor of the chocolate. We also love that this brand is a small business based in Oregon, which means you can feel good about buying from it.

10. Baileys Original Irish Cream Chocolate Truffles

Although it's far from the most elaborate and visually appealing packaging of the brands we reviewed, Bailey's chocolate truffles are a solid option for lovers of Irish whiskey. Amazon offers the product for a steal of a price at $20.65. We love that these truffles are individually packaged -- so you can pawn them off to other people when you find out you actually don't like the taste.

All jokes aside, the Baileys flavor is strong with this one and balanced by the subtle notes of the chocolate. Its milk chocolate coating is smooth, decadent, and a complementary pairing for the Irish cream. The inside of the candies is soft and gushy, and we are overall impressed by the design and flavor of this candy. But it just doesn't compete with a more refined gift set.

9. Jacques Torres Champagne Truffles

We had to do a double take to see what these Jacques Torres chocolates were supposed to resemble -- they're Champagne corks, in case you were wondering. Despite the creative cork shape, the design of these chocolates pales in comparison to other brands we reviewed. This 10-piece chocolate set is available at Williams Sonoma for $27.50, which is on par with the high prices the store is generally associated with.

This box gets points for using high-quality ingredients, including fined Belgian milk chocolate, Brut La Française Champagne, and real dairy cream. The box is also more giftable than other selections we have on our list. Individuals who have purchased this chocolate from other vendors have noted that it has a sublime, creamy quality to it with a pop of Champagne flavor. But there is little product variation here, so if you don't like the flavor, you're stuck with nine more corks.

8. Blackwell Rum X Charbonnel - Fine Jamaican Rum Truffles

If you can't afford to send your Valentine somewhere tropical, you can probably make it up to them with a container of these truffles from Charbonnel et Walker. This British chocolatier partnered with the famed Blackwell rum to produce these smooth dark chocolate truffles filled with the flavors of Jamaican rum. The flavor notes are not as dark and chocolatey as you'd think but are rather full of bright vanilla and caramel notes that make for a pleasurable eating experience.

One box of truffles is available online for $28. Not only are you paying for the quality chocolate and boozy infusion, but also the curated Spotify playlist that can be accessed via a QR code on the inside of the label. It's a modern take on truffles, but you really have to like rum to enjoy them since there isn't any variety outside of this flavor.

7. The Chocolate Fetish Boozy Eight Truffle Assortment

The Chocolate Fetish is a highly-regarded chocolate brand offering an eight-piece truffle assortment for $21.95. Its flavors include brandy, Grand Marnier, Irish cream, Chambord, amaretto, Frangelico, honey rum, and Maker's Mark. The design of these truffles is beautiful and reflects a strong commitment to well-trained chocolatiers and overall confectionary craftsmanship. This box is gluten-friendly and made with fresh cream; the company recommends eating the chocolate within 10 days for the best quality.

The Chocolate Fetish, based in Ashville, NC, offers a range of truffles, special occasion chocolates, and bars suited to all of your gifting needs. But, this brand didn't clench our top spot because of the high cost of the chocolate, as well as the fact that there were just more elaborately decorated and well-known chocolate brands on the market. We wanted something ingenious, punchy, and novel -- and this brand just falls back on tradition.

6. Groove Stone Vegan Chocolate Truffles

We were thrilled to find a brand that offered vegan boozy truffles to customers. Groove Stone's box of four chocolate truffles is filled with California-sourced bourbon, brandy, amaro, and spiced rum. The box immediately got extra points for including a liquor-infused ganache rather than a liquid and sourcing its chocolate and liquor from organic and Fair Trade ingredients.

These chocolates were some of the highest priced of the ones we reviewed, at $16 for a box of four. But because it's so difficult to find vegan chocolate infused with your favorite liquor, it might be a price you have to pay for your Valentine to get their hands on these beautiful, edible, mineral-dusted chocolates. The packaging is great, and the quality of the chocolate is worth the price tag.

5. The Vermont Country Store Whiskey-Filled Chocolate Nut Bonbons

We are devout fans of the Vermont Country Store, so it's unsurprising that one of its products made its way onto our gift list. These milk chocolate bonbons are filled with whisky and covered in a crunchy hazelnut coating. One box of 16 Belgian chocolate candies retails for $19.95, which makes this a more affordable gift option than many of the other brands we covered.

The store doesn't skimp out on the hazelnut coating on these bonbons, which we love. Folks who have purchased these products note that the packaging and quality of the candy are impeccable and make for a perfect gift. We like the combination of hazelnuts, Scotch whisky, and milk chocolate, and we believe this would be a great product for the bourbon lover in your life.

4. Zotter Chocolates Port Wine & Figs Bar

If you are after novelty for your Valentine, you'll want to check out the Port Wine & Figs bar from Zotter Chocolate. This decadent, 70% cacao dark chocolate bar is completed with a satisfyingly sweet and earthy fig and port ganache. The company also slightly sweetens the bar with a bit of maple sugar. This bar is inventive, and we think that the combination of Portuguese Reserve Ruby Port and figs is absolutely heavenly.

All of Zotter's Chocolates are processed at the company's plant in Austria before being shipped overseas. Its ingredients are also Fair-Trade certified, so you can feel good about the chocolate you share with your loved ones this holiday season. You can get your hands on a single bar of this absolutely divine chocolate for $8.99. That being said, this bar would have moved up in our rankings if it came in more boozy flavor options.

3. Gosanko Chocolate Liquor Truffle Box

The Gosanko Chocolate Liquor Truffle gift box was our favorite of the high-end products we reviewed because it had an excellent variety, craftsmanship, and quality chocolate. The truffles are flavored with a range of liquor, including Fireball Whiskey, rum, Irish cream, Kahlua, limoncello, and crème de menthe (which we were surprised that not many of the other brands we reviewed had). We also liked that you could purchase this box in milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or a blend of the two to suit your Valentine's palate.

A box of 24 truffles retails for $71.95, which is more than some people would want to spend on their special someone. But for an ornate package of beautifully decorated chocolate truffles encased in a sophisticated gift box with a satin bow, we think the price is well worth it.

2. Raaka Bourbon Cask Aged Chocolate Bar

Raaka was voted one of the best chocolate brands, so we had to include it on our list of boozy chocolate purveyors, too. Although this chocolate comes in a bar rather than truffles, Raaka doesn't skimp on its design, ingredients, quality, or flavor. The company ages the single-origin Tanzanian cacao in the bourbon casks for a couple of months rather than infusing the finished liquor into the chocolate itself to impart a wonderfully boozy undertone. The bars are USDA-Organic, gluten-free, and vegan, and can be bought as a single bar or multiple.

While Raaka isn't price-competitive to a cheap, sugary Hershey's bar, the flavor of this chocolate is worth its price tag. Raaka uses unroasted chocolate to maximize the flavor of the cacao -- which makes this an excellent bar for the chocolate snob in your life.

1. Woodford Reserve Bourbon Ball Gift Box

Woodford Reserve knew, deep down, that a refined style and impeccable attention to packaging would do these truffles well. A box of 16 truffles is available on Amazon for only $24.99, which is a bargain considering the notoriety of the brand.

Each one of these bourbon balls is infused with the oaky flavor of Woodford Reserve, which pairs well with the fine quality chocolate incasing it. Folks who have purchased this box note that the pecans on top of each bourbon ball are fresh, snappy, and not rancid and that the flavor of the bourbon comes through well with the chocolate. It's the perfect blend of sweet and complex, and one that we would love to give to our Valentine this holiday season.

Our Methodology

Your special someone deserves the best this Valentine's Day. It's why we searched high and low for the best boozy chocolates to gift this season. The most important factors in our ranking included the product variety since no one deserves to eat an entire box of mediocre candy, price, and packaging. We wanted to find chocolate that would surprise your Valentine, rather than make it seem like you squandered the entire internet at the last minute to find just any ol' candy.

Since we didn't have the stomach to make it through every one of these candies, we relied on reviews from verified purchasers on vendors like Amazon to help us out. We chose products that were (mostly) available to ship to your doorstep and purposely did not limit ourselves to American chocolatiers exclusively to widen our range of options.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.