Skelligs Chocolate

Visited in late June 2016.
Pros = Parking was adequate. Main room (production floor, reception area, café and tasting area all in one really) is bright, clean, and welcoming. Staff are EXTREMELY helpful and friendly. You do a free tasting where they walk you through 5 – 6 selections. They were very careful and helpful with allergies (which two of our group had), explaining ingredients used, what quantities are used, changing knife/​glove/​chopping board, etc. Chocolate was yummy! My favourite being the mint brittle.
Cons = This place is out in the middle of nowhere. However, it is worth a trip if in the area.

They are very generous with the tastings– I think I tried 5 – 6 different truffles (quarter truffle tastings) and 3 different «brittles». The whiskey truffle was my favorite. All of the truffles have very distinct flavors. Sometimes places bill their chocolate as «champagne» or «whiskey», but you can’t really taste it. Happy to say– not the case here! The place is not as big as I was expecting– essentially one large room with a chocolate making area, shelves with chocolate for sale, and a café area. I actually ordered a fruit crumble (came with fresh whipped cream!) and an espresso at the café, both of which were quite good. I do not think they offer the complimentary drink with the 30+ euro chocolate purchase anymore. At least, they didn’t say anything to me about it! (I spent close to 40 euro on souvenirs) I recommend stopping by if you’re going to be in the area, but I dont know if I’d say to make a special trip of it. Their stuff is pretty good, but I’ve had better artisanal chocolate elsewhere in the world.

Tastings… it’s all about the tastings here at Skelligs Chocolate.
You go into this bright and incredibly clean production room /​café and on your right is a counter. This is tasting counter and here a lovely person will give you some chocolate to taste. Then they will give you more chocolate to taste. And then some more… you get the idea.
By the end of it you will want to buy chocolate, all of the chocolate. We got some for ourselves and a box for my Mammy. She loved the chocolate too.
One thing that tickled me is they have customised two sections of their tasting counter so kids can stand up and reach the chocolate more easily, fantastic.
You also get a complimentary tea or Americano when you spend 30 EUR or more on chocolate.
I used their toilets and no surprise, these were also immaculate.
High recommended. Definitely go into Skelligs Chocolate if you are driving passed.

This place is out in the middle of no where, it’s amazing. Wonderful chocolate!

Hmm.
An einem der idyllischsten Plätze der Halbinsel Kerry, an Sichtweiite des Sandstrands von St. Finian’s Bay und mit Blick auf die Skelligs liegt die kleine Schokoladenmanufaktur Skelligs Chocolate Co.&cocoabean Chocolate Co.
«Factory» als Bezeichnung auf den Flyern, die man überall findet, ist ein wenig sehr hoch gegriffen. Tatsächlich rühren drei Maschinen in einem nicht allzugroßen Raum die Schokolade, 8 – 10 Mitarbeiterinnen fertigen daraus Pralinen. Aber was für welche.
Wer herinkommt, bekommt auf jeden Fall mal eine Menge zu probieren: Sea-​Salt Schokolade, Whisky-​Vanille-​Schokolade, jede Menge exotische und anregende Rezepturen werden ausgerechnet hier angerührt: dunkle Schokolade (aber nicht mehr als 74% Kakaoanteil — das reicht ja wohl) und merkwürdige Gewürzkombis bei Trüffeln und Schokoladentafeln.
Empfehlenswert aus meiner Sicht die Trüffeln mit Erdbeere und Champagner, Vanilla Ganache — schmilzt unglaublich im Mund dahin. Die Whiskymischungen haben nichts gemein mit den hierzulande erhältlichen, wenig überzeugenden Whisky-​Schoko-​Mischungen — das Whiskyaroma ist nur sehr fein, nicht aufdringlich zur Schokolade und anderen Zutaten hinzukomponiert. «Hot Toddy» nennt sich der Trüffel mit Whisky und Chili — und es ist immer noch eine schokoladige Süßigkeit.
Also: Mal besuchen, mal vorbeifahren.
Wer übrigens vorher im empfehlenswerten Laden in Killearney eine umwerfende heiße Schokolade (inkl. Marshmellows) trinkt, der sollte von dort den 10% Einkaufsgutschein mitnehmen, das Preisniveau ist gehoben.
Schade und dafür Punkatbzug: während native Speaker unaufgefordert Erklärungen zur Schokoladenherstellung bekommen werden Touries ersteinmal nur mit der Verkostung abgespeist — wer mehr über die Schokoladenherstellung erfahren will, der muss hartnäckig nachfragen …

Well, well. Yee Gan, you beat me to a review of Skelligs Chocolate — by a mile! Dang. Well, you certainly did SC justice.
I have to reiterate how difficult it is to locate this place!!! On our first trip to the Emerald Isle my family spent an entire afternoon driving around and around the Iveragh Peninsula looking for this little tucked-​away gem. Embarrassing, really. We even asked a postman! Our second time around we had detailed directions, a map, and a GPS. Bound and determined to find this elusive Atlantis! Done annnnnd done.
We were rewarded for our major effort by a downright captivating and charming encounter at Skelligs Chocolate. The chocolatiers hard at work behind the counter and in the small workshop are friendly as can be and all-​too-​happy to chat with you about what they’re doing and how the chocolate is made. As Yee Gan mentioned, they are suuuper generous with their samples, too.
There’s no «tour» to take, because Skelligs Chocolate really is one little workshop with the adorable Irish elves hard at work hand-​crafting their delicious chocolates. But you can stay as long as you like to observe them at work, eat as much as you want, and — of course — purchase your weight in chocolate souvenirs to take home with you. We picked up all sorts of little differently flavored chocolate squares which come in assortments; my favorites were the dark chocolate sea salt (I love a salty sweet combo), and the milk chocolate Irish honey (so sweet and mellow and musky). I also grabbed myself a wonderful cylinderic box of assorted milk and dark chocolate truffles with a beautiful, hand-​painted scene of the Skelligs on the outside. It makes an awesome souvenir and has outlasted the truffles by a CONSIDERABLE margin! It now houses my odds ‘n’ ends buttons, so every time I need to replace a pants button popped off by Skelligs Chocolate belly, I remember my good times there.
If you can find it, come to Skelligs Chocolate when you’re near the Ring of Kerry. You’ll be charmed, you’ll leave fat and happy.

Skelligs chocolate is a must stop destination on the Ring of Kerry drive. Located at the far end of the Iveragh peninsula, it is a nice place for a short stop on the drive
It can be a little difficult to find, so print out the instructions from the website.
The shop seems a most unlikely place for a gourmet chocolate enterprise, stuck out in the middle of the Irish countryside but you can see (and smell!) the chocolate actually being made here.
They are liberal with their samples, confident in the knowledge that one taste will lead to purchase!
I picked up some of their flavoured bars — lime zest and black pepper was probably my favourite with rose & pistachio a close second. The crunchy orange brittle is also a nice snack
Their goods are available by mail order but if you’re on the Ring of Kerry drive, I would recommend this as a yummy stop