Think Bleu Cheese and Hot Sauce Chocolates Sound Weird? Phillip Ashley Makes Them Exquisite
When it comes to chocolates, I'm no snob. If it's chocolate, I'll eat it—straight and simple.
But on the rare occasion that I do get to indulge in fine and unique chocolates, I make sure to savor every little bit—and the moment I was offered the chance to try Phillip Ashley Chocolates' incredible signature collection, I knew they would be that kind of chocolate. Not only were they undoubtedly the most beautiful and elegant-looking truffles I'd ever seen, but they also boasted flavors I'd never dreamed of. The brand sent me an incredible box of 24 chocolates to enjoy, and the experience was unlike anything else I've had in all my chocolate-eating years.
The Brand
Phillip Ashley Chocolates was founded by chef and award-winning chocolatier Phillip Ashley Rix, who Forbes has dubbed the "Real Life Willy Wonka"—and for good reason. Based out of Memphis, Tennessee, the brand creates a truly unique experience using the finest chocolates, and elevated with unusual ingredients and a distinctly Southern U.S. twist.
While Phillip Ashley Chocolates features a number of iconic products, including galaxy chocolates, chocolate turtles, chocolate-covered bacon and more, their signature collection of truffles is probably their best-known product. I got the chance to experience their Chocolate Boutique 24-piece box, featuring all 24 truffles in the collection, but customers can customize each and every box with the flavors that are to their liking. The 24-piece box sells for $119—and here's how every one of those gorgeous chocolates tastes.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
The Flavors
ATL
This milk chocolate truffle, affectionately named after Atlanta, is infused with the delicious flavors of fresh Georgia peaches. That peach flavor is rich, bright and fruity, with a hint of sourness, and was a delight to eat from start to finish.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Bangkok
Think a Thai curry cashew truffle sounds weird? It's actually quite delicious. The curry was a beautiful complement to the milk chocolate, adding spice and salt that enhanced the chocolate and candied cashew flavor within. The flavors sound like they should clash, but the harmony is out of this world.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Belle
This dark chocolate bonbon is infused with orangey Grand Marnier and orange blossom honey to make for a richly dark experience with delicate citrus notes. It's a delicious, elevated take on the classic chocolate orange.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Burlesque
Burlesque was without a doubt one of my favorite flavors in the box, combining white chocolate with strawberry and vanilla to create a strawberry creme I would never tire of. It was so light, sweet and delicious, with its taste of fresh, vibrant strawberries, that even though I took tiny nibbles to make it last, it was still gone far too quickly!
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Candy Apple Red
This caramel apple truffle makes use of an ingredient I'd never heard of—blond chocolate. The ingredient is actually caramelized white chocolate, imbuing it with a buttery, caramel-like flavor, and it pairs beautifully with the roasted apple butter inside of this bonbon. It truly tasted like a caramel apple, and made me very much look forward to the other blond chocolates that were to come.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Coco Loco
This truffle takes the classic piña colada flavor and makes it even more cravable with the addition of Meyer lemon. The white chocolate is saturated with fresh, fruity flavor, with the sweet lemon hitting the taste buds first before being followed by the caramelized pineapple and coconut puree. It's basically a tropical getaway in chocolate form.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Flute
I've never had champagne, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this champagne-flavored truffle, but discovering it was a delight. With a milk chocolate shell and the champagne-chocolate ganache in the center, the chocolate was still the star of the show, with very gentle fruity and floral accents.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Kaleidoscope
Meyer lemon makes a return in this delicious bonbon. The gentle white chocolate is sweet yet citrusy from the lemon, with bits of nutty Macadamia throughout, adding a little bit of complexity and bitterness.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Key West
A key lime pie truffle? Sign me up. This unique truffle has all of the aspects of a key lime pie, from white chocolate ganache instilled with vibrant key lime flavor to graham cracker milk chocolate ganache—and it's all wrapped up in a tasty white chocolate shell. It makes for the complete experience in every scrumptious bite.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Lotus
I have to admit that I had high hopes for this truffle and they didn't quite live up to my expectations. I'm a lover of all things earl grey, and the combination of raspberry and peppermint earl grey sounded delightful to me. Unfortunately, it didn't work at all for me because I found the peppermint far too strong, overwhelming everything else and making it taste like toothpaste. Such a shame, too, because the raspberry jam was so tart and delicious, and it would have offered a nice contrast if the peppermint didn't drown out everything else.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Mama Jean
The Mama Jean was the first-ever bonbon from Phillip Ashley Chocolates, and once I tasted it, I understood why. It's a sweet potato truffle inspired by the chef's own grandmother, Jean, and the chocolate pairs surprisingly well with the sweet and slightly earthy flavor of the sweet potato. It is so smooth and creamy that I wouldn't fault you for being convinced it's caramel. It's that sweet and tempting, and once I'd finished it, I wished there was more of it to go around.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Nice & Neat
I'm also not familiar with the taste of bourbon, so I was in for a surprise when I bit into this bonbon. When I did, I found that the dark chocolate was infused with a bit of sourness and a hint of vanilla, with a hint of tingly burn. It wasn't my favorite, but I'm sure it'll have its fans.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
No. 9
I'm also a big lover of all things lavender, so I was very much looking forward to this chocolate, and I was not disappointed by the result. The strong dark chocolate truffle was accented by vanilla as well as the heavily floral essence of lavender, making for something bold yet somehow delicate all at once.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Nostalgia
Now here's something that everyone can enjoy. This cookies and cream chocolate features chocolate sandwich cookies blended with white chocolate and contained in a dark chocolate shell. It's completely classic and just as tasty as you'd imagine it.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Patois
This Caribbean hot sauce truffle may not sound like it's for the faint of heart, but I think it'd surprise a lot of people. When I took my first bite of the chocolate, I didn't really taste any of the hot Scotch bonnet pepper until I'd swallowed the first nibble and the heat hit the back of my throat. The key flavors are actually the chocolate, with a hint of fruitiness from the mango and pineapple. While it does have a bit of that scorching kick in the aftertaste, it's still smooth and surprisingly easy to eat and enjoy.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Porto
Porto is another unusual chocolate, featuring the flavors of port wine, goat cheese and fig jam. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I loved the sharpness of the flavors coming from both the strong goat cheese and the fruity fig, which complemented the dark chocolate well. I didn't love the grittiness from the fig seeds as much, but flavor-wise, this one was a big winner.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Savoy
The Savoy is Phillip Ashley's most requested chocolate. Why? Because it pairs white chocolate with fresh bleu cheese to make for one unusual bonbon. The pairing shouldn't work at all, but it absolutely does. The result is white chocolate that's got just a hint of cheesy, tangy bite with a hint of salt that makes it both sweet and savory.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Stolen
The Stolen bonbon is another delicious blond chocolate. It's nutty, smokey and oh so buttery with crunchy pecan bits throughout, making it like a very decadent praline. Yet again, it proved to me that I need more blond chocolate in my life.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Sunrise
Love creamsicles? This Sunrise truffle has you covered. It tastes just like the classic combination of vanilla and orange, but is upgraded with quality white chocolate and the use of blood orange. It's a delicious balance of tart citrus and sweet cream, making it super easy to snack on.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
The B Side
This was the last blond chocolate truffle in the box, so I made sure to cherish every bite. This chocolate brought out the richness of the blond chocolate even further by adding browned butter and pecans, making it one of the most decadent of all of the flavors.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
The Italian Job
Can you believe this is the only coffee bonbon in the box? Of course, Phillip Ashley makes the most of it by combining the classic flavors of Nutella and espresso. The ultra-rich coffee flavor is accented by both chocolate and hazelnut to make for a full coffeeshop experience.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Top Shelf
Again, I wasn't sure what to anticipate from this margarita-flavored truffle, but the result was something deliciously tempting. It's a little fruity and a little citrusy with a bit of a sting, and it all tastes so good with the white chocolate it's paired with.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
What's Up Doc
Not every chocolate company is daring enough to make carrot cake-flavored chocolates, but Phillip Ashley Chocolates isn't just another chocolate company. It consists of carrot cake flavor, rich with spices and the earthiness of real carrots, all encased in a white chocolate shell.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Wonder Woman
Last, but definitely not least was the Wonder Woman truffle. It combines dark chocolate with the brand's own cherry pomegranate molasses to make something that's so fruity, deep and rich with flavor you'll want to eat piece after piece. Of course, I only had one—but this is definitely one I'd indulge in again.
(via Phillip Ashley Chocolates)
Bottom Line
In my opinion, there's only one misstep in the entire 24-piece box, and the Lotus chocolate could easily be fixed by toning down the peppermint and allowing the other flavors to shine. The rest of the chocolates are bold, delicious and unlike anything else I've had, and the fact that no two are even somewhat similar makes the box even more worthwhile.
Of course, I do have to point out that these are luxury chocolates. At $119 for the box, they come out to nearly $5 apiece, so unless you've got a big budget, it's not something you'll want to indulge in all of the time, and probably then only on very special occasions. And when you are eating them, you'll want no distractions, because you'll want to savor every bite.
Don't quite have the budget to try Phillip Ashley Chocolates? Click HERE to learn all about Lift Chocolates and their range of sweets.