Here at Robb Report, we don’t trust people who say they don’t like chocolate. Our team has a desk at the office devoted to sweets, and the chocolate bowl is always overflowing. (My boss, bless him, dutifully refills it when it gets too low.) So we know what we’re talking about when it comes to the good stuff. Thankfully for you, we’ve decided to share our knowledge, sampling dozens of chocolate brands to bring you the crème de la crème of cacao. While your preference may be influenced by a number of factors (flavor, occasion, etc.), the choices below are applicable to any scenario, and the recipient of your chocolate gift—whether it’s a friend, family member, or yourself—will surely be pleased with your selection. One word of advice, though: Proceed with caution. Eating just one piece from the various boxes and bars below is a difficult proposition.

Our Best Chocolate Brand Selections

What makes something a gourmet or fine chocolate?

Obviously, the chocolate itself has to be high quality, made from the finest cacao beans. But beyond that, the filling of a gourmet or fine chocolate usually leaves out preservatives and artificial flavors, instead using natural ingredients. This is why you’ll often see the ingredients listed with an origin, such as Vosges’ Bulgarian rose water. The reliance on organic and fresher components means that the chocolates themselves are a bit less shelf-stable than your grocery-store Russell Stover, but the taste differential is quite dramatic. And the top-shelf ingredients also lend themselves to top-shelf prices, with gourmet chocolates averaging out at $2 apiece.

What are the different types of chocolates and fillings?

Besides the difference between milk and dark—which is mainly about the percentage of cocoa solids they contain—there are several different types of bonbons and truffles. (Plus white chocolate, which actually contains no cocoa solids at all.) In the assortments we tried, the fillings were varied, but some of the most common were buttercream, praline, and ganache. Buttercream is a mix of butter and sugar, flavored with a whole host of liquid extracts. Praline uses some sort of caramelized nut, usually hazelnuts or almonds, that is ground into a paste. And ganache is a smooth mixture of chocolate and cream. Particularly varied boxes will contain a combination of all these, while some companies may opt to stick to one particular formulation.

How did we choose and categorize the chocolates on this list?

My colleagues were more than gracious enough to take some time out of their day to taste-test copious amounts of chocolate. That ensured we had a panel of people with different palates and preferences. All of us graded each brand on a number of factors, including appearance, texture, flavor, and variety. We cut many chocolates into even smaller bite-size pieces so that more than one person could try the same flavor, or so that one person could try several flavors without making themselves sick. Along with our scorecards, we discussed the different brands as we tasted, noting factors that can’t come across in a simple number grading system. Of course, everyone’s tastes will vary, so take that into consideration when purchasing, but this is what we honestly thought of every brand presented here.