Guylian Review and Giveaway

I'm  just going to put this out now...I am a chocoholic, so you can imagine my excitement when Guylian Belgian Chocolates gave me the go ahead (and samples) to write a review and host a giveaway for their chocolates.

Here's a little history about this company: 
The Guylian brand dates back to the late 1950’s when Guy Foubert, a Belgian chocolatier married Liliane. Soon after, they joined their names creating Chocolaterie Guylian, where Guy made the signature hazelnut praline and Liliane created the shell designs. To this day, 55 years later, Guylian crafts the finest authentic Belgian Chocolate Truffles and utilizes the original recipe of Guy and Liliane. Their original signature truffle recipe is still made in small-batch copper kettles exclusively by Guylian’s Master Chocolatiers in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium.

I vaguely remember these chocolates from my childhood and knew they were good chocolates, so when a box showed up at the door and my husband asked who Michael Cobb (President of Guylian) was, I'm a little ashamed to say that I practically pushed him out of the way, took the box and ran, and may have also threatened him with the butter knife I was using to open the box, yet he still managed to get away with one of the boxes of chocolates!

Oh, yes, I said one, Guylian sent me a HUGE variety of their chocolates (see picture below, *insert Homer drooling sound*), I was in heaven.

But, alas, I'm sad to report that the chocolates didn't make it past a week, I actually think I acquired some kind of nutritional deficiency during that week because all I was doing was...ah..."testing" these yummy little morsels.

From all of my testing I have found that:

• The Hazelnut Praline filled chocolates are my absolute favorite. The outside chocolate is very creamy, while the inside is thick and creamy like fudge, with the perfect amount of hazelnut flavor.
• The Vanilla filled chocolates were much smoother, but didn't have as much flavor; the vanilla flavor was almost an after taste.
• The No Sugar Added Chocolate Bar was smooth with a mild taste. It tasted like a cross between milk and dark chocolate.
• The Extra Dark chocolate...um I really don't like dark chocolate, but I tried it anyway..uh-uh never again it was too much for me. The initial taste was nice, but the after taste was bitter and gave me a bit of a stomach ache.

I remember my grandmother having Guylian chocolates at her house once in a while when I was younger, and while I loved them, I never savored or appreciated them until now. You can taste the years of perfection with every bite and roll of the tongue. When I was eating them a scene from Matilda popped into my head, where the head mistress says, "Much too good for children" while shoveling chocolates into her mouth...I kind of agree, lol. I'm not saying don't give Guylian chocolates to kids, but these chocolates are definitely made to be savored and appreciated.
 

Guylian gets an A+ in my book, I would recommend these chocolates to anyone! They are fantastic and come in such a variety of packaging that you give them as gifts, whether as a thank you, get well, stocking stuffer, etc. These yummy little treats are now my favorite chocolate, I just wish they were sold in more stores, you can find a list of retailers here, I found a stash of them at my local Marshall's department store, or you can buy them online at their recently launched online store.

Interested in knowing more about Guylian? You can find them on:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Website
• Newsletter

Great news Guylian is allowing me to host a giveaway! One winner (1) will receive the following Guylian Artisanal Belgian Chocolate products, or similar:

• One – 22 piece marbled chocolate seashell truffles
  
• One – 22 piece extra dark chocolate seashell truffles   
• Two - 6 piece chocolate seashells truffles
• Four - 2 piece marbled chocolate seahorse truffles  
• One - No Sugar Added Milk Chocolate Bar
• One - No Sugar Added 54% Dark Chocolate Bar

To enter use the rafflecopter form below. Goodluck! This sweepstakes will end on January 31st, midnight.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I received this product free of charge to review and give my honest opinion. In no way did receiving this product free effect my review.