THE BEST
=1st. Asda Extra Special Indulgent Drinking Chocolate (£2.48) – 79/100
‘A creamy looking hot chocolate with a hint of caramel in the flavour. It has an enjoyably rich, bitter roasted scent but was surprisingly well balanced with a delightful sweetness.’
=1st. Charbonnel et Walker The Chocolate Drink (from £4.50) – 79/100
‘An indulgent choice, our testers loved everything from the authentic chocolate aroma to the dark berry, forest gateau-like scent. It’s thick, rich and smooth. Curls of milk chocolate give this drink a melted chocolate texture. Despite the deep, spicy, fruity notes, it has a decadent caramel flavour but is balanced in sweetness.’
3rd. Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Santo Domingo Drinking Chocolate (£2.30) – 77/100
‘The Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Santo Domingo Drinking Chocolate has a lovely, rich cocoa flavour with a touch of bitterness that stops it being too sweet. It has a thick and creamy consistency, and it tastes like something you’d drink in a Parisian café.’
4th. Tesco Instant Hot Chocolate (£1.58) – 76/100
‘Sweet and soothing with a delicious milk chocolate taste. Our tasters loved the smooth, velvety texture which they felt was impressive for a powdered drink.’
THE WORST
Options Belgian Hot Chocolate drink (£2.50, left) was ranked the worst of the 16 varieties GHI tested. Second from bottom was Aldi’s own-brand Choceur Hot Chocolate Instant Drink (£1.15, right)
17th. Options Belgian Hot Chocolate (£2.50) – 51/100
‘Options Belgian Hot Chocolate was slightly split in appearance, it’s easy drinking with a sweet mild chocolate flavour.’
16th. Aldi Choceur Hot Chocolate Instant Drink (£1.15) – 62/100
‘The Choceur Hot Chocolate Instant Drink is dark and rich in colour with an appealing aroma, but it is slightly powdery in texture and also highly sugary.’
=14th. Clipper Instant Hot Chocolate (£2.60) – 63/100
Clipper’s Instant Hot Chocolate is sweet and malty with a rich chocolate flavour. When made up using the pack instructions, we found it a little watery – add a little extra for a thick indulgent drink.
=14th. Lidl Goody Cao Instant Hot Chocolate (£1.49) – 63/100
‘In our test we made the Lidl Goody Cao Instant Hot Chocolate with water as the pack instructions advised and we found it to be very sweet and a little thin.’
THE REST
Lidl’s Goody Cao Instant Hot Chocolate (£1.49, left) was among the worst-ranking hot chocolates but was tied for 14th place with pricier Clipper Instant Hot Chocolate (£2.60, right)
5th. Marks & Spencer Drinking Chocolate (£2.50) – 75/100
‘With a pleasing rich aroma, the drink is chocolatey with a slightly malted scent. Testers praised the quality bitter taste with the sweet finish and its thick and velvety texture.’
6th. Cadbury Original Drinking Chocolate (£3) – 74/100
‘This pale, creamy drink offers an intense hit of chocolate – although some tasters found it a little too sweet.’
7th. Waitrose Luxuriously Rich Drinking Chocolate (£1.79) – 73/100
‘The Waitrose Luxuriously Rich Drinking Chocolate has a beautiful rich colour and flavour. The dark chocolate is not too sweet.’
=8th. Green and Black’s Organic Hot Chocolate Drink (£3.65) – 70/100
‘Ideal for dark chocolate lovers, the intensely rich bitter notes had a ‘love it or hate it’ effect on our panel. Subtle fruity, malted flavours can be found, but most craved a sweeter hit.’
=8th. Twinings Swiss Chocolate Drink (£4) – 70/100
Though not full of depth, our testers enjoyed the sweet tasting, slightly nutty drink with a strong nostalgic hit of chocolatey school dinner desserts.
10th. Asda Chosen By You Instant Hot Chocolate (£1.58) – 68/100
‘Asda’s Chosen By You Instant Hot Chocolate is thick, sweet and glossy but missing a true chocolate flavour.’
11th. Whittard Luxury Hot Chocolate (£5.50) – 67/100
‘Whittard’s Luxury Hot Chocolate is overly rich and chocolatey with a decadent taste. It’s luxuriously thick and glossy too.’
12th. Morrisons Drinking Chocolate (£2.48) – 66/100
‘Morrisons Drinking Chocolate has a rich chocolate flavour and a creamy texture. It has a good strong cocoa aroma but it is sweet tasting.’
13th. Galaxy Instant Hot Chocolate Drink (£2.59) – 65/100
‘As you would expect, Galaxy’s Instant Hot Chocolate Drink is very sweet. It has a foamy froth on top and thin watery texture.’