Customer Reviews

Leonidas Belgian Chocolates: 1 lb General Assortment

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

While it was shipped to me insulated in styrofoam, no cold packs were included in the shipment--which was heading to Atlanta in early September (the American South in the summer). I assumed that since I was paying over $20 for shipping--the absolute fastest time, greater care would be taken to ensure that the product arrived intact. Unfortunately, the chocolates I received were largely melted. I do not recommend the purchase of this item to be shipped to any region experiencing temperatures above 78 degrees.

UPDATE: Received an e-mail, which read (in part) as follows: First, my apologies for not answering you earlier... I didn't notice there was a melting issue with your order till late last week while addressing a small more recent delivery problem. Anyway, as you have noticed with your order, melting can and does happen in transit, but luckily only with an insignificant number of our packages as we only experience about two dozen or three dozen a year out of well over 15,000 packages. Insignificant when view in percentage terms, but still most infuriating when this happens.

The e-mail went on to note that they are replacing my order. I am stunned--I have had a melting issue before with a different chocolate company (remember, I live in Atlanta, Georgia, where summer temperatures are a bear), and I received nothing in the way of satisfaction. I figured it would be the same and didn't even bother to directly contact the company (a mistake on my part). I am *very* pleased with this level of service.

If it is possible to fall madly in love with a box of chocolates, then the assortment is the perfect place to start such an adventure. These chocolate are named after Leonidas Kestekidis, who definitely knew how to create chocolates for the true chocolate connoisseur.

When he moved back to Belgium he not only married his true love, he created chocolates the world now adores. When you taste these chocolates, your taste buds will also finally know true chocolate happiness. Whether you try one of these with a cup of coffee or tea or enjoy one as a daily indulgence, these will impress.

The "I Love You" chocolate with dreamy lemon filling embodies this sentiment. Each chocolate has a unique design and the I Love You chocolate has two hearts, ribbons and a seal. After you sample the variety of chocolates, specific flavors will stand out as favorites.

Here are my favorite creamy fillings (ganache and butter cream) which come in dark, white and milk chocolate depending on the selection:

Antoinette - A smooth Brandy flavored ganache

Lingoit Lait - Absolutely delicious vanilla flavored fresh butter cream filling. Time definitely stopped while tasting this chocolate.

Irrésistible - Dark chocolate and Strawberry sauce.

For ever - If you love coffee this may be one of the most delicious milk or dark chocolate chocolates ever made as it is filled with a special coffee cream that has hints of caramel. I ordered an entire box of these and they come in a variety of flavors. The milk chocolate and cherry filling is like Claude Debussy's Ręverie. It is difficult to describe besides saying it is like a delicate cherry icing wrapped in milk chocolate.

Merveilleux - Milk or dark chocolate filled with coffee ganache.

Europe - Dark or milk chocolate filled with rum filling.

Ganache - Milk or dark chocolate with pure ganache.

Tosca - Milk chocolate with a special ganache.

Poésie - Dark chocolate and a Cointreau filling.

Antoinette - Delicate caramel hints in the milk chocolate coating mingle nicely with the vanilla filling.

Eve - Milk or dark chocolate with a creamy dreamy banana filling.

Alexandre le grand - A milk or dark chocolate with caramel cream.

Also Recommended:

If you wish to also try the Napolitains, I'd suggest the 1 pound sampler Ballotin with six varieties. You may also want to look for the new Palet d'Or. A deeply delicious and strong bitter chocolate filled with ganache. The center is made with butter, cream and chocolate and the outer coating is a masterpiece with gold decorations.

Leonidas now has over 1700 stores and sales locations worldwide and they offer over 80 varieties of fresh chocolates. The chocolates are air freighted weekly from Brussels so you will always find the quality to be superior.

My chocolates arrived fast and were as fresh as if I had purchased them in Belgium. They were carefully packaged in the famous gold boxes with signature/seasonal wrapping and a ribbon. The boxes were then placed in protective Styrofoam containers to protect the chocolates during shipping. The expedited shipping is recommended from May to early September.

~The Rebecca Review

Outstanding melt in your mouth chocolate. The dark chocolate is not bitter like many chocolatiers - it has the perfect blend of taste for any chocoholic. I've had many different types of chocolate from Belgium and can guarantee - Leonidas is the "Mercedes-Benz" of chocolatiers. The general assortment is an outstanding sampling of ivory, milk and dark chocolate. If you love dark chocolate then go for the dark chocolate assortment. You will not regret it. Also forget Godiva - it's medium grade quality.

I lived in Leuven, Belgium for 8 years and tried many a chocolate. Leonidas is the creme de creme, that is, the best of the best. Especially their Framboise Praline is an Epicurean delight if you are a dark chocolate lover. Also, their plain dark chocolate medallion is outstanding as an addition to a freshly brewed Tully's espresso. Amazon, you provide a number one global service by bringing the best of Belgium to the US. Thanx,

Heironymus de Medina (aka Jerome)

These chocolates are much better than 5 stars!

We found a Leonidas' Shop during a visit to Brussels, Belgium earlier this year and brought home 4 of the "kilo" Assortment Ballotins. I was ready to call directly to Brussels to place an order for more, but found them in New York City, so.........no need to search further.

The quality is outstanding and as other have already stated, far superior to other brands and MUCH MORE AFFORDABLE.

The shipment arrives overnight and each ballotin is protected in it's own styrofoam case.

Try an assortment (the dark is unbelievably decadent) and you will not be disappointed!

Enjoy

The Leonidas chocolates being peddled in the USA bear little/no resemblance to those available in Europe. After enjoying Leonidas in Germany (Aachen and Munich) for many years I placed an order here in New York State. What I received was (a) crudely presented boxes of (b) thick, hard-shelled (c) anonymous flavoured cream centres. With the exception of the coffee creams (which were more or less as I remember them from Europe) the rest of the box seemed to consist of two undefinable centres. Extremely disappointed with this order. The Godiva selection my mother received for Christmas was FAR superior in every respect -- packaging, presentation, appearance, texture, taste. I won't buy Leonidas in the USA again.

These chocolates are one of the very best one can get. The problem is the price in the USA.

In Belgium they cost only 16.50 Euros a Kilo (approx 2.2 lbs)= USD 22.00.

Transport is expensive because they travel cooled...

After tasting this chocolate, you'll never want anything else. This was the highlite purchase in Amsterdam. So glad Amazon has them!!!!!

We tried (and retried very may times :) these chocolates in Belgium, and they are fantastic. I do like Neuhaus chocolates better, but these are also way up there. Highly recommended!

I got the box for a gift at a dinner party, and of course we opened and tasted the chocolates! Evribody enjoyed them and none were left by the end of the night! Elegant and really tasty, they were the perfect gift for the occasion.