Meet the maker
Damson
Damson might have started crafting chocolate at the beginning of 2015, but founder Dom Ramsey’s passion for craft chocolate goes way back.
As a lifelong chocolate lover, prolific chocoblogger and Cocoa Runners founding team member, there only was one chocolate topped mountain left for Dom Ramsey – to start making his own bars. Dom’s blog (Chocablog) has just celebrated its 10th anniversary and is one of the biggest and longest running chocolate blogs on the web. A past judge at the World Chocolate Masters, Academy of Chocolate Awards and International Chocolate Awards who better could be better placed to dive into chocolate making?
Dom’s partner in crime is Tom Millson, a self-confessed ‘chocolate fanatic’ (a very well-respected trait at Cocoa Runners). Tom started crafting chocolate in his girlfriend’s kitchen he has now upgraded to Damson’s own North London workshop.
With this enviable chocolate pedigree we can only expect great things from Damson. And in fact before even officially launching, Dom Ramsey had already received the ‘One To Watch’ award at the Academy of Chocolate Awards 2015 (along with two bronze awards for his chocolate bars).
Damson is based just a cocoa bean’s throw from Cocoa Runners offices. Its shop and workshop is located in Chapel Market in Islington, which has become something of a chocolate hub (Jaz & Juls hot chocolate is located next door). In honour of the area, Damson has even created a special bar. The Angel dark chocolate blends beans from Trinidad and Madagascar in a sweet and approachable bar that we think will delight (and unite) milk and dark chocolate fans.
Damson’s small shop is a teeny craft chocolate heaven. As well as the whole range of Damson’s delicious bars, the shop is fitted with a Cocoa Runners Craft Chocolate Gallery which is bursting with craft chocolate bars from around the world. And if you’re lucky enough you might just bump into Dom or Tom and glean a little of their chocolate expertise.
Damson describes itself as ‘fanatical about quality’. Crafting bars in its modest Islington kitchen, every stage – from roasting the beans to wrapping the bars – is carried out with meticulous attention to detail. This care also extends to the sourcing, not just of cocoa beans but also the other ingredients such as Halen Môn’ Anglesey sea salt and Laverstoke Park’s buffalo milk. We love that while Damson takes craft chocolate seriously, it also isn’t afraid to have fun an experiment with more unusual flavour combinations. Liquorice lovers should look out for the liquorice and sea salt dark milk, and its Whisky & Cream milk chocolate was so popular it sold out in record time!
We are truly delighted to have Dom back with us at Cocoa Runners (albeit now as a maker rather than a team member).
Want to explore more makers of the world's best craft chocolate? Just start typing their name (or any letter) into the search box to discover them.
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