Blackthorn Sea Salt: An Ingredient That Enhances Our Salted Choc

This year, I’m on a mission to develop my knowledge and understanding of the ingredients we use at Blendsmiths. Not just how they taste, but where they come from and how they’re made. When it came to developing our Salted Choc, the salt was never going to be an afterthought. It had to add something meaningful to the blend, which is why we use Blackthorn Sea Salt.  

Where It Comes From  

Blackthorn Sea Salt is made on the west coast of Scotland, in Ayrshire, using Atlantic seawater. The location really matters here. The clean water, coastal winds and slower pace of production all play a role in shaping the final salt, giving it a character you don’t get from more industrial processes.    

How It’s Made  

Blackthorn uses the only traditional thorn tower method left in the world. Seawater slowly trickled through bundles of blackthorn branches, where wind and natural evaporation gently concentrate it before it’s transferred to pans and crystallised. I visited the site towards the end of last year, and seeing the process in person really brought it to life. It’s slow, weather-dependent, and completely unindustrial. Nothing about it is rushed, and you can taste that in the final product.  

Which Blendsmiths Products Use It  

We use Blackthorn Sea Salt in our Salted Choc blend. Chocolate already has richness and depth, and the role of the salt is to lift those flavours rather than dominate them. Blackthorn’s clean and delicate flakes dissolve evenly, enhancing sweetness and adding balance without any harshness.  

Benefits Compared to Other Salts  

Because of the way it’s processed, Blackthorn Sea Salt retains naturally occurring minerals such as magnesium, calcium and potassium, which are usually removed during the refining of standard table salt. Unrefined sea salts like this tend to have a more rounded flavour profile and don’t rely on additives.  

Why Blackthorn Sea Salt  

At Blendsmiths, we want every ingredient to enhance the flavour of our blends. Blackthorn Sea Salt isn’t there for novelty or marketing; it’s there because it genuinely improves the drink. It adds balance, depth and a sense of craft that fits exactly with how we approach flavour.   

Salted Choc is hands-down my favourite chocolate, and the Blackthorn Sea Salt makes it taste even better. If you haven’t tried it yet, now’s the time!