How does one become known as ‘The Chocolate Boy’? To find out, we need to take a step back in time to Finlay Macdonald’s school years.
“I was given the opportunity of getting some work experience in a pastry kitchen and I absolutely loved it,” the entrepreneur explains.
“The kind of baking that the chefs were doing required a great deal of care, attention and skill, and I found it really thrilling.”
Finlay took full advantage of the experience, building up some basic skills along the way.
But after stepping inside the chocolate kitchen, he found his true calling.
He added: “Not only did I love it, but I found I was good at it!
“After that, I started to save up my pocket money to buy myself bits of chocolate making equipment to use at home, and I was watching loads of YouTube tutorials on how to make chocolates.
“With lots of work and determination, I honed my skills.”
At just 16 years old, Finlay – who is also commonly referred to as The Chocolate Boy – launched his business Chocolates of Glenshiel.
Chocolates of Glenshiel celebrates more than just chocolate, but the special area it was born in
“Obviously, I was still at school so it was just a wee side-project really,” Finlay went on to say.
“When I left school at 18, I was faced with two options. I’d been offered a place at Reading University, or I could stay in Glenshiel with very few career prospects.
“The more I thought about it, the less appealing leaving home was. I just love the area I grew up in – it is so beautiful and I really love the community here.
“So, I decided to throw my all into the chocolate business and see what I could make of it. So far, so good!”
Chocolates of Glenshiel boasts a kitchen and visitor centre right off the A87 at the foot of the Five Sisters of Kintail in Glenshiel, on the main road to Eilean Donan Castle and the Isle of Skye.
Customers can visit the café, browse the gift shop, and witness the chocolate making process through a window into the kitchen.
Chocolates of Glenshiel was formerly based in a “tiny” converted cabin.
Finlay adds: “It’s so lovely to chat to customers and hear about where they’re off to or where they’ve been around the Highlands, and tell them about our different chocolates and recommendations. That’s my favourite part of the business.”
There are eight staff working on the chocolate side of the business, plus additional team members in the café.
Between the four chocolatiers (including Finlay), they spend roughly 120 hours a week creating the business’ decadent products.
The mouth-watering range provides ‘a taste of Scotland’
Every handmade chocolate by Chocolates of Glenshiel showcases a Scottish flavour or ingredient.
These include sea salt from the Isle of Skye, raspberries from Perthshire, coffee from Inverness, and the list goes on.
There are eight chocolate bars – including Scottish tablet and milk chocolate, dark chocolate and Cuillin mint cake, and dark chocolate and haggis spice, to name a few – and seven boxes of mixed chocolates in the portfolio.
The most popular flavour is its full-flavoured heather honey and raspberry white chocolate.
Finlay says: “Customers can always expect a wee taste of Scotland from our chocolates.
“I am passionate about Scottish food and drink and my favourite thing is finding new, local ingredients to incorporate into my chocolates.
“One thing I love about chocolate making is how creative you can be.”
When asked to pick a favourite from the portfolio, he added: “I do love them all, but my favourite is the salted caramel and hazelnut milk bar.
“We use Isle of Skye Sea Salt which has an almost sweet finish to it to salt our caramel, and the outcome is unreal.
“My wife Heather and I gave them as favours for our wedding – that’s how much we love them!”
A passion that stemmed from none other than Finlay’s grannies
I went on to ask where Finlay’s love of food and drink stems from.
He told me: “When I was a wee boy, my two grannies would take me under their wings in the kitchen and teach me to cook and bake.
“I have a particularly fond memory of making scones with one of them, which definitely inspired my love of baking.
“We’d prepare big meals together, with me helping out where I could, with cakes and puddings for afterwards, and then we’d serve them up to the rest of the family.
“Ever since, I’ve associated good food and delicious home baking with time spent with family, so it does hold a special place in my heart.”
What sweet future plans are in store for Chocolates of Glenshiel?
“We don’t have any big immediate plans at the moment,” adds the founder.
“I’ve always loved ice cream, so I’d really like to try my hand at that one day. But for the moment, the chocolates and the café have my hands pretty full.”
Each season, the team creates new boxes with seasonal ingredients. They are available to buy as either a one-off purchase or on the business’ seasonal subscription.
“Our next release will be the summer selection, so we’re busy designing five new recipes for that one just now.”
For orders and more information on Chocolates of Glenshiel, visit the business’ website, which offers free postage throughout the UK. You can also check out its Instagram (@chocolates_of_glenshiel) and Facebook accounts.
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