Hazel Mountain Chocolate

Irish bean-to-bar chocolate made from cacao bean to finished bar in the wild landscape between Galway Bay and the Burren Mountains.

Hazel Mountain Chocolate is an award-winning Irish craft chocolate maker based at Oughtmama, Bellharbour in County Clare. Founded in 2014, the business has built a reputation for doing something still remarkably unusual in Ireland: taking cacao beans through every stage of chocolate production on site, from roasting and cracking to winnowing, stone-grinding, ageing, tempering and finally turning the finished chocolate into bars, truffles and other treats.

The factory sits in the Burren hills along the Wild Atlantic Way, in a setting that feels appropriately far removed from industrial chocolate production. Hazel Mountain works in small batches using ethically and sustainably sourced cacao, including Criollo and Trinitario beans obtained through direct trade. The beans are roasted, cracked and winnowed before the cacao nibs are ground in stone mills for around two days, after which the chocolate is aged for several weeks before being finished.

The result is a range that places flavour and provenance at the centre of the experience. Single-origin dark chocolates showcase cacao from origins such as Madagascar, Venezuela, Mexico and Costa Rica, while the milk chocolate combines cacao with Irish milk from grass-fed cows. The collection extends beyond bars to hand-painted truffles, hot chocolate, cacao tea, chocolate-covered treats, vegan creations, seasonal pieces and gifting ranges.

Hazel Mountain is particularly special because visitors can see the process for themselves. The Burren factory and shop are open to the public all year, with a large open-plan viewing area that allows people to watch the chocolate-making process without needing to book. For those who want to go deeper, guided factory tours offer a 45-minute journey through bean-to-bar production, including the working factory, truffle room and a tasting of the finished chocolates.

The café adds another reason to make the journey. Designed with a nod to the traditional farmhouse where the founder’s grandmother Agnes once baked soda bread and cakes, it serves organic coffee and teas, signature hot chocolates, freshly baked pastries, sandwiches and cakes, including gluten-free and dairy-free options. Indoor and outdoor seating make it an easy place to stop while exploring the Burren and the wider North Clare coast.

Hazel Mountain also has a Galway City shop at 9 Middle Street, bringing the full bean-to-bar range into the city alongside coffee, hot chocolate, pastries and daily truffle-making. That combination of a rural flagship factory in the Burren and an urban Galway presence gives the brand both a strong sense of place and excellent accessibility for visitors.

The business has grown well beyond being simply a chocolate shop. It has become a food destination, visitor attraction and recognised Irish craft brand, while keeping the essential process small-scale and visible. The factory’s openness, the aroma of roasting cacao, the chance to watch truffles being made and the connection to the Burren landscape make a visit feel much more immersive than buying a bar of chocolate from a shelf.

Why W.ie chose Hazel Mountain Chocolate: Hazel Mountain brings together several things W.ie is designed to celebrate: genuine Irish making, independent craft, a strong connection to place and an experience that visitors can actually engage with. It is not simply an Irish-branded chocolate company — the cacao is transformed into chocolate on site in County Clare, the production process is visible to visitors, and the factory, shop and café form part of a memorable Wild Atlantic Way stop. That mix of exceptional product, transparent craftsmanship, sustainable sourcing and a distinctive Burren setting makes Hazel Mountain Chocolate a natural fit for Ireland’s curated shop window.