Chocolate Tree Belize Maya Mountain 75% cacao

There is a rich chocolate taste, buttressed by flavor threads of caramel and toffee. The aftertaste is clean and smooth. 

Similar to the Chocolate Tree Columbia Arhuaco 70% cacao bar reviewed earlier, this bar has a unique mold. 

 

Orinoco Venezuela 74% cacao

There is a slightly grainy texture to this bar, which contributes to the earthy taste. The sweetener is listed as maple sugar, but there is not a strong maple flavor present, though there is perhaps a hint of it. The aftertaste is fairly sweet and continues the grainy texture. 7.4

www.orinocochocolates.com  

The mold for this bar is a representation of a cacao bean. This makes is slightly difficult to break the bar into pieces for consumption, but it is a nice design choice.

Belvie Vietnam Lam Dong 75% cacao

A buttery toffee taste emerges initially, and develops further to reflect cooked pudding. The aftertaste is stable and gentle. 7.2

Cacap Sampaka Cameroon Haute-Sanaga 70% cacao

There is a strong punch of coffee flavor from this bar, with a light touch of spice cake. The texture is smooth and creamy. The aftertaste has some bitterness which derives from the coffee flavor. 6.8

www.cacaosampaka.com [Spanish]

Bisou Vanuatu 76% cacao

This bar is fairly bitter, not unexpected for a bar with a cacao content above 70%. The flavors that surface include a touch of vanilla and a fig component. The aftertaste carries the bitterness and persists for a moderate duration. 6.7

www.bisouchocolate.com

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, Organic whole cane sugar

I purchased this bar at a Farmer's Market which took place at the Inner Richmond district of the city. The maker is located in Berkeley where he has a store. I had not heard of his product before encountering his stand at the market and asked whether he considered offering it at our city's chocolate store with the most variety, Chocolate Covered. He said that he prefers selling at Farmer's Markets to avoid the loss of revenue from needing to offer wholesale prices to such stores.

The price asked for this bar at this market was incredible: $15 for a 30 gram (1 oz.) bar.  I consider this pricing excessive.

The mold they used for the bar, though, is pretty nice.

Foundry Peru 70% cacao

This bar has a nice flavor profile, with apricot on the outset and orange blossom on the end. The experience is clean from start to finish, with an aftertaste which is gentle and short. 9.6

www.foundrychocolate.com

Chocolarder Peru, Cuencas 72% cacao

The primary taste of this bar has a molasses aspect, slightly roasted. Next in line is a buttery texture with some caramel notes. The aftertaste is clean, gradually diminishing. 9.0

www.chocolarder.com