Trader's Joe's Chocolate Palette: Dominican Republic 70% cocoa

Slight spicy taste, but it quickly diminishes, leaving a simple chocolate tone. Very minor bitterness, just enough to finish well. 6

Scharffen Berger Ben Tre (Vietnam) 72% cacao

A lively chocolate, with several flavors asserting themselves at once. Fruity, yes, earthy, perhaps. I can also perceive the "fig" and "banana" notes that the label mentions, though I'm not getting the cinnamon. Well, perhaps more tasting will lead me to it. 8

Scharffen Berger Dark Milk 68% cacao

This is another milk chocolate bar with a high cocoa content. This bar is even higher in cocoa content than the Richiutti Dark Milk, which is 55% cocoa. Scharffen Berger's labeling says that this is a "blend of dark chocolate, milk chocolate and finely grounded cacao."

It's an interesting mix -- the milk chocolate is very present, but the cacao nibs and dark chocolate dominate the experience. I'm not a big fan of chocolate bars with cacao nibs, but they are indeed very finely ground, so they are not distracting.

That said, there is a large level of bitterness that follows from the high cocoa content, and my guess is that milk chocolate fans may not be comfortable with that. Dark chocolate fans may like the rich cocoa percent, but the milk undertones will be unfamiliar.

If you're looking for something very different from the usual milk or dark chocolates, this is worth a try to see if the mix Sharffen Berger has struck rings true for you. 6

Scharffen Berger Amina (Madagascar) 65% cacao

Tangy, almost spicy flavor on first taste. Smooth and clean finish. No bitterness, so the aftertaste falls off quickly. 7

Part of the Chocolate Maker's Series

Scharffen Berger Camahogne (Grenada) 68% cacao

A burst of fruit flavor on first taste. Memorable. Clean taste profile, with a minor amount of bitterness. Rating: 8

Part of the Chocolate Marker's Series

www.scharffenberger.com

Trader's Joe's Chocolate Palette: Papua New Guinea

Pure chocolate flavor, subtle hint of citrus. No bitterness, so there's no aftertaste to speak of. A good starter dark chocolate for milk chocolate lovers. 6

Trader's Joe's Chocolate Palette:Tanzania 73% Cocoa

Warm, smoky flavor, some nuttiness (hazelnut?). Some bitterness, but the right amount for the flavor to linger with you, not annoy you. 7

Trader's Joe's Chocolate Palette: Venezuela 70% Cocoa

Nice taste, flavorful. Mild fruit flavor, cherries mostly. 7