Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Coco-luxe ROARK Serious Dark Chocolate with Nibs

"Howard Roark laughed." Because he just enjoyed a taste of Coco-luxe's ROARK chocolate.

I do not usually review chocolate with nibs -- I think they are distracting and they add significant bitterness in themselves. But I had to buy this bar, because of the name. "Roark" is the main character in Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead. I asked the clerk at the Coco-luxe store on Haight Street where I purchased the bar what was the origin of the name, and he said that the owner was a fan of the book. The website has this description for the bar: "Inspired by the super cool character in The Fountain Head (sic) - super dark chocolate studded with cocoa nibs for added intensity. " Yes, Howard Roark is indeed an intense character!

As for the bar itself, it's quite robust, but not too bitter. There's no percentage of cocoa listed, which is likely because the bar is infused with cocoa nibs -- but I would estimate it to be at least 70% to 75%. Not many flavors standout, but some earthiness is present. The nibs dominate the experience when you encounter them, but there are a few squares on the bar I tasted that were mostly nib-free. 6 (points off for the nibs)

www.coco-luxe.com

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