Marcolini Carré2 Chocolat Samburano Madagascar 78% cacao

I got into a discussion about over marketed chocolate in my review of the Jcoco "Noble Dark" bar. My latest report is about over promising and under-delivering. I visit Cocoa Bella on Friday, stopping by my go-to store for Fraçois Pralus and Pratric bars. I noticed a new bar in the truffle display, so I took a look.  The salesman came over and started telling me how they just got approved to carry this bar, the "best made chocolate" in the world, I was told.  I had never heard of this company, so I was intrigued.

They had several different bars, but they had sold out of the bar the salesman said was considered the "best in the world."  He also said it cost $18.  Perhaps I was lucky it was sold-out.  Instead I decided to try their Madagascar bar, an origin of which I've had considerable, positive experience. The price for this bar was $13 for an 80 gram bar.  That's just less than 3 ounces, or about $4.65 an ounce.  Not cheap!

Today I prepared for my review in my usual way, photographing the packaging, and I decided to open the black box and see whether the bar had any interesting design in the mold into which it was poured. The bar was wrapped in a plastic wrapper, and I was surprised given the "best in the world" hype that the surface of the bar was not well crafted. There were discolorations and pouring voids across the bar. I have pointed out a few of these on the photo I took of the bar, and you should be able to see the uneven surface coloration. I've looked at quite a few chocolate bars, and have seen perfect pours and surface color.  I would expect no less from a bar touted as "the best in the world."

So what about the taste? With my expectations lowered, the bar itself was indeed less wonderful than the best.  The bar is quite bitter, with few of the fruity side flavors that I expect from a Madagascar bar. The bitterness persists in the aftertaste, long after the chocolate flavors subside. 6.9

I will try other of Marcolini's single-origin bars to see if this was a poor sample.

www.marcolini.be

Maglio Extra Bitter 72% cocoa

Strong and bitter flavor on initial taste. This bar is true to its "Extra Bitter" moniker. It is bold and smooth. No note of chalkiness, and the aftertaste is persistent but clean. 8.0

Patric Madagascar 75% cacao

Fairly bitter, though there is some of the usual citrus flavor I expect from Madagascar chocolate. Some chalkiness, but it is not excessive. The chalkiness does persist in the aftertaste. 6.6

Jcoco Chocolates "Noble Dark" 72% cacao

Strong cocoa flavor, with a fair amount of bitterness. Not much else going on with this bar. 6.7

This bar is made by Seattle Chocolate company, which also made the Seattle Chocolates Truffle 65% Cacao that I reviewed last year. This looks like a "marketing bar," which I mean a bar more focused on the marketing than on the chocolate. There is a very bright, eye catching pink wrapper -- okay, I will take a look. There is clean, modern font, with no capitals. On the back is written, "We start with pure quality and fuss over each exquisite ingredient and detail to bring you the experience of American couture chocolate." Well, that is saying a lot without saying much. "Pure quality?" Quality what, I wonder. "American couture chocolate?" Now they are getting a bit too much of themselves.

Opening the wrapper and the inside text reports how the company will serve food to so done in need with each bar purchased. Then we see three smaller bars with attractive young people on the wrappers enjoying a fun activity. Putting aside the over-packaging (I admit that the individually wrapped bars could be convenient for sharing or eating a smaller amount than the whole bar), I now feel I have been over-marketed to.

If you are still longing for more marketing, their website is:

www.jcocochocolate.com

Trader Joe's Stone Ground 70% Cacao

One thing is clear.  I do not enjoy "stone ground" chocolate.  I rated two Taza stone ground chocolates in the 5 range.  This bar rates about the same.  The sugar crystals make for a rough texture.  The cocoa is simple (maybe even simplistic), with no side flavors or nuance.  The experience is chalky, though not overly bitter.  5.3

The two Taza bars, for comparison were:

Taza Chocolate Mexicano 70% cacao
Taza Chocolate Stone Ground Organic Chocolate 70% Dark