Kate Kearneys Irish Dark 60% cacao

This is a basic dark chocolate. Clean cocoa taste, not bitter, and a clean after taste. Uncomplicated. 6.7

I bought this bar in Galway, in a "traditional" souvenir  store -- tchotchkes and "Kiss me I'm Irish" t-shirts.

Butlers Dark 70% cocoa

Cocoa flavor dominates, with no side flavors of note. Not bitter, though there is a faint tinny tone to the aftertaste. 6.9

This was the first bar I bought after arriving in Dublin. Butlers is a fairly busy chocolate store, mostly selling truffles and other pieces.

www.butlerschocolates.com

Hotel Chocolat Vietnam 80% cocoa

Cherry flavor is out front, but this is a robust chocolate. The 80% cocoa stands out, making this is a bitter bar. But other flavors come through, some nuttiness and earthiness fill out the palette. The aftertaste is persistent but even. 8.1

I believe this is the bar I picked up in Soho. I posted a picture of the lively night life there during my trip.

Hotel Chocolat Venezuela Chuao 70% cocoa

Warm cocoa flavors, with some nutty background flavor. There is a bitter undertone, but it fades quickly in the aftertaste. Nice overall experience. 7.9

www.hotelchocolat.com

This is the first of the bars I purchased to my trip to London and Ireland in April. This was certainly a great first bar to taste! Hotel Chocolat was located in London, and I picked up one bar at their kiosk in Paddington Station, and the other in Soho.

The packaging has a lot of information. The beans were harvested in 2012, roasted for 40 minutes at 257 degrees F. and refined and conched for 72 hours. Inside the package is information about the company's traditions and policies for cocoa procurement. There is also a note on the Chuao beans, which says that they are "still pretty amazing" despite the hype that surrounds it. Finally, there's a "Tastometer" that shows a range of flavors to expect from different Hotel Chocolat single-origin bars.

Trader Joe's Swiss Dark 72% cacao

Smooth and clean taste. No bitterness, so the aftertaste trails off quickly. The cocoa flavor stand out, with no noticeable side flavors. 7.0