Ritual Mexico Soconusco 75% cacao

Fairly bitter profile with a bit of a "pucker" effect. The bar has caramel flavor with an earthy aspect. Nice finish. 7.8

Dick Taylor Northerner Blend 73% cacao

The flavors I am tasting from this bar remind me of blackberry with an astringent aspect. There is a fair amount of bitterness, though the aftertaste is relatively mild. 8.5

The tasting notes on this bar state: "Dried Apricot / Honey / Cocoa". Okay, I would say most chocolate bars would taste like cocoa, but as for the dried apricot flavor I can see that from some of the astringent taste I noticed.

The label also notes that the bar is a blend of Madagascar and Brazil cacao. It is named after the SS Northerner, a side-wheeled steam ship which struck a reef off of Humboldt County, just south of Eureka, CA, where Dick Taylor Craft Chocolate is located.

Dick Taylor Brazil Fazenda Camboa 75% cacao

This bar has a rich cacao taste, with notes of molasses and fig. Bitterness is mild, and the aftertaste has a quick ending. 8.9

The label's tasting notes are: "Honeysuckle / Fresh Grape / Walnut". I am not tasting the first two items, though the walnut is one note on which I can concur.

Ingredients: Cacao*, Cane sugar*  (*organic)

Dick Taylor Solomon Islands Paspaskato 72% cacao

This bar has a warm, homey feel to it. The label suggests "almond butter" as a tasting note, and that might be what leads me to that feeling. The label also suggest cherry, which I did not notice and dried apricots, which I can see, though it is subtle. The aftertaste is fairly long lasting, and the bitterness is as expected for a 72% bar. 8.4




This is a small bar, only one ounce. The note inside the packaging recounts the trip the owners took to Solomon Islands to advise the local farmers on cacao production, and one farmer who produced the cacao which was used for this bar. His cacao won a Solomon Islands cacao contest, and Dick Taylor purchased a small amount to use for this "exclusive release."


I bought this bar at the Dick Taylor headquarters in Eureka. The store displays their own chocolates for purchase, plus a number of other craft chocolate makers.

The window towards the back of the store looks into their chocolate making room. During our visit we found some chocolate being tempered which we were told was their Belize chocolate.

I took advantage of the opportunity to purchase several bars plus a Dick Taylor Chocolate T-shirt. Most of these will be reviewed in ChocoCheck.

The Smooth Chocolator Belize 70% cacao

This is another flavorful bar with beans from Belize. I taste caramel and raspberry flavors. The finish is smooth. The bar is well made, with a crisp snap. 9.0

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, Sugar, Cocoa butter

Marou Vietnam Bên Tre 78% cacao

This bar is high in cacao, and it shows in the taste. It borders on chalky and the bitterness is distinct. Earthy, with a touch of sweetness (honey?). 7.7

Ingredients: cocoa (72%), cane sugar (22%) and cocoa butter (6%)

This is the fourth Marou bar ChocoCheck has reviewed, all from different growing areas in Vietnam. The other three:

• Marou Vietnam Tien Giang 80% cacao
• Marou Vietnam Dông Nai 72% cacao
• Marou Vietnam Bà Ria 76% cocoa

Other chocolate makers who produce Vietnam-origin that have been reviewed are:

• Dick Taylor Vietnam Tiên Giang 78% cacao
• Palette De Bine Vietnam Lâm Đồng 72% cacao
• Hotel Chocolat Vietnam 80% cocoa
• Scharffen Berger Ben Tre (Vietnam) 72% cacao

Chocolate Tree Peru 69% cacao

The cacao of this bar is rich, with notes of tobacco and earth. The bitterness is very low, and the aftertaste is short but clean. 7.9

Ingredients: Cacao beans, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter

We enjoyed this bar with our friends, Kimmy and Steve, during our visit to Yangzhou in China. You may remember Chocolate Tree from a previous bar reviewed: The Chocolate Tree 55% Cranberry cacao It is good to see this craft chocolate maker still producing high quality chocolate eight years later.

Cultura Belize 75% Cacao

The label's tasting notes are: "Fig, raspberry, tobacco." Indeed, this seems like a nice summation of the flavors I notice in this bar. The raspberry comes from a sweet aspect, the fig from an earthy taste, and the tobacco from some bitterness. Overall a nice blend. 8.6

Ingredients: Organic cacao, organic cane sugar

culturachocolate.com

Fresh Coast Brazil 70% cacao

Fairly basic flavors, some subtle cherry with a toasty edge. 7.5

www.freshcoastchocolate.com

Aretè Brazil Fazenda Camboa 70% cacao

Cherry and raisin flavors are prominent. The bar is balanced, with a sweetness that supports the cacao well. Smooth finish with a little bitterness. 8.2

Starchild Tanzania Kokoa Kamili 70% cacao

Nicely sweet dark chocolate, with a citrus edge and a berry foreground. Smooth aftertaste with low bitterness. 8.9

Ingredients: Cacao, Coconut sugar, Cacao butter (Organic)

www.starchildchocolate.com

Aretè Peru Nacional Marañon Canyon 66% cocoa

The first taste of this bar reveals low bitterness, and a blend of cherry and tobacco flavors. As the chocolate develops, the aftertaste is smooth with a rapid falloff of cocoa flavor, but persistence of the cherry. 8.8

Ingredients: cocoa (Peru Nacional), organic case sugar, cocoa butter (Peru Nacional)

aretefinechocolate.com

This is the first taste I have had of a bar from this local (SF Bay Area) chocolate maker. Nice to find them!

Marou Viet Nam Bà Ria 76% Cocoa

Like other Marou bars I've tasted, this bar has a punch. Robust cocoa flavor with coffee and earthy flavors. Overall the taste is rather bitter. This continues into the aftertaste, which drifts towards a metallic edge in the finish. 7.1

Ingredients: Cocoa & cocoa butter (76% cocoa), cane sugar (24%)

The Smooth Chocolator Tanzania 70% cacao

I notice honey and graham cracker flavors in this well made chocolate. The aftertaste is smooth, with echoes of the cacao. 9.0

Ingredients:  Cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter

The label reports that this bar won the bronze at the 2016 International Chocolate Awards (Americas). This is an Australian chocolate company.

www.smoothchoc.com

Nói Síríus Icelandic Chocolate 45% cocoa

The flavor is underscored by the "bourbon vanilla" ingredient.

Ingredients: 45% Dark Chocolate - Sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, emulsifier (soya lecithin), bourbon vanilla.

www.noi.is

My colleague brought this bar back with her from her recent trip to Iceland.

Recchiiuti 63% Illanka Bar

Clean bar, with a loud vanilla flavor. Smooth taste throughout, nicely manufactured.

Ingredients: Dark chocolate (cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, soy letichin, natural vanilla extract)

This Recchiuti bar is made from the Valrhona 63% Illanka bar. Valrhona is donating some proceeds from the sale of the chocolate to its Clean Water Project.

Mt. Shasta Bar Dark Chocolate

This specialty chocolate tastes about as expected -- chocolaty. The vanilla in the ingredients dominates the flavor. Not bad, but not great.

Ingredients: Bittersweet chocolate (chocolate liquor processed with potassium carbonate, sugar, cocoa butter, butter oil), soya lecithin and pure vanilla.

This bar represents the Mount Shasta area of California, a couple hours north of the bay area. We traveled to Madras, OR for Eclipse 2017, and our first stop was near Mt. Shasta. Unfortunately, the smoke from fires further north has encroached on the area, so the mountain was not very visible.

We continued on north to Madras, where the air was much clearer.

The label indicates that this bar was produced by Chocolate de Nannette in Redding, CA for Mt. Shasta Products: www.chocolatdenannette.com

Rococo Organic 65% cocoa

There are some earthy elements in this bar, with butter/maple notes. Some faint fruit flavors are present, cherry/raisin mostly. Low bitterness and clean aftertaste. 7.7

rococochocolates.com

Maverick Belize 70% cacao

I have greatly enjoyed previous Belize origin chocolate bars (such as the highest rated bar on Chococheck, Dick Taylor Belize Organic 72% cacao), and I will add this bar to the group. It is quite flavorful, with cherry and hazelnut notes. The aftertaste is very clean. 9.4

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, organic cocoa butter.

maverickchocolate.com

Sirene Bolivia 73% cacao

This bar has a palette of flavors. The label mentions raisins and nuts, and "a discernible feral wildness." I certainly get the raisins and nut flavors (kind of a hazelnut), but I am not sure where to taste the "feral wildness." I also taste some cherry. The bitterness level is modest, with a very smooth aftertaste. 8.9

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Organic Cane Sugar

sirenechocolate.com

Fruition Costa Rica Heirloom 74% cacao

Wonderfully fruity flavor, with cherry and raisin notes. Very smooth from start to finish, with low bitterness and a pleasing aftertaste. 9.2

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar

Potomac Costa Rica Upala 85% cacao

This bar is very reminiscent of the previously reviewed Potomac Costa Rica Upala 82% cacao. Very bitter, but the other aspects are similar. This bar is 3% more cacao than the other bar, which might account for the additional bitterness. 6.8

Ingredients: organic cacao, organic sugar

Åkesson's Madagascar 75% cacao

Quite flavorful bar, full of bright cherry flavors and some tangy citrus. Smooth from first taste to last aftertaste. 9.7

www.akessons-organic.com

Zokoko Solomon Islands Guadalcanal 78% cacao

Quite bitter chocolate, with a puckery aftertaste. Plum flavor can be noticed. 7.7

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin)

www.zokoko.com

Uniconf Dark Chocolate 80% cacao

I found this bar in a Russian food store in Oakland. The chocolate was respectable, tasting slightly better than other mass-market bars I have tasted. However the Russian writing on the label intrigued me. I asked a Russian-speaking friend with whom I work to translate the label. The large script says "Dark Chocolate," not too surprising. However the writing in the red oval apparently says "Red October" -- a reference to the 1917 Russian Revolution, and the start of the communist Soviet state.

A first for Choco Check -- communist chocolate!

The bar's ingredients include vanilla, so there is no Chocolate Check rating.

www.uniconf.ru

Fruition Bolivia 74% Dark

Strong cacao flavor with a bitter taste at the front. Some caramel flavor in the mix. Fairly short lasting aftertaste, but still bitter. 7.8

Ingredients: cocoa beans, cane sugar

$11.49 for 60g (2.12 oz)

Palette De Bine Haiti 70% cacao

Rich clear chocolate taste, with a citrus element and some molasses flavor. Short lasting aftertaste. 9.1

Palette De Bine Vietnam Lâm Đồng 72% cacao

Very flavorful bar, I notice anise, pepper, blackberry smoke. Smooth taste through to the aftertaste, which is gentle but persistent. 9.6

Ingredients: cocoa beans and organic sugar cane

The label on the cover of this bar reads: "International Chocolate Awards Americas 2015 Bronze"

Tcho Ecuador "Nutty" 65% cacao

This bar wears its flavor profile on its name -- "Nutty." Certainly has a nutty flavor, and does not have that metallic aspect that I mentioned in my review of their previous "Nutty" bar, which was from Peru: http://chococheck.blogspot.com/2010/06/tcho-nutty-peru-70-cacao.html. Also mentioned on the label is "hints of espresso," and I concur with this as well -- mild coffee flavor in the background. 8.0

This is the first Tcho bar I have reviewed in a while. They used to have their factory in San Francisco, not far from my office, but they are now located across the bay in Berkeley. This makes it harder for me to drop by to see what's cooking, though their bars are widely available in area stores.

Letterbox Ecuador Costa Esmeraldas 70% cacao

Very nice flavor balance. Some earthiness and smoke is in the mix, but there is also sweetness and anise.  Aftertaste is smooth with a touch of bitterness. 8.3

Letterpress Belize Maya Mountain 70% cacao

Very flavorful, as I often find with cacao from Belize.  Some tartness, such as seen in ripe strawberries, and a deep sweetness, reminiscent of plums. 8.4

Ingredients:
Cacao Beans*, Unrefined Cane Sugar*
*Certified Organic

LetterPressChocolate.com

Marou Vietnam Tien Giang 70% cacao

This is a robust chocolate, fairly bitter, but with a fruity, dark berry flavor theme. Aftertaste is fairly bitter and long lasting. 7.9

I shared this bar with my colleagues, and one commented that it was a favorite of his.

Fran's Dark Chocolate Hollow Bunny

We received matching chocolate bunnies from our relatives, one milk chocolate for Jane and a dark chocolate bunny for me. Here's the ingredient list:

Ingredients: Dark chocolate, 23k gold.

This is a first for me -- chocolate with gold! Of course the gold is used to add shimmer and richness to the surface. The photo shows some of that beautiful shine.

The taste of the chocolate is top notch. What a great gift!

Marou Viet Nam Dông Nai 72% Cacao

Rich cocoa flavor, with elements of cherry and smoke. Faint peppery quality. Smooth finish with little bitterness in the aftertaste. 8.0

LAmourette Venezuela Sur Del Lago 80% cacao

Quite bitter on first taste, which is not surprising for an 80% cacao bar.  Background notes of port and hazelnut can be detected. Lasting aftertaste, though less bitter than the first taste. 7.5

LAmourette Venezuela Porcelana 75% cacao

Some earthiness and nuttiness in the flavor profile. A little rough on the aftertaste, but it will stick with you. 7.8

The bar comes with large pieces (eight for a 3.5 oz bar) which are difficult to break into smaller pieces -- so harder to nibble and share.

Escazú Peru Piura Blanco 70% cacao (limited edition)

It seems like the tempering of this bar was not complete, as there are noticeable sugar crystals, giving the bar a rough texture as it melts. The flavors of note are molasses, black berries, and grass. The finish is somewhat astringent, but not too bitter. 7.7

Ritual Chocolate Belize Toledo 75% cacao

Great burst of flavor on first taste. Fruits like peach and berries comes to mind, also reminiscent of honey. Moderate bitterness, with a pleasant aftertaste. 9.5

Ingredients: organic cacao, organic cane sugar

Castronovo Honduras 72% Cacao

Tart concord flavor, and somewhat astringent. This leads to a long, somewhat bitter aftertaste. There is a crisp snap in this well made bar. 7.6

www.CastronovoChocolate.com

Tony's Chocolonely 70% Cocoa

Rich cocoa taste, some earthiness in the background. The aftertaste is uneven, with a lasting finish. 7.1

TonysChocolonely.com

This is a hefty bar, 6 ounces with thick pieces. No vanilla added!

Lolli and Pops Dark Chocolate

The chocolate flavor of this bar has a honey element. Texture is a little rough, but the after taste is smooth, with a slight metallic tinge. 7.0

This bar is locally made in San Francisco.

lolliandpops.com

Läckerli Huus Madagascar 64% cacao

Very well made chocolate, with a crisp snap and smooth, even taste. This bar is made with vanilla, which is a significant part of the flavor profile. Very enjoyable bar.

Ingredients: cocoa, sugar, cocoa butter, vanilla

www.laeckerli-huus.ch

This is a bar purchased during our trip to France and Switzerland last year. I could not find any text on the label in English.

Dick Taylor Vietnam Tiên Giang 78% cacao

Robust cocoa burst on first taste, with a distinct flavor profile of fruit. Some of the fruit flavor has a citrus element, but most is dark berry. The aftertaste is lengthy, but less astringent than might be expected. 8.9

Ingredients: Cacao, Cane Sugar (organic)

Amano Ecuador Guayas River Basin 70% cocoa

This is another bar that has vanilla as an  added ingredient, so no rating. But the bar was very well made, the vanilla provided a nice flavor balance, and there was a clean aftertaste.

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Pure Case Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Whole Vanilla Beans