Ethereal Haiti 70% cacao

Fairly bitter. Tasting notes from the label says: Vanilla, Brown Sugar & Raisins. This is a fair characterization of this bar. Pretty surprising that there is a strong vanilla flavor, but the bar's ingredients do not include vanilla. The brown sugar and raisins flavors are also apropos. 7.8

Ingrdients: Cocoa Beans*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*
*organic ingredients

www.etherealconfections.com

Cacao Prieto Dominan Republic 72% cacao

More sweet than bitter, though the aftertaste is persistent. Honey and molasses notes are present. 7.8

Ingredients: Dominican Criollo Cacao & Organic raw cane sugar

www.cacaoprieto.com

Castronovo Venezuela Amazonas 72% cacao

Fairly bitter for the cacao percentage. Flavors I taste are toast, rose, cherry. Aftertaste is more in line with the cacao percentage, not very bitter, with a nice trail-off. 7.9

Jcoco (Seattle Chocolate Company) Nicaragua, Matagalpa 80% cacao

This bar has elevated bitterness due to its higher cacao content and this rolls into the long-lasting aftertaste. Faint cherry may be noticed, as well as a grapefruit element. 8.0

Ingredients: cacao nibs, cane sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin

Castronovo Belize Maya Mountain 70% cacao

Flavorful and sweet, as I have come to expect from well made Belize-origin chocolate. Flavors that come to mind are cherry, butterscotch, toast. Smooth aftertaste. Very nice! 9.8

Ingredients: cocoa beans, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*
*organic ingredients

I note that the label shows two awards for this bar from 2016 -- they have maintained excellent taste in the current edition.