SOMA Crazy 88 Dark Chocolate 88% cacao

This bar is quite bitter, as would be expected from an 88% cacao chocolate. It has a roasted profile, edging on charcoal. The aftertaste is persistent and continues as bitter. 8.4

Ingredients: Cacao nibs, Organic cane sugar

$13 / 2.3oz (65g)

When a chocolate maker includes their own tasting notes on the label, I usually include them as comments to the main post.  However, if the notes vary significantly from my experience of the bar, I include them in the main post with comments on how my experience differs.  For this bar, the notes are: "Tasting notes: black tea, balsamic vinegar, fresh cream, lemon, jasmine, apricot, toast." Quite a list!

My experience for these is:

• black tea: black tea can be fairly bitter, so I can see this as an element of the taste
• balsamic vinegar: this is also on the bitter side, but has a flavor dimension which I did not notice
• fresh cream: I had no experience of this with the bar
• lemon: this is also missing from my tasting
• jasmine: I consider this a floral note, and I did not notice any floral aspect to the bar
• apricot: this is a fruit note, and while I did not notice any fruitiness, apricot can have an edge which might pertain to this bar
• toast: if the toast was well toasted on the dark side then I would agree, given my charcoal comment

The label also notes the the cacao which makes up this bar comes from three origins: Hacienda Victoria in Ecuador, Ucayali in Peru and Canoabo in Venezuela.

The bar's mold is also worthy of a photo: