The initial taste of this bar is fairly bitter. This follows from a roasted profile derived from a coffee taste and some charcoal. The aftertaste is of short duration as the bitterness tails off quickly. 8.9
Ingredients: Cacao beans*, cane sugar*, cocoa butter*
*Certified organic ingredient
The Chocolate Tree website has a post on their sourcing of this bar's cacao in Chililique: https://www.choctree.co.uk/360-peru-chililique-2018/
I previously reviewed this bar at Bar Au Chocolat Peru Marañón Canyon 70% cacao. I noted citrus notes then, which I might faintly taste here, but it is less noticeable.
The initial flavors noticed with this bar are fruity, bordering on juicy. Cherry and berry notes are out front, with some spice cake taste in the background. There is moderate bitterness and a comfortable aftertaste. 9.1
Ingredients: cocoa mass, organic cane sugar and cocoa butter
The label explains that the cacao for this bar is "wild foraged." A note inside the label says, "This is a chocolate bar made from the extremely rare cacao found only along the Juruá river located in the remote upper Amazon rainforest."
This bar has a smooth texture with moderate bitterness. There is a cherry note that is prominent, and a lemony citrus flavor undertone. The aftertaste is clean and moderate. 9.0
Ingredients: Cocoa nibs, cane sugar, cocoa butter
Warm and rich chocolate flavor, fairly fudgy in body. A hint of pine is in the background of the bar's earthy tones. The aftertaste is lengthy given the bar's rich flavor. 8.9
Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Cane Sugar*, Cacao Butter*
*Organic
The 2018 harvest is fairly bitter, with flavors of toffee and lemon curds. The aftertaste is lengthy, carrying on the bitter note. 8.4
The 2019 harvest with nutmeg fermentation is less bitter. The lemon flavor is stronger and it is accompanied by an element of cherry. The aftertaste is also less bitter, resulting in a shorter duration. 9.5
A sniff of this bar presents a fudgy aroma, though on tasting the flavors are more balanced. The primary note is earthy, tending towards woody. Underlying this is a spicy note, reminiscent of spike cake. 7.9
Ingredients: Cacao mass, cane sugar, cacao butter, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin)
The initial taste of this bar is bitter with a rich chocolate taste reminiscent of fudge. This contrasts with my previous experience with this bar from 2010: Amedei I Cru Jamaica 70% cacao I noted that the taste was not very bitter, "dark, but sweet." In this tasting the sweetness is minimal and the bitterness is prominent. I wonder whether the cacao changed or my taste has changed in the ensuing years. In the prior review I noted orange notes and almond flavor. I can taste some of both, but they are not prominent. I am also noticing some graininess in the texture of the bar as it melts. While my prior experience rated the bar higher, this experience does not rise to it. 7.6.
As you see in the prior post, I included a note from the label in the comments. This bar's label has the exact same note, mentioning citrus fruits, butter and fruit jams. The orange flavor I taste accounts for the cirtus flavor, which is still present. The bitterness, though, draws out a coffee note which I did not notice in the 2010 review.
But I wonder whether Amedei would consider updating the label if the bar's flavor notes have changed as significantly as my tasting indicates?
Ingredients: Cacao, Cane Sugar
This is a limited release bar, and the first I have tasted of theirs from Mexico.
This is the third harvest of the Mantuano, Venezeula cacao I have reviewed. This edition has a sharp, bitter taste on the front, with flavors of coffee and toast. There are some faint fruit notes, mostly deep cherry. The aftertaste is long given the bitter profile. 8.9
Previous tastes of this cacao on ChocoCheck from the prior harvests are Dandelion Venezuela Mantuano 70% cacao (2012 harvest) and Dandelion Venezuela Mantuano 2014 Harvest 70% cacao
The boldest flavor that this bar presents is a buttery caramel taste. This is backed by a fainter fig note. The bar's bitterness is moderate, and the aftertaste is clean and even. 8.9
Ingredients: Cacao mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin.
Ingredients: Lydgate Farms cacao beans, organic sugar, organic cocoa butter
The website has tasting notes for this bar, as well as other information about Lydgate Farms.
This bar has a smooth open with low bitterness. The flavors I taste are hazelnut and a faint butterscotch. Aftertaste is gentle with a short duration. 9.2
Original Beans added to its label a QR code to a page that provides details on the cacao which was harvested for this bar: beni.onebaronetree.org Also, the "foil" which is used to wrap the bar is made from wood and can be recycled or composted. Very innovative!
There is a brightness to this bar in its flavors and texture. A lemony citrus flavor stands out, along with a cherry taste with a rummy finish. The bitterness is moderate, and the aftertaste is gentle. 9.0
This bar appears to be identical to previously reviewed Original Beans Peru Piura Porcelana 75% cacao with different packaging. The taste is similar to what I reported in 2015, but my experience since then informs me that my rating should be higher than what I gave it then.
Ingredients: Organic Fair Trade Cacao, Organic Butter, Cocoa Butter
I have previously reviewed two other bars from Patty Pan: Patty Pan Cooperative Ecuador - Single Origin and Patty Pan Cooperative Haiti - Single Origin. I notice that this bar has a slightly upgraded label. Also there is none of the granular texture I noted in the Ecuador bar.
This bar includes an ingredient other than cocoa/cacao and sugar: soursop. I no longer review bars with added ingredients, but I did not realize that soursop was a fruit rather than a cacao origin. Nonetheless, this is a very flavorful bar and certainly worth a taste. I don't know how much of the fruitiness is derived from the soursop, which apparently has a citrus and pineapple flavor, but I taste citrus and some floral notes.
Ingredients: specialty cacao*, cane sugar*, pure cacao butter*, soursop* (7%)
* wild or all-natural farming!
The label does not mention the origin on the cacao in this bar, though it does say that all ingredients come from a single ecosystem, that surround the equator.
The linked Wikipedia article mentions "Soursop is widely promoted ... as an alternative cancer treatment, but there is no medical evidence it is effective for treating cancer or any disease." The label of this bar includes this note: "There are fruits, superfruits, and super mega fruits but they all bite the dust compared to soursop. ... Open your mouth and get ready to heal." This seems like an unnecessary pandering to chocolate consumers. The flavor of the bar is great, so there is no need to appeal to supposed health benefits.
Ingredients: Cocoa Beans, Cane Sugar, Cocoa Butter
Organic
The first taste is mild but dry. There are fruit flavors as well, cherry and berry. The dry profile adds a toasty aspect to the experience. Aftertaste is also mild and dry. 8.0
I tasted another Monsoon bar about a year ago: Monsoon Tanzania Kokoa Kamili 77% cacao It is a good read.
This bar is very rich in chocolate flavors. This, plus a bitterness which is a bit astringent, masks other flavors.The predominant note is earthy, but there is a toasty roasted flavor as well. 7.2
Ingredients: Organic Cocoa Beans, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Cocoa Butter
This chocolate maker has invested a lot of heart and thought into their label, both the outside and the inside. In addition to the story of the growers in Ghana and details on the cacao's growing environment, a summary of the bean to bar manufacturing process is included. Much of this information is also available on the website linked above.
Valrhona Les Grands Crus Manjari Fresh and Tangy 64% cacao
It has new packaging, but otherwise the taste is the same -- very fruity and flavorful. I rated that bar an "8" and now I will update the rating to 8.6.
You may notice that the label is discolored. This is not the fault of Valrhona. We have been wiping down the items we receive with alcohol, and that is causing some discoloration of the label for this bar and others. Hopefully we can stop doing that soon.
The review was fairly neutral on the bar, but Valrhona has repackaged the bar, so ten years later is a good time to take another look.
The taste experience has a gently, fruity start, with some sweet floral notes, perhaps orange blossom. The aftertaste is smooth with an unassuming finish. The bar is quite enjoyable. 8.3
The link above visits the "About Us" page of Mission Chocolate's webpage. The company makes its chocolate in Sao Paola, Brazil, but the chocolatier who created the bar has affiliation with our local craft chocolate maker, Dandelion Chocolate.
