Azú Chocolate Venezuela Chuao 60% cacao

There is a rough texture to this bar, possibly from sugar crystals. The taste has fruity and buttery components. The former hints at red fruit and balsamic, while the latter speaks to a toffee touch. The sweetness lingers into the aftertaste, which is fairly lengthy. 7.8

There is no website for the maker listed on the label of this bar. Instead, a search turned up their Instagram page: 

(@azu.chocolate) • Instagram

NearyNógs Madagascar Sambirano 65% cacao

The first impression of this bar is fudginess. Next comes a slight licorice note, followed by a stronger butterscotch taste. This taste follows through to the aftertaste, which is lingering. 9.1

Two and a half years after my prior review of this bar (Nearynogs Madagascar Sambirano 65% cacao) my impressions are quite different. Also different is the packaging, which no longer destroys the labeling when opened, but has reduced the product details shared by the maker. The tasting notes on the new label are similar to the prior version.

Gualala Sports & Tackle Wild Gualala Dark Choclate Huckleberry Bar

This novelty bar is sold at Gualala Sports & Tackle, a store in the town near The Sea Ranch where we are currently staying. This is no single-origin bar with simple ingredients (cacao and sugar). However as a "local" product I wanted to give it a taste. 

The bar is thick, over 1/2 inch, making breaking it into pieces difficult. The bar has is a huckleberry flavor, but the chocolate dominates. 

It is a lot of bar for the buck: $6.99 for 4.5 ounces. The only indication of who made this bar is a note that says "Made for Gualala Sports & Tackle." There is no indication as to the percentage of cacao in the bar. Here are the ingredients:

Dark Chocolate (sugar, palm kernel oil, hydrogenated palm oil, cocoa (processed with alkali), non fat milk, soy lecithin, artificial flavors), and huckleberry oil (soy bean).

Some questions follow: why does the huckleberry oil have a "(soy bean)" modifier? Why is there non-fat milk in their dark chocolate? Why is sugar and palm oil ahead of cocoa in the ingredients list (listing should be ordered with the larger percentage ingredients first)?

The store has a variety of sports items, gifts, some crafts items and a stand full of huckleberry items, including jam and syrup.  It is worth a visit for these items or to buy a Gualala postcard or T-shirt.

Mānoa Hawaii Mililani 70% cacao

The taste of toffee is underscored by an earthy, leathery flavor. The aftertaste is driven by the bar's rich chocolate profile, fading into a sweet finish. 8.8

Bar Au Chocolat Tanzania Kilombero Valley 73% cacao

This bar has a rich and fudgy profile, wrapping around a taste of cooked chocolate pudding. Some buttery notes can be found as a malt flavor.  The aftertaste is robust but not very bitter. 9.3

The wrapper is artistic -- for additional notes on this styling see Bar Au Chocolat Madagascar Ambanja 72% cacao. 

Note that the sugar used with the bar is maple sugar. I did not detect any maple flavor in the bar.

 

Amedei Nove (blend: Venezeula, Ghana, Madagascar) 75% cacao

The noticeable flavor notes of this bar are a buttery caramel and a smoky roasted aspect. The experience is smooth and even, not greatly bitter. Also present is a faint plum and rum raisin flavor. The aftertaste continues the mix of flavors with the rich chocolate foundation most present. 9.2

Unlike most other bars reviewed on ChocoCheck, this bar is a blend of nine plantations across the world, from Venezuela, Ghana and Madagascar. Included inside of the wrapper is a map showing this and the distribution of cacao types included in the bar.

 

Aroko Venezuela Ocumare 74% cacao

There is an earthiness apparent with this bar, with tobacco and straw aspects. A slightly smoky and toasty dimension develops with time. The aftertaste is moderate and tapers gradually to a clean finish. 8.9

www.arokochocolate.com