What is Craft Chocolate?

The insert which came with the The Swedish Cacao Company Tanzania Kokoa Kamili 74% cacao bar reviewed earlier includes some useful notes about what craft chocolate is all about and how it differs from the mass-produced chocolate of which most of us are familiar.

Monsoon Tanzania Kokoa Kamili 77% cacao

This bar has a bracing, fruity punch, with raspberry and citrus notes. The cacao strength is high, so the bitterness level adds to the punch. There is a lengthy aftertaste which resolves with a memory of the fruit notes. 9.1

Ingredients: Cocoa Beans*, Cane Sugar*, Cocoa Butter*
* Certified Organic

monsoonchocolate.com

The Swedish Cacao Company Tanzania Kokoa Kamili 74% cacao

This is a bracing bar of chocolate. The label calls it "jammy," and I agree with that. There is a concord fruit flavor, and an edge of burnt sugar. There is some bitterness, but it is balanced and provides a nice aftertaste. 9.0

Ingredients: Cacao, cane sugar

$12 / 1.7 oz.

www.TheSwedishCacaoCompany.com

Inside the label is a lot of writing -- all in Swedish. Fortunately there is an English insert with some of the text, but if the rest of the writing needs to be translated, Google translate can assist. From the English insert is some good chocolate eating advice: "Good chocolate should be allowed to melt slowly in your mouth and allow it flavors to express itself in staged -- an open, a middle, and a finish. Natural flavors you would not expect will emerge. Go slow and enjoy!"

White Label Tanzania Kilombero 68% cacao

Gentle citrus flavors are noticeable in this bar, lime, possibly lemon. The flavors migrate to a caramel finish with low bitterness and smooth aftertaste. 9.4

Another tasty bar from Santa Cruz's White Label. The prior review was of White Label India Anamalai 74% cacao.

$10 / 2.3 oz

Letterpress Ghana Ashanti 70% cacao

This chocolate has a spicy edge to it, a little peppery. Also present is a mild coffee tinge, adding to a bitter undertone. Aftertaste is lengthy with the bitterness. 8.9

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

Price: $11 / 2.1oz 

Letterpress Jamaica Bachelor's Hall 70% cacao

This bar has a rich cacao flavor overlaid with caramel and toffee.  It has a fairly low bitterness with a clean aftertaste. 8.3

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

Price: $18 / 2.1oz

Letterpress Bolivia Tranquilidad 70% cacao

Fairly low bitterness to start, but the aftertaste echoes with a bitter note. Caramel texture and flavor is prominent, with some blueberry richness. 9.1

Ingredients: Cacao Beans, Unrefined Cane Sugar (Organic), Cocoa Butter (Organic)

Price: $18 / 2oz.

The label on the bar indicates that the cacao from this bar is heirloom, meaning is cacao is from "ancient and wild" varietals. This likely accounts for the higher price of this bar.

The mold has a nice design which uses the Letterpress logo.