Scharffen Berger Amina (Madagascar) 65% cacao

Tangy, almost spicy flavor on first taste. Smooth and clean finish. No bitterness, so the aftertaste falls off quickly. 7

Part of the Chocolate Maker's Series

Scharffen Berger Camahogne (Grenada) 68% cacao

A burst of fruit flavor on first taste. Memorable. Clean taste profile, with a minor amount of bitterness. Rating: 8

Part of the Chocolate Marker's Series

www.scharffenberger.com

Trader's Joe's Chocolate Palette: Papua New Guinea

Pure chocolate flavor, subtle hint of citrus. No bitterness, so there's no aftertaste to speak of. A good starter dark chocolate for milk chocolate lovers. 6

Trader's Joe's Chocolate Palette:Tanzania 73% Cocoa

Warm, smoky flavor, some nuttiness (hazelnut?). Some bitterness, but the right amount for the flavor to linger with you, not annoy you. 7

Trader's Joe's Chocolate Palette: Venezuela 70% Cocoa

Nice taste, flavorful. Mild fruit flavor, cherries mostly. 7

Trader Joe's Chocolate Palette

I've had not so wonderful results with previous Trader Joe's chocolates, but I was intrigued when I came across the "Chocolate Palette" at our local T.J.'s. Eight bars, all from different origins: Venezuela, Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, Dominican Republic, Peru, Ghana, Ecuador and São Tomé. The cocoa content ranges from 60% to 73%, so no extra-strong bars. I'll give each bar a taste and let you know what I find.

UPDATE:

Here are links to my reviews of each bar:

São Thomé

Ecuador

Ghana

Peru

Domincan Republic

Papua New Guinea

Tanzania

Venezuela

Tcho Dark Chocolate "Fruity" Peru 68% Cacao

More successful, I think, in achieving the "fruity" taste that identifies this bar. Kiwi fruit. Cherry. Maybe even pear. Nice flavor journey from beginning to end. No bitterness, but a memorable aftertaste. 8

www.tcho.com