Spinnaker Tanzania 70% cacao

I taste a panoply of flavors in this bar. The fruit notes are akin to apricots, the flower notes have jasmine fragrances, and the overall texture is buttery with a touch of toffee. 9.0

Mission Chocolate Brazil Amazonia 70% cacao

The bar initially impresses with its buttery texture and rich caramel notes. Subtle hints of dried fruit emerge next, followed by a delicate undercurrent of spice cake. 8.9

www.MissionChocolate.com

Sabadì Ecuador "Zucchero Mascobado" 70% cacao

The texture of this bar is quite grainy. The flavor palette is earthy, reminiscent of wood and burlap. The aftertaste develops some bitterness which persists the flavors.  6.5

sabadi.it

Ingredients: Cocoa mass (organic) -- Origin: Ecuador -- Variety: Nacional Fino de Aroma, raw Mascobado sugar from the Philippines. Cocoa 70% minimum.

The texture which I note above appears to come from the "Mascobado" (or Mascovado) sugar used in this bar.  An online note about this sugar reports that it is "unrefined cane sugar that still contains molasses, giving it a dark brown color and texture similar to that of wet sand." 

The other aspect of this bar which leads to the grainy texture is that it is made using the "Modica" process. This is a "cold" working process which does not raise the temperature above the point where the sugar crystals would dissolve. This process is named after a town in Sicily, where the maker of this bar is located.

Le Chocolat Dark Chocolate 85% cacao

On my recent trip to the Chicago area I spent time in nearby Naperville. The downtown has many shops and restaurants, and many people were enjoying them while I was there. One shop was a chocolate store, Le Chocolat. They specialize in treats made in their store, and have a cafe where you can enjoy them. They also sell the bar shown in this post. 

The bar did not have content or origin details other than "Imported Swiss." Due to the high cacao content the bar has some chalkiness, which is from the additional bitterness tasted in a high cacao bar. It may also have vanilla flavoring, so it will not be rated. I wanted to post the bar here due to the initiative of this chocolate store to create its own creations, including this bar.  Be sure to visit Le Chocolat when you next find yourself in Naperville.

Castronovo Peru Awajún 70% cacao

There is a burst of flavor from this bar. I taste apricot and plum, with a buttery finish. Aftertaste is clean and brief. 9.6

The label mentions that this bar is from "Awajún Women" and further explains on the back that in Peru the women generally "take care of farming, cooking and the children."

Fruition Madagascar Sambirano 74% cacao

This bar rises to the expectation I have for Madagascar cacao. It is balanced with excellent texture, fruit flavors, and clean finish. The fruit notes are citrus and berry. The aftertaste is clean and brief. 9.4

20/20 Venezuela Mantuano 72% cacao

There is bitterness from start to finish standing out from this bar. Its edge comes from a roasted dimension which is somewhat smokey. The aftertaste is lengthy and bitter. 6.9

www.2020chocolates.com