Atelier Isabelle Costa Rica 71% cacao

Focusing first on the chocolate, this is a very well made bar that breaks with a crisp snap. There are earthy flavors at the forefront, with a modest level of bitterness. The aftertaste is nicely balanced and encourages further consumption (one taste and you cannot put it down). 8.4

Turning to the packaging itself, this is a beautifully wrapped bar, and makes a fine representative for my town, San Francisco. Alterlier Isabelle is a local chocolate manufacturer, though located in the east bay, not in The City itself. I purchased the bar at that stalwart San Francisco merchandiser, Gumps, $15 for a 3.5 ounce bar. A nice souvenir for a visit.

www.AtelierIsabelle.com

Flyer Very Dark

Rich cocoa flavor that complements a glass of Port nicely. Not complex, but delivers on the promise of a well-made bar of consumer chocolate. 7.0

www.flyercandybar.com

Maglio Peru Tingo Maria 65% Cacao

While the cocoa flavor is very assertive, there is a nice fruity background to this bar. A hint of pear and a dash of lemon come through. The aftertaste is mild, but rich. 8.1

The packaging for this bar is novel. It is a small 3 inch square package for a  50 gram (1.76 oz) bar. Just the right size to carry with you for a treat.

E. Guittard Venezuela Sur Del Lago 65% Cacao

Clean taste, very comfortable in the mouth. Nicely sweet, with a touch of cherry. Very short aftertaste. 7.7

It's been a while since I taste single-origin bars from E. Guittard. I previously tasted their Quevedo and Quetzalcoatl bars, but my ratings were single-digit then. I rated the latter a "7" and the former an "8". This bar fits within that range. Quite tasty, fine for everyday consumption!

Amedei Porcelana 70% Cacao

Dreamy. That was my first response when tasting this bar. Sweet and smooth, reminiscent of a Creamsicle® (though no orange flavor here). There is a background bitterness that does not interfere with the experience. The aftertaste rapidly falls off, but the dreamy memories persist. 9.5

I usually put the "notes from the label" as a comment to the review, but in this case the information about the special beans used with this bar is worth a mention here:

From the label:
"White, delicate and fine. Earning it the name Porcelana, it's a pure-bred "Criollo" cocoa, of which only 3000 kilos is made a year. Amedei has the honour of growing it, making it into an incredible flavour, among the most aromatic, well rounded and harmonious found in the book of chocolate."

Marcolini Carré2 Mexico Tabasco 72% Cacao

Nice flavor profile with cherry and raisin notes. There is moderate bitterness that supports those flavors, leading to a gentle but lasting aftertaste. 9.0

Marcolini Carré2 Brasil Bahia 78% Cacao

The bar has a bitter punch that takes no prisoners. The bitterness last long in the aftertaste. Flavors noticed include coffee and earth-tones (nuts and wood). Well made, but the bitter profile slides the bar off of my preferred rating scale. 6.8

www.marcolini-eboutique.com