U. Chocolate Corp. - "Wild Experience" 85% Organic Tree-to-Bar Dark (bar) - Feb. 9, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

U. Chocolate Corp.
"Wild Experience" 85% Organic Tree-to-Bar Dark (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 15.8 oz. (450 g.) total variety pack of 5 flavors (10 bars)
Calories: 165 calories in 2/3 bar

Cost: $29.99 for 1 variety pack of 10 bars (2 each of 5 flavors)
Purchased from: U Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #11 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's "Wild Experience" 85% Organic, Premium Tree-to-Bar, Dark Chocolate (bar) from U. Chocolate Corp. (Orlando, FL) was made in Peru. It was one of five different bars (all featured this week) in a larger chocolate variety pack.

The company crafted these attractively packaged bars at their "...organic farm in the Amazonia with a selection of our fine aroma cocoa varieties..." The chocolate was "Grown, Harvested and Crafted with 100% plant-based ingredients by El Mejor Cacao del Mundo S.A.C. in our all-in-one facilities at Hacienda Umbelina, in the Peruvian Amazonia.")

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (bold, bittersweet ultra-dark chocolate torte topped with a wafer cookie) with very faint green botanical (almost green fig or green banana, but not quite); and well-managed, very diffuse fruit (red berry, nectarine). 

Texture: well-tempered (broke with a snap) with a thick, creamy smooth texture.

Flavor notes included: well-managed ultra-dark chocolate with very faint botanical, faint diffuse fruit (nectarine, cacao fruit pulp), faint ultra-dark cookie; almost undetectable spice (ginger); faint, fleeting earth (loam) and yogurt. And, at the very end of the finish there was a tiny blip of muted fruit (strawberry-mango). 

This was an enjoyable and thoughtfully managed ride. For some, any 85% dark craft chocolate may be wildly adventurous. For dark chocolate lovers, I found this well-managed Peruvian cacao bar more complex and interesting than many 85% dark bars.

What I liked about this "Wild Experience" dark chocolate: 1.) well-balanced, ultra-dark (85%) cacao complexity, from start to finish; 2.) part of a variety pack with unique (and rare) Peruvian single region cacao flavors--five bars, that could be tasted and compared side by side); and 3.) organic, gluten-free, single origin chocolate made with just two, high-quality ingredients.

Ingredients: "Cacao and coconut blossom sugar."

Allergen-related information: "Made Without Major Food Allergen Ingredients" 

    

U. Chocolate Corp. - " Intense Experience" 78% Organic Tree-to-Bar Dark (bar) - Feb. 8, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

U. Chocolate Corp.
"Intense Experience" 78% Organic Tree-to-Bar (bar)
Good ++ 
Weight: 1.58 oz. (45 g.) / 15.8 oz. (450 g.) total variety pack of 5 flavors (10 bars)

Calories: 163 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $29.99 for 1 variety pack of 10 bars (2 each of 5 flavors)
Purchased from: U Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's "Intense Experience" 78% Organic, Premium Tree-to-Bar, Dark Chocolate (bar) was made in Peru and distributed by U. Chocolate Corp. (Orlando, FL). It was part of a larger chocolate variety pack--one of five Peruvian (Amazonia) cacao U. Chocolate bars featured this week.

The bars were made that the company's "...organic farm in the Amazonia with a selection of our fine aroma cocoa varieties..." ("Grown, Harvested and Crafted with 100% plant-based ingredients by El Mejor Cacao del Mundo S.A.C. in our all-in-one facilities at Hacienda Umbelina, in the Peruvian Amazonia.")

Aroma notes included: subtle dark chocolate with faint, fleeting sweet green and cookie notes.

I half expected this "Intense Experience" bar to be a real fire breather from start to finish. It wasn't. But this was made with some very special, nuanced cacao from Peru. So what would it taste like?

The initial texture was creamy smooth, and the taste started with true dark chocolate-y notes...

What happened next reminded me of a rare tropical bird that appears in the sunlight for us to admire. It was that kind of experience. The flavors didn't bloom, they gently but powerfully unfolded; and then slowly disappeared back into the jungle.

Flavor notes included: dark chocolate (initial light, sweet green, shifting to more bold, with well-mannered, balanced bitter, earth and yogurt, as well as diffuse, softly undulating/blooming fruit (red berry, very faint almost-cherry, fine red wine). And at the very end of a relatively long finish: a little tropical fruit (mango).

What I liked about this chocolate: 1.) the balanced cacao complexity from the beginning to the last note in the finish; 2.) it was part of a variety pack with an authentic and interesting range of single origin cacao flavors from Peru--that allowed me to experience unique Amazonia cacao; and 3.) this organic, gluten-free chocolate offered a sophisticated, nuanced tasting experience with just two ingredients.

Ingredients: "Cacao and coconut blossom sugar."

Allergen-related information: "Made Without Major Food Allergen Ingredients" 

*The packaging for U. Chocolate's Amazonia variety pack (of 5 different bars) was beautiful. Images included tropical birds and rainforest foliage. I love beautiful birds, forests and great chocolate. When a tasting experience can conjure up all three for me, all the better.

   

U. Chocolate Corp. - "Ginger Experience" 72% Organic Tree-to-Bar Dark (bar) - Jan. 7, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

U. Chocolate Corp.
"Ginger Experience" 72% Organic Tree-to-Bar (bar)
Good ++ 

Weight: 1.58 oz. (45 g.) / 15.8 oz. (450 g.) total variety pack of 5 flavors (10 bars)
Calories: 257 calories in 1 bar

Cost: $29.99 for 1 variety pack of 10 bars (2 each of 5 flavors)
Purchased from: U Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's "Ginger Experience" 72% Organic, Premium Tree-to-Bar, Dark Chocolate (bar) from U. Chocolate Corp. (Orlando, FL), and was made in Peru. It was also part of a larger chocolate variety pack (box), and one of five Peruvian cacao bars featured this week.

The cacao used to make U Chocolate bars was crafted at the company's "organic farm in the Amazonia with a selection of...fine aroma cocoa varieties..." This bar was "Grown, Harvested and Crafted with 100% plant-based ingredients by El Mejor Cacao del Mundo S.A.C....at Hacienda Umbelina, in the Peruvian Amazonia.")

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate and spicy, authentic ginger, with very faint green floral (orchid); very faint, diffuse fruit (spiced pear); and faint, rich, dark chocolate gingerbread and/or dark chocolate ginger molasses cookies.

Texture: well-tempered (broke with a snap) and almost creamy smooth.

Flavor notes included: smooth but nuanced dark chocolate and (completely incorporated) ginger, with some faint, slightly green floral/botanical/ginger spice nuances. 

There was a very subtle, balanced, slight bitterness in this ginger + cacao blend that will appeal to some and not to others (those who aren't ginger fans perhaps). I enjoyed the full ginger experience.

What I liked about this attractively packaged 72% dark chocolate: 1.) high-quality blend of single origin dark chocolate and authentic ginger; 2.) part of a variety pack that let one appreciate the range of flavors from Peru and what different cacao varieties have to offer; and 3.) this flavorful (organic, gluten-free) chocolate was made with just three ingredients.

Ingredients: "Cacao and coconut blossom sugar and ginger."

Allergen-related information: "Made Without Major Food Allergen Ingredients" 

  

U. Chocolate Corp. - "Coffee Experience" 78% Organic Dark (bar) - Feb. 6, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

U. Chocolate Corp.
"Coffee Experience" - 78% Organic Tree-to-Bar (bar)
Good + - Good ++ 

Weight: 1.06 oz. (30 g.) / 15.8 oz. (450 g.) total variety pack of 5 flavors (10 bars)
Calories: 163 calories in 2/3 bar

Cost: $29.99 for 1 variety pack of 10 bars (2 each of 5 flavors)
Purchased from: U Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's "Coffee Experience" 78% Organic, Premium Tree-to-Bar, Dark Chocolate (bar) was made in Peru and distributed by U. Chocolate Corp. (Orlando, FL).* This was part of a larger (10-bar) chocolate variety pack that included four other Peruvian (Amazonia) cacao bars featured this week.**

The cacao used to make U Chocolate bars is crafted "at our organic farm in the Amazonia with a selection of our fine aroma cocoa varieties..." ("Grown, Harvested and Crafted with 100% plant-based ingredients by El Mejor Cacao del Mundo S.A.C. in our all-in-one facilities at Hacienda Umbelina, in the Peruvian Amazonia.")

Aroma notes included: dark chocolate (bold, spicy cacao), with initial pepper (green pepper, very faint pickled capers), faint coffee, and aromatic pipe tobacco notes. 

As with all five bars in this Amazonian variety pack, savor these chocolate(s) slowly, and leave freshly opened chocolates out to breathe, and re-taste them later, to enjoy intricate and often mellower and more delicate flavors. Unique (and balanced) vegetal notes (pepper, capers in today's bar) dissipated fairly quickly after opening, allowing other flavors to unfold (coffee, tropical fruit, spice and faint floral notes in today's bar).

Flavor notes included: bold dark and spicy 78% chocolate that was made darker with (fully incorporated) coffee, tobacco (pipe tobacco with very faint, fleeting, floral/inferred vanilla). Lighter flickers of spice (cardamom) and tropical fruit (banana, passion fruit) emerged after the package had been opened for several minutes.

This flavorful, bold chocolate reminded me of a smoky scotch whiskey. That doesn't mean it will automatically pair with a whiskey, but if I were going to investigate possible beverage pairings, I might start there. This would also make for one heckuva mocha. Hang on to your hat. 

What I liked about this attractively packaged 78% dark chocolate: 1.) bold flavors and complexity--that would make for interesting beverage and food pairings; 2.) it was part of a variety pack that contained an authentic and interesting range of single origin cacao flavors from Peru; and tasting all these bars side-by-side offers a unique opportunity to experience cacao varietal flavors; and 3.) this organic, gluten-free chocolate was made with just three ingredients.

Ingredients: "Cacao, coconut blossom sugar and coffee"

Allergen-related information: "Made Without Major Food Allergen Ingredients" 

*The "U" in U Chocolate stands for Ucayali. The company describes the Ucayali as "the river that waters our cacao farm, Hacienda Umbelina, the world's first tree-to-bar farm and factory."

** The U Chocolate Variety Pack included 2 each of five different bars (Aroma Experience, Coffee Experience, Ginger Experience, Intense Experience and Wild Experience). Each of these five "Experiences" contained two individually wrapped/sealed bars). Today's "Coffee Experience" contained two separate bars (each in a sealed inner wrapper). The packaging made it easier to share with others, or save a second bar for later.

 

Seattle Chocolate - jcoco - 85% Single Varietal Contamana Cacao Peruvian dark (bar) - Feb. 3, 2024

Chocolate of the Day

Seattle Chocolate Company
jcoco - 85% Single Varietal Contamana Cacao Peruvian dark (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: 1 oz. (28 g.) / 3 oz. (85 g.) in total package of 3 bars
Calories: 155 (estimate) calories in 1 small bar
Cost: $9.99 for 1 package of 3 smaller bars
Purchased from: Seattle Chocolate, online order 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Peru Theme Week.

Today's jcoco 85% Single Varietal Contamana Cacao Peruvian dark (bar) was from Seattle Chocolate Company, Inc. (Seattle, WA) and was one of three identical, individually-wrapped bars contained in an attractively blue-purple hued, larger package. 

The Contamana* variety cacao used to make this bar was from the central-southern area of Peru (Cuzco region) in Quillabamba, in a valley (not that far from Machu Picchu), known for "its unique fine aroma cacao trees."

Aroma notes for this chocolate included: dark chocolate (rich cocoa); faint (muffled) fruit (ripe blackberry); subtle, balanced and fleeting rich, loamy + peat/tannic earth; and very faint botanical.

Texture: This well-tempered bar broke with a snap. The texture was pleasing and creamy smooth with the exception of a few very tiny crunchy (nib) particles in one bite. There was also a very faint, fleeting and very well-balanced tannic astringency.

Flavor notes included: flavorful dark chocolate (dark cocoa) with subtle, complex fruit (dark/red berry, citrus (faint lime), tropical fruit: cacao pulp); very faint botanicals (light spice); and balanced earth/light tannins. The finish was light, lingering and clean, especially for an 85%er.

What I liked about this bar: 1.) opportunity to try a single region, single varietal (Contamana) Peru chocolate; 2.) relatively smooth and approachable 85% ultra-dark chocolate with complex, interesting and balanced aroma and flavor notes; 3.) the maker's choice of a low roast**; and 4.) attractive packaging + three smaller, individually-wrapped bars that made it easy to share with/gift to others.

Ingredients: cracked cacao beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin).

Allergen-related information: "This product is manufactured in a plant that processes milk, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg and wheat products."

*Contamana is a rare variety of cacao; and one of many varieties of cacao from South America (the birthplace of cacao). Just as there are many varieties of grapes used to make wine, there are many varieties of cacao that can be used to make chocolate.

**Maker's notes: "fermentation: 6 days; drying 5 days; roast: low"

 

Fresco - O'Payo Profundo Nicaragua 70% Recipe 271 - Medium Roast, Medium Conche (bar) - Oct. 5, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresco Artisan Chocolate

O'Payo Profundo Nicaragua 70% Recipe 271 - Medium Roast, Medium Conche (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: Part of a $57 chocolate tasting (that included 5 different bars)

Purchased from: Fresco Artisan Chocolate/Chocolopolis.com

Welcome to Day #4 of Fresco Chocolate Tasting Series (of five different bars), and Day #2 of Chocolate and Central America Theme Week.

Today's O'Payo* Profundo Nicaragua 70% Recipe 271 - Medium Roast, Medium Conche (bar) was made by Fresco Artisan Chocolate (Lynden, WA). 

This (Recipe 271) bar the second of three O'Payo Nicaragua 70% bars--each with different roast and conche profiles--featured this week. (All three were initially sampled, side-by-side, in a recent online Chocolopolis.com + Fresco chocolate tasting, 3 days ago.)

The subtle aroma notes of this bar included (in order of appearance) very faint balanced savory (lightly smoked sea salt); green (green tea, light seed and mild nut); very light, faint (diffuse) fruit; and faint tart-green notes.

The melt and mouthfeel for this (and, happily, almost all Fresco) chocolate were very satisfying: fudge-y, creamy smooth, almost buttery.

Flavor notes included (in order of appearance): bright, warm, tart-sweetness (tart sweet, uniform blend of peach, nectarine, ripe persimmon, kiwi), cream, intertwined with a strong through current of true dark chocolate (flavorful fudge brownie, dark chocolate torte with a tiny pinch of warm spice and coffee) and with fleeting very faint tart-green.

Maker's general tasting notes for this cacao: "...naturally occurring notes of spice, floral and nuts...incredibly flavorful..."

Ingredients: Organic cocoa beans, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter. organic cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Free from gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"

*O'Payo Profundo Nicaragua cacao  is "an organic fine cocoa variety (grown in) the Waslala municipality, within the Basawas Natural Reserve in the northern mountains of Nicaragua." (Fresco maker, Rob Anderson, also mentioned: "O'Payo is a farmer's name.") 

"Profundo" may refer the the relatively long fermentation time for this cacao. (Anderson also worked with producer Ingemann Fine Cocoa in Nicaragua to obtain these single origin cacao beans.)

 

Fresco - Madagascar 70% Recipe 290 Medium Roast, Medium Conche (bar) - Oct. 2, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresco Artisan Chocolate

Madagascar 70% Recipe 290 Medium Roast, Medium Conche (bar)

Good  ++ -  Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: (Part of a $57 chocolate tasting for 5 different bars)

Purchased from: Fresco Artisan Chocolate/Chocolopolis tasting, online order

Welcome to Day #2 in a series of five different single origin bars obtained as part of a New Origin Fresco Chocolate Tasting. (Thank you to Rob and Amy at Fresco Chocolate and Lauren Adler at Chocolopolis.com for the great remote tasting experience.)

Today's new Madagascar 70% (Batch 21-454) Medium Roast, Medium Conche* (bar) was made by Fresco Chocolate (Lynden, WA) . The beans used to make this bar were from the (Bertil) Akesson plantation in the Sambirano Valley of Madagascar--a region known for its flavorful cacao.

Aroma notes (in order of appearance) for this chocolate included faint green, floral, green stalks, a faint, flickering bitter dark chocolate note, bread and butter, cooked rice, diffuse faint fruit (peach, persimmon, lemon), brown sugar, and barely there tart green (oxalis). The texture and mouthfeel were very satisfying and buttery smooth.

Flavor notes included rich, sweet dark chocolate (dark chocolate torte), and, most significantly, a blooming of bright, tart fruit: a blend of sweet, round, white wine grape juice and golden raisin mixed with pink grapefruit and red berry. (Other fruit notes present in later re-tastings: cherry, orange, mango and ripe, sweet pineapple.) All these fruit notes presented a jump up from (contrast with) the relatively subdued aroma notes. 

Bright red berry and citrus notes are often associated with chocolate made with Madagascar cacao; but today's Fresco bar presented a festive yet sophisticated variation on this theme.

I enjoyed tasting this newly unveiled, rich, flavorful and well-executed dark chocolate bar from a company that recently celebrated receipt of their 50th International award for their chocolate.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Free from: gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"

*Conching follows the initial cacao grinding process. Fresco describes conching as "heat, motion, aeration and time producing chocolate's final flavor." The maker notes: "adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors."  (Thank you to Rob at Fresco for allowing us to experience this in your chocolate line-up, geared to edify even the most seasoned of chocolate palettes.) 

Fresco Chocolate - Chuao Venezuela 72% dark chocolate (bar) - Oct. 2, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresco Artisan Chocolate

Chuao Venezuela 72% Blended Roast, Subtle Conche dark chocolate (bar)

Good  ++ -  Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: (Part of a $57 chocolate tasting for 5 different bars)

Purchased from: Fresco Artisan Chocolate/Chocolopolis tasting, online order

Welcome to Day #1 in a series of five different single origin bars obtained from a New Origin Fresco Chocolate Tasting. (Thank you to Rob and Amy at Fresco Chocolate and Lauren Adler at Chocolopolis.com for the great remote tasting experience.)

Today's new Chuao Venezuela 72% (Batch 21-437) Blended Roast, Subtle Conche* (bar) was made by Fresco Chocolate (Lynden, WA) . The cacao used was from the Empresa Campesina de Chuao (workers co-op) in the remote and storied village of Chuao in northern Venezuela. 

Subtle aroma notes (in order of appearance) for this chocolate included faint fruit, green (oxalis (sour grass, wood sorrel), succulent), warm spice, brown sugar and molasses. The texture and mouthfeel were satisfying and smooth.

The choice of blending more than one roast profile ("blended roast") seemed to expand the dynamic range/depth in the taste and gave it a bit more punch along with a barely there hint of roasted coffee and nut. Flavor notes included rich, sweet dark chocolate (dark chocolate pudding, chocolate torte), bread, cream, faint fruit and nut, and a sustained course of true dark chocolate (deep, dark chocolate torte). This dark chocolate had a balanced tart, sweet fruit acidity (red berry, cherry) that lingered into a chocolate-y finish. 

This was a rich, flavorful and well-executed dark chocolate from a company that recently celebrated receipt of their 50th International award for their chocolate.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Free from: gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"

*Conching follows the initial cacao grinding process. Fresco describes conching as "heat, motion, aeration and time producing chocolate's final flavor." The maker notes: "adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors."  (Yes, and thank you for allowing us to experience this in your chocolate line-up geared to educate even the most seasoned of chocolate palettes.)

Fresco Chocolate - Ghana 68% Recipe 261 - Dark Roast, Medium Conche - Oct. 1, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresco Artisan Chocolate

Ghana 68% Recipe 261 - Dark Roast, Medium Conche dark chocolate (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 136.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $9.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and Ghana Week.

Today'a Ghana 68% (Recipe 261) Dark Roast, Medium Conche (bar) was made by Fresco Chocolate (Lynden, WA).

Fresco lets us discover why roasting, conche and other choices in chocolate-making really matter, by crafting single origin bars with different roast and conche* profiles. 

Why is Fresco different? Chocolate makers almost always document choices they make with each origin and batch of cacao beans, creating recipes in the process. Fresco goes one step further and shares their recipe numbers on their labels, and will offer two or three similar bars, but with slightly different recipes.

Bottom line, Fresco's bars (and their backstories) are designed to be compared relative to each other. And there's no better way to learn what you really like than from side-by-side tastings.

Today, I'm tasting and comparing a second Fresco Ghana 68% dark bar--this one with a darker roast and slightly longer conche time. 

Both yesterday's and today's bar had a subtle aroma. Yesterday's 68% bar had a faint chocolate, faint fruit (lingonberry and persimmon (yesterday)) and fleeting very faint spice notes. And the melt and mouthfeel for all three Fresco Ghana bars this week were very pleasing with a smooth and relatively buttery texture.

Today's (dark roast) chocolate's balanced, faintly bitter aroma (not present in yesterday's light roast sibling) seemed to dissipate slightly over time; and it seemed overall slightly nuttier (roasted nuts and a faint, fleeting raspberry note; although it seemed less sweet (bright/jammy) than yesterday's bar with the lighter roast and subtle conche.*

Flavor notes for this single-ingredient bar included (in order of appearance): rich, sweet dark chocolate (hot cocoa), bread and butter, and sustained of true chocolate (fudge, dark chocolate torte and frosting). This dark chocolate had a mild fruit acidity (sweet, tart red berry (red raspberry) that lingered a bit into a chocolate-y, clean mineral finish. 

Not everyone will prefer the same Fresco Ghana 68% cacao bar over the other. Both were well executed. And I feel sure that precise care was taken to optimize each recipe and each resulting bar. As is the case for most chocolates, try re-tasting (both bars) a few minutes and/or hours later, and you may also experience a subtle shift in which bar (or aspects of each bar) you like.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter

Allergen-related information: "Free from: gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"

*Conching follows the initial grinding process. Fresco describes conching as "heat, motion, aeration and time producing chocolate's final flavor." And the maker explains: "adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors."  

**Note: I could have placed the two Fresco Ghana 68% bar too close together. If so, there's a small possibility I got the two mixed up with regard to red fruit and nut notes. (Disclosure: I also had a dental health issue that could have influenced the ability to distinguish taste this week.) And, some chocolate flavor shape-shifting likely took place over the course of a day or two--something that has been known to happen either after chocolate has been opened/exposed to air, or over time (as the chocolate or my palette changes, e.g. if I eat or drink something. 

Fresco Chocolate - Ghana 100% dark chocolate (bar) - Sept. 29, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Fresco Artisan Chocolate

Ghana 100% light roast, subtle conche dark chocolate (bar)

Good ++ - Good +++

Weight: .9 oz. (25 g.) / 1.8 oz. (50 g.) in total bar

Calories: 127.5 calories in 1/2 bar

Cost: $13.00 (+ summer shipping) for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Ghana Week.

Today'a Ghana 100% (Recipe 235) Light Roast, Subtle Conche (bar) was made by Fresco Artisan Chocolate (Lynden, WA).

The company's single origin, bean-to-bar chocolate bars demonstrate precisely why and how choices made in chocolate making process matter. You can taste what different roasting and conching* choices/profiles taste like in finished form.

It's easy to assemble "flights" of Fresco bars (e.g. with the same cacao origin(s) but different roast and conche choices), and taste them side-by-side to compare the differences between light or dark roast, and subtle vs. long conching. (Today's bar is the first of three Fresco Ghana bars featured this week.)

The aroma notes for this 100% bar included (in order of appearance) dark chocolate with subtle tangy, sweet acidic green and fruit (dried persimmon), yeast bread and dark chocolate with a faint bitterness.

The melt and mouthfeel were buttery smooth.

Flavor notes for this single-ingredient bar were lovely, and included: beer (porter, stout), bread and butter, and rich, buttery (there's that word again), luscious fudge-y, dark chocolate with relatively mild acidity and relatively low bitterness** for an ultra-dark bar.

While I didn't have a comparable Fresco 100% Ghana bar with another roasting choice, I did really like this "light roast" choice with this particular cacao. A heavier roast might have resulted in the loss of some more delicate notes.

The taste of this wonderful 100% cacao bar was very satisfying; so make sure to savor it slowly.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans

Allergen-related information: "Free from: gluten, dairy, nuts, soy"

*Conching follows the initial grinding of cacao. Fresco describes conching as "heat, motion, aeration and time producing chocolate's final flavor." As with roasting (and most other steps in chocolate making), conching requires great attention to detail. And "adjusting these variables can produce dramatically different flavors."

**Bitterness is a result of several factors including the variety of cacao used (even the soil where the cacao was grown at times), fermentation, and roasting. Over-roasting cacao can lead to a bitter taste-- especially if more volatile fruity, nutty, green and floral notes that might have helped keep the flavor more balanced are "burned" off in the roasting process.

Solstice Chocolate - Madagascar 70% Sambirano (bar) - Mar. 17, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Solstice Chocolate, Inc.
Madagascar 70% Sambirano (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.15 oz. (32.5 g.) / 2.3 oz. (65 g.) in total bar
Calories: 155 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.00 (+ shipping) for 1 bar
Purchased from: Solstice Chocolate, online order

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's gluten-free, vegan Madagascar 70% Sambirano (bar) was from Solstice Chocolate, Inc. (Salt Lake City, UT).

The cacao that the Solstice team used to make this bar came from the Bejofo Estate, an organic cacao plantation in the Sambirano Valley in northwest Madagascar. The maker's description: "...Cacao grown here has notes of citrus and berries, which gives our chocolate its bright, fruity quality." 

This region and this cacao flavor profile will sound familiar to those who have been reading about other Madagascar bars featured this week.

Today's three-ingredient* Solstice dark bar had an aroma with bright, warm chocolate notes: grape/raisin, brown sugar/light caramel, rum when the sealed package was first opened. (After being opened for an hour, there was a slight shift that included mild red berry (goji berry) and light, fragrant oolong tea notes.)

The texture was smooth, with an almost creamy mouthfeel. 

The flavor overall was full of the expected tart, tangy-sweet, acidic fruit (Vitamin C) brightness that one often finds with Madagascar single origin bars. The sunny, natural sweetness lingered, along with cream and very faint earth notes, into the finish. 

As noted with some other 70%+ cacao Madagascar bars this week, this characteristic bright,  fruity sweet, warm flavor profile may fool you into thinking you're eating a chocolate with more sugar (that is, a 60% or 65% cacao bar). I even found myself double checking the packaging. (Yes, it did contain 70% cacao.)

*Ingredients: "Cacao bean, organic cane sugar, cocoa butter"

Slitti - Madagascar 75% Cacao Fine Selection (bar) - Mar. 16, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Slitti
Madagascar 75% Cacao Fine Selection (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) / 1.76 oz. (50 g.) in total bar
Calories: 142.5 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $6.95 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Chocosphere.com, online order 

Welcome to Day #5 of Chocolate and Madagascar Theme Week.

Today's Madagascar 75% Cacao Fine Selection (bar) was made in Italy by Slitti Cacao Pregiati (Monsummano Terme, Tuscany, Italy).

Most dark chocolate bars I've tasted from Italy (and other countries) have uniform, almost bland, roasted dark chocolate flavor. This is the understandable result when taking high volumes of different cacao(s) from different places (often West Africa), with the goal of blending them into one consistent flavor profile over time. Some bars have some added vanilla, adding a little lift. But, the bars are fairly predictable. So I was curious to see what this single origin Madagascar bar might taste like.

This gluten-free chocolate began with an aroma of uniform baked fudge brownie and chocolate cake...what I'd normally expect.

But then this classic chocolate aroma was quickly joined by some welcome complexity: balanced fermenting cacao fruit (sweet vinegar, brown sugar, fruit (peaches, plums, apricots, cacao pulp)); warm spice (cinnamon); very faint, fleeting green floral (imagined vanilla) and baked sweet bread notes. 

The shift--from a scent with uniform chocolate brownie/chocolate cake to one with more noticeable fruit nuances--evolved over a minute or two, after the inner, sealed packaging was opened. 

The fruit notes were within the range I associate with Madagascar (Sambirano Valley) cacao-based chocolate(s). (Madagascar cacao is often described as having tart-sweet citrus fruit and berry notes, but may also include concentrated/dried stone fruits such as peach, nectarine, plum, and apricot notes, depending on the cacao varieties and fermentation techniques used.)

In fact, I found myself anticipating tart fruit notes the minute I opened this dark bar, so perhaps I was bound to find them. (This is why blind, side-by-side chocolate tastings can be more enlightening; they help reduce biases we all have--even though these same expectations, based on memories, also make us smile as we encounter "old friends" in tasting experiences.)

The flavor of this bar was uniform, roasted, smooth dark chocolate, with a touch of fruit acidity--initially less citrus (orange/tangerine) and more stewed stone fruits mentioned above with a few red currants popped in for good measure. On the third time I re-tasted this bar there was also a very faint, fleeting dark chocolate + spice/herb note (caraway, rye bread) note.

The chocolate was low in bitterness. It was relatively sweet for a 75% cacao chocolate; but some of that perceived sweetness likely came from natural fruit flavor from the cacao itself. And this chocolate had a clean, subtle chocolate-y finish.

Ingredients: "Cocoa mass Madagascar (Sambirano), sugar, cocoa butter (6%). (Cocoa min. 75%)"

A. Morin - Java Arjuna 70% Noir (Dark) (bar) - Jan. 4, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

SAS Chocolaterie A. Morin 
Java Arjuna 70% Noir (Dark) bar
Good + - Good ++
Weight: 1.76 oz. (50 g.) / 3.52 oz. (100 g.) in total bar
Calories: 292 calories in 1/2 bar
Cost: $9.80 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands Week. This extended edition 10-day "week" is ending with two days of cacao origins from further West--where the Pacific Ocean flows into the Indian Ocean.

Indonesia--an island archipelago made up of 17,000+ islands (approximately 6,000 of which are inhabited)--is one of the top cacao producing regions in the world. Cacao is cultivated on several of the larger islands/countries, namely Sulawesi, North Sumatra, Java, Papua, and East Kalimantan. That said, few people in the U.S. have had access to a large number of single origin bars from these islands. 

Java is the most densely populated island in Indonesia, but there is still room for crops like: palm, coconut, rice, coffee, tea, spices (e.g. ginger), sugar, cocoa and other fruits and vegetables.

Today's Java Arjuna 70% Noir (Dark) bar was made by SAS Chocolaterie A. Morin (Donzere, France)--a bean-to-bar/artisanal chocolate company since 1958, with family origins dating back to 1884. 

I'm guessing the cacao used to make this chocolate was grown either near Arjuna* (aka Arjuno) the name of a volcanic mountain in eastern Java; or closer to the Arjuna temple complex in Central Java. 

Aroma and flavor notes for this polite, but intriguingly complex, 70% chocolate included such a huge range of aroma and flavor notes over the course of a few hours, it was hard to believe. Notes included: wood, faint savory/umami (light mushroom soup gently simmering over a wood stove with buttered toast/popcorn), very faint barn yard/saddle leather, gently roasted seed/mild nut notes, cocoa, and very faint fruit (mild red apple, dried apricot, light lemonade) and spice (the almost invisible smell of freshly baked banana spice bread with ginger, cinnamon and lemongrass). The was an ultra-faint oxidized note very late in the finish.

With each taste, the flavors shifted a bit, revealing a new facet with every bite. Very few chocolate bars are able to conjure up the breadth of aromas and flavors, or can manage this many shifts, in the way this Java bar did.** There were no strong or "off" notes during the entire tasting arc, just more flavors appearing and sharing the stage with each bite. Magic.

The texture was even and smooth, with a very mild astringency. 

Tasting notes from the maker: "This chocolate stands out with woody aromas. Gently smoky, it releases notes of nuts and spices..." (These) "aromas reflect our emotions while tasting this chocolate but they should not prevail over the ones you experience."

Tasting notes on the Bar and Cocoa site read as follows: "This chocolate is distinguished by woody aromas. Slightly smoked, it has some notes of dried fruits and spices. Java cocoa has a large percentage of Criollo..." (Note: Criollo is a cacao variety, heritage (variety) prized for its mild, but complex, delicate and sophisticated flavors.) 

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, sunflower lecithin. 

*According to the Ancient History Encyclopedia: "Arjuna (also given as Arjun) is the great hero of the Indian epic Mahabharata and the philosophical-religious dialogue Bhagavad Gita. His name means "shining", "silver" and similar terms relating to brightness...Arjuna represents the best aspects of humanity: Courage, Strength, and Humility." (It is not an uncommon name in Java.)

**The other notable "shape-shifter" bar in the past year that rivaled this Java bar's layered tasting experience was a delicious Venezuela Porcelana 70% Chocolate bar crafted by William Marx of Wm. Chocolate (Madison, WI). 

Firetree Chocolate - PNG Karkar 72% Cocoa (bar) - Jan. 3, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Single Estate Papua New Guinea Karkar 72% Cocoa (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 141 kcals (calories) in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #9 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands.

Today's Single Estate Papua New Guinea Karkar 72% Cocoa (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K.).

This chocolate had an aroma with strong dark chocolate, balanced loamy earth, earthy nut, umami, and wood notes. The melt, texture and mouthfeel were smooth and even.

Flavor notes included dark, sweet fruit (prunes and dark, ripe black cherry) with a balanced acidity. This satisfying deep, dark chocolate had even, slight earthy nut/umami notes. These flavors fused and receded into a smooth, rich dark chocolate finish.

The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "Walnut and wild mushroom yield to intense cocoa, ending with truffles. To enjoy fully, take time to let the flavours develop on the palate."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin.

 

Firetree Chocolate - Melekula Island (Vanuatu) 72% (bar) - Jan. 2, 2021

Chocolate of the Day 

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Melekula Island (Vanuatu) 72% (bar)
Good ++ - Good +++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 141 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 (mini) bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #8 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands.

Today's Melekula Island (Vanuatu) 72% (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K). 

This bar had an aroma with bold dark, roasted chocolate and bright (dare I say fiery?) fruit notes. 

The flavor was similar to the aroma--a clearer and stronger version of the above with fruit notes included sweet lemon, barbequed tart berry/cherry, broiled pink/red sweet grapefruit, and roasted strawberry.* The chocolate had an unapologetic roasted, almost smokey flavor with a fleeting hint of balanced, ultra-dark earthiness. 

I loved this bar. What well-executed and bold fun. The black and hot lava-colored packaging perfectly suited the chocolate inside. 

This would make a good addition to an ultra-dark chocolate tasting flight...It reminded me of  good smokey, peaty Scotch whiskey, although if you paired these two dragons (this whiskey and this chocolate) together you might get a flavor fight, or you might get transcendence. One never knows. I wish I'd ordered the full size of this bar to conduct this experiment (and pairing it with different spirits). But alas this chocolate, fully enjoyed on its own merits, magically disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Maker's tasting notes read: "Cherry, Soft Lemon and White Grape aromas give an essence of lush fruit.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier (sunflower lecithin).

*By the way, if you haven't tried "hot" fruits this winter (or ever before), I'd recommend doing so. Broiled grapefruit with a sprinkle of cinnamon can be quite good--as can roasted strawberries or grapes, and grilled or flambeed bananas. A nice, spiced hot fruit compote is warming on a cold day as well. 

Firetree Chocolate - Solomon Islands Makira Island 75% (bar) - Jan. 1, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Solomon Islands Makira Island 75% Cacao (bar)
Good + - Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 138 calories in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 (mini) bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #7 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands, and Happy New Year!

Today's Single Estate Makira Island (Solomon Islands) 75% Cacao (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K.).

The company's packaging depicts swirling, hot lava-like colors, captured on a stark, elegant black background, and color icons from this palette are used to depict flavor elements.

This bar had an aroma with chocolate with fruit acidity (citrus, red fruit) notes. The flavor was similar with more "detailed"acidic fruit flavors: pink/red grapefruit, tart berries (cranberries, blackberry), dried plum and a tasty, fleeting true, deep chocoatey note (baked brownies, chocolate confections). 

The true chocolate note became more accessible (as the initial fruit acidity mellowed a bit) in the latter half of the tasting curve; and this rich chocolate note lingered into the finish. There was also a very faint oxidized, fermented note blend in the second half, but it was not off-putting. I enjoyed the choice of 75% cacao (i.e. a bit more cacao and less sugar over a typical 70% chocolate*), that resulted a bit bolder flavor profile.

The maker's tasting notes read as follows: "Soft grapefruit and raisin tones married with rich caramel. To enjoy fully, take time to let the flavours develop on the palate."

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin. (This bar was dairy free, made in a nut free factory, Kosher, Halal, (and) suitable for vegans.)

*Is 70% the ideal percentage (of cacao) for dark chocolate?

Before the craft chocolate wave in the U.S. took hold in the 1990s with cacao content percentages prominently displayed on labels, chocolate lovers were not looking as carefully at the percentage of cacao in their chocolate. The choices for "dark chocolate" were often blends of different cacaos to create products with very smooth (or flattened) flavor curves. Most commercial/bulk dark chocolates did not reach the 70% cacao content mark, meaning they were more than 30% sugar. Chocolate was sweeter and less flavorful--in a word, candy. 

As chocolate makers began offering more dark chocolates with unique flavors linked with smaller batch cacao origins, chocolate lovers started to learn more about cacao content. The new default/ideal percent of cacao in a dark chocolate bar was now thought be 70% cacao (with "only" 30% sugar). 

And, much like what happened with craft beer, coffee and other foods and beverages, things evolved in "dark" chocolate. Chocolatiers and consumers appreciated how different cacao varieties, and their countries of origin, created unique and appealing flavors. This made boosting percentages of cacao beyond that 70% mark more viable. Makers found that 70% cacao was no longer the upper limit for many consumers, especially if they could gain access to truly great cacao beans. 

Consumers started to have many more single origin, high-end, small-batch chocolate choices from a growing number of artisan chocolate makers--allowing us consumers to experience more individual cacao flavor nuances and complexities that had not been possible with high-volume and/or highly processed chocolate blends (made from commodity cacao from hundreds of small, subsistence farmers located around the globe). In the high-volume world, consistency required some trade-offs with flavor. No wonder higher percentage, 70% cacao chocolate required some marketing initially.

Happily, today, 70% is just a starting point for experimentation now and not a blind requirement. And there is not as much discussion/confusion about percentages. We've made the leap to the new dark frontiers. Skilled makers are creating the optimum chocolate bar(s), which may or may not be 70% cacao, based on what will create the best results for a given batch of cacao, and what their customers will buy. Some cacao beans might make a great 80% bar, and others a 69% bar. Some 70% chocolates will taste too sweet, others too dark. And that is a wonderful thing.

 

Firetree Chocolate - Solomon Islands Guadalcanal 69% Cacao (bar) - Dec. 31, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree Chocolate
Solomon Islands Guadalcanal 69% Cacao (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 140 kcals (calories) in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 mini bar 
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #6 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands.

Today's Guadalcanal 69% (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate (Peterborough, U.K.). The company produces "rich volcanic chocolate" (bars) made from cacao grown on Pacific islands.

The volcanic theme (carried over into Firetree's striking black and lava-like colors in their packaging) refers not only to the islands' geological origins, but also to the rich, volcanic soil where the cacao trees grow. 

Today's Single Estate 69% Guadalcanal (Solomon Islands) bar had a relatively subdued, but still rich aroma, with notes of dark chocolate (bold, medium acidity) and fruit (plum). 

The texture of this chocolate was smooth and even.

The flavor was true to the aroma with similar flavor notes: bold but well balanced, roasted cacao with medium-acidity (often identified as "citrus"), fruit with plum and red fruit (pomegranate, red apple) and very faint flickers of spice (cinnamon).

The maker's "taste notes" read as follows: "red fruit, citrus, plum" -- signified with red, yellow and purple color icons, respectively, on the packaging.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, unrefined sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin. (Those with food sensitivities may be happy to read that this bar was dairy free and made in a nut-free factory.)

Firetree Chocolate - Guadacanal 100% (bar) - Dec. 30, 2020

Chocolate of the Day

Firetree Chocolate Limited
Guadalcanal 100% (bar)
Good ++
Weight: .88 oz. (25 g.) in total bar
Calories: 150 kcals (calories) in 1 bar
Cost: $4.00 for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order 

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands.

Today's Guadalcanal 100% (bar) was from Firetree Chocolate Limited (Peterborough, U.K.). 

The company name, firetree, was inspired by the volcanic nature (and rich, dark soils) of the Pacific Islands, and the cacao trees that grow there...with pods/fruits covered in bright, fiery colors.* This inspiration carried over to the attractive packaging for their line of bars--black with a contrasting field of bright, swirling hot lava-like colors. (Although the packaging for today's 100% cacao bar was all black.)

This 100% bar had balanced, true chocolate, faint fruit (light citrus, light berry-plum), faint seed/nut, and faint sweet aroma notes. 

Yes, but would the taste reflect the same sweetness perceived in the aroma? Or would it take a turn to the dark (unsweetened) side on the taste buds?

Amazing. The slight sweetness remained although it faded very gradually. This was a very polite and sophisticated 100% ultra-dark bar, with slightly muted flavors (nothing spiky) that lingered with a relatively light, balanced bitterness that extended into the finish. (If you're a chocolate lover who is wanting to cut out sugar, this would be a good chocolate to evaluate as part of a 100% bar (tasting) flight.)

I am not sure how the cocoa mass used to make this single-ingredient** bar was fermented or processed, but the resulting chocolate was very approachable.

This bar also had a creamy smooth, almost nut butter-like texture--putting this chocolate even higher on the "friendly" end of the scale for an ultra-dark bar. ("Ferocious" might be at the opposite end of this same scale. Although many wild beasts can be lovable as well.)

* The swirl of color(s) used on the packaging of other Firetree bars are functional as well as beautiful. They're designed to reflect the maker's tasting notes. E.g. a pattern of color with yellow might reflect "citrus" notes in the specific chocolate inside. But, I will include more about this as I feature more Firetree bars this week.

**Ingredients: Cacao mass (100% minimum cacao solids)

Metiisto Chocolate - Patovaki 72% Dark (bar) - Dec. 28, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Metiisto Chocolate
Patovaki 72% Dark (bar)
Good - Good +
Weight: 1.325 oz. (37.5 g.) / 2.65? oz. (75 g.) in total bar
Calories: 204 calories (estimate per label) in 1/2 bar
Cost: $10.00 + shipping for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #3 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands Theme Week.

Today's Patovaki 72% Dark (bar) was made with cacao grown, fermented and sun-dried by Kenny Patovaki on the small island of Paspaskato (Solomon Islands), and made into chocolate by Metiisto Artisan Chocolate (Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia).

Metiisto ("craftsman" in English) got its start in Sweden in 2011-2012, and the small operation relocated to Australia in 2018. (Chief chocolate maker, Trevor Smith, grew up in Alice Springs in Central Australia and his background included being a panel beater.*) The company is applying "old world" chocolate making techniques and "new world ideas" to craft chocolate. 

This chocolate had a relatively mild chocolate aroma with paper/malty cereal box (oxidized) and very faint fruit (citrus) and green notes. 

The bar broke with a well-tempered snap and had a smooth, almost creamy melt and mouthfeel.

The chocolate had a notable, but nicely harnessed tart fruit acidity (pink grapefruit) and relatively mellow true chocolate notes. The "oxidized" (paper/cereal box) note re-appeared very briefly in the finish.

The choice of a 72% cacao blend worked. There was still quite a bit of natural, tart-sweetness. Adding even 2 percent more sugar (i.e. choosing to make this a 70% version) might have resulted in a bar that was too sugary sweet.

Ingredients: Cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter.

*A panel beater is someone who repairs cars. (Think about how you might go about fixing dents and dings in crumpled sheets of metal.)

 

Atypic Chocolate - 70% Dark Chocolate Solomon Islands (bar) - Dec. 27, 2021

Chocolate of the Day

Atypic Chocolate

70% Dark Chocolate Solomon Islands (bar)

Good +

Weight: 1.235 oz. (35 g.) / 2.47 oz. (70 g.) in total bar
Calories: 165 calories (estim. per label) in 1 bar
Cost: $10.00 + shipping for 1 bar
Purchased from: Bar and Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #2 of Chocolate and South Pacific Islands Theme Week. 

Many of the bars this week, including today's 70% bar, were made from cacao grown in the Solomon Islands--a country that includes six larger islands (e.g. Guadalcanal) and hundreds of smaller islands. This island nation is part of a larger (cacao-growing) island chain that extends up (northwest) to Papua New Guinea and down (southeast) to Vanuatu. The history of cacao planting in the Solomon Islands stretches back to the late 1800s.

Today's 70% Dark Chocolate Solomon Islands (bar) was from Atypic Chocolate/Atypic Artiste Chocolatier (made in South Melbourne Market, VIC, Australia). The company sources sustainably farmed cacao beans "from all over the South Pacific..." and carefully crafts single origin, island nation bars, each with its own flavor nuances.

This bar had an aroma with a green (orchid) floral note, followed by the faint possibility of a bitter dark chocolate, and then a warmer, roasted nutty/nut butter aroma note.

The flavor had a chocolatey flavor with nutty and then bright, sweet (sweet-tart apple jelly) notes. The flavor was more sweet than bitter; and the sweetness lingered into the finish.

Maker's notes read: "Our 70% dark chocolate is made with beans from the heart of the Solomon Islands, with notes of honey, malt and caramel."

Ingredients: Cacao beans, organic cane sugar, cacao butter, sunflower lecithin.