Review: Amedei Toscano Black 66

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Amedei bar Toscano Black 66 region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees Criollo, Trinitario year (unknown) size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 66% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, scoring, text imprints, uneven sheen, tiny bubbles aroma roast (cocoa, tobacco, malt), earth, wood, sweet snap medium hard taste roast (burnt, coffee), sweet (honey, molasses), fruit (berry), wood, dairy (butter) melt more smooth length medium finish tannin, sour, slightly bitter, slightly acidic

This is another bar in Amedei's Toscano Black line, made using blends of Criollo and Trinitario cacao beans from plantations with which Amedei has exclusive relationships. Others in the line include Toscano Black 63 and Toscano Black 70.

Toscano Black 66 was made from cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla, with a total of 66% cocoa solids. The 50 gram bar came scored into 10 pieces, each with a text imprint and some parallel lines. It came sealed in yellow-sided silver foil inside a textured green paper envelope. The best before date was 30 December 2012.

The chocolate had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface was smooth, but had an uneven sheen and some tiny bubbles. The bar had a medium hard snap.

The aroma contained an interesting roast, a blend of cocoa, tobacco, and malt. Earth, wood, and sweet scents were also present.

The roast in the aroma transformed in the taste to that of burnt and coffee flavors. 66 was sweet, with both honey and molasses. There was a berry fruit I didn't identify more specifically, along with woodiness, and a dairy flavor that tasted like butter to me.

This chocolate had a melt that was more smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted about 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving 66 a medium length. The finish was tannin and sour, with slight bitterness and acidity.

Overall, Toscano Black 66 had the potential to be a very good chocolate, but with its unpleasant aftertaste, I rated this release to be a 6.5, closer to 70 than the marvelous 63 we reviewed last year.

You can purchase Amedei Toscano Black 66 online for $6.99 in the U.S. from Chocolopolis, or for £3.95 in the U.K. from Chocolate Trading Co.