Review: Dick Taylor Madagascar

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker Dick Taylor bar Madagascar region Madagascar plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 57g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 72% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $7.50

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1431 Fudgesickle texture imprint, smooth, uneven sheen, bubbles aroma earth, roast, fruit, spice, dairy (cheese), acidic snap hard taste earth, fruit (citrus, lemon, berry, watermelon), roast (cocoa), acidic melt smooth length medium finish somewhat acidic, slightly sour

MORE RECENT REVIEW: Dick Taylor Madagascar Sambirano

U.S. chocolate makers Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor craft their bean to bar chocolate from only cacao beans and cane sugar. Dick Taylor currently makes four unflavored single origin chocolate bars: Belize, Bolivia, Dominican Republic, and Madagascar, as well as some flavored ones.

Madagascar contained 72% cacao beans and 28% cane sugar. Both ingredients were organic, though their bars are not certified. The cacao beans were sourced from Bertil Åkesson.

The bar came came wrapped in gold-sided foil inside an outer paper wrapper sealed on the back with a large product sticker. The best before date was September 2013.

Madagascar had a medium brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431) color. As you can see in the bar photo above, Dick Taylor has a beautifully detailed chocolate mold. The top surface was smooth, with an uneven sheen and several tiny bubbles. The snap was hard.

The aroma contained earth, roast, fruit, spice, and dairy scents. The dairy scent was suggestive of cheese. I also found the aroma acidic.

The chocolate started out tasting earthy, and then revealed a wonderful collection of fruit flavors: citrus, lemon, berry, and watermelon. A cocoa roast and acidity were present along with the bonanza of fruit.

The melt was smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted about 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a medium length. The finish was somewhat acidic and slightly sour.

You can purchase Madagascar for $7.50 directly from Dick Taylor, or for $7.95 from The Meadow.