Good Food Awards for Chocolate 2016

The Good Food Awards published their winners for 2015. The following unflavored bars won awards in the chocolate category:

Brasstown Ecuador 75%
Dick Taylor Bolivia Alto Beni 70%
Escazú Piura Blanco, Peru 70%
Fruition Bolivian Wild Harvest 74%
Just Good Madagascar 70%
Lonohana Estate Kanahiku 70%
Ritual Mid-Mountain Blend
Ritual Belize 75%
Rogue Jamaica
Rogue Tranquilidad

International Chocolate Awards 2015

Today the International Chocolate Awards announced the 2015 world winners.

WORLD WINNERS

Best In Competition
Rogue Porcelana

Dark
GOLD: Rogue Porcelana
GOLD: SOMA Porcelana
SILVER: Bonnat Vale do Juliana
SILVER: Friis-Holm (Bonnat) Chuno 70% Double Turned
SILVER: Friis-Holm (Bonnat) Chuno 70% Triple Turned
SILVER: Marou Tien Giang 70%
SILVER: Pacari Lacumbia 70%
SILVER: Pacari Montubia 70%
SILVER: Pacari Raw 70%
SILVER: SOMA CSB Chama
BRONZE: Amano Chuao
BRONZE: Bonnat Haiti
BRONZE: Dick Taylor Madagascar Sambirano

High Percentage
GOLD: Friis-Holm (Bonnat) La Dalia 85%
SILVER: Friis-Holm (Bonnat) La Dalia 100%

Micro-batch Dark
GOLD: Cacao Hunters Arhuaco 72%
SILVER: Cacao Hunters Arauca 70%
SILVER: Duffy's Honduras Indio Rojo
SILVER: Hummingbird Hispaniola 70%
SILVER: Omnom Madgascar 66%
SILVER: Pump Street Bakery Grenada 70%
BRONZE: Pump Street Bakery Madagascar Criollo 74%

Alternative Sweetener Dark
BRONZE: Starchild Wild & Raw

Americas Finalists

Dark
Amano Chuao
Amano Dos Rios 70%
Amano Porcelana 70%
AMAZ Amazonas 67%
Cacaosuyo Piura Select
ChocXO Camino Verde Ecuador 72%
ChocXO Tres Rios Peru 68%
ChocXO Yaguachi 70%
Dick Taylor Dominican Finca Elvesia
Dick Taylor Madagascar Sambirano
Franceschi Canoabo 70% 2015
Franceschi Choroni 70% 2015
Franceschi Ocumare 70% 2015
Franceschi Rio Caribe 60% 2015
Franceschi Sur del Lago 60% 2015
Marou Lam Dong 74%
Marou Tien Giang 70%
Marou Treasure Island 75%
Pacari Esmeraldas 60%
Pacari Lacumbia 70%
Pacari Manabi 65%
Pacari Montubia 70%
Pacari Raw 70%
Pacari Tangara 70%
Ritual Mid Mountain Blend
Rogue Jamaica
Rogue Porcelana
Rogue Tranquilidad
SOMA Porcelana
SOMA CSB Chama
SPAGnVOLA Dominican Republic 70% Single Estate
SPAGnVOLA Dominican Republic 75% Single Estate
SPAGnVOLA Dominican Republic 80% Single Estate
TCHO Bright

High Percentage
Marou Tan Phu Dong 85% (Heart of Darkness)
Palette de Bine Camino Verde Ecuador 85%
Ritual Ecuador 85%

Micro-batch Dark
Brasstown Ecuador 75%
Cacao Hunters Arauca 70%
Cacao Hunters Arhuaco 72%
Cacao Hunters Sierra Nevada 64%
Cacao Hunters Tumaco 70%
Dandelion Oko-Caribe, Dominican Republic
Fresco 224 Dominican Republic 72%
Hummingbird Hispaniola 70%
Hummingbird Reserva Zorzal 70%
Madre Likao Kula Farm, Kona HI
Millcreek Cacao Roasters 70% Pure Dark
Palette de Bine Lam Dong Vietnam 72%
Sirene Guatemala 73%

Rough/Textured Dark
Cacaosuyo Batanero

Alternative Sweetener Dark
Palette de Bine ”Bines à l’érable” San Juan Estate Trinidad 70%
Starchild Wild & Raw

European Finalists

Dark
Åkesson’s 75% Criollo Madagascar Ambolikapiky 75%
Bodrato Ecuador 75%
Bonnat Cacao Real del Xoconuzco
Bonnat Cuba
Bonnat Dark Organic
Bonnat Haiti
Bonnat Maragnan
Bonnat Vale do Juliana
Friis-Holm Barba 70%
Friis-Holm Chuno 70% Double Turned
Friis-Holm Chuno 70% Triple Turned
Friis-Holm Johe 70%
Friis-Holm La Dalia 60%
Friis-Holm La Dalia 70%
Friis-Holm Medagla 70%
Friis-Holm Nicaliso 70%
Friis-Holm Rugoso 70%
Morin Nicaragua Chuno 70%

High Percentage
Åkesson’s 100% Criollo Madagascar Ambolikapiky
Friis-Holm La Dalia 85%
Friis-Holm La Dalia 100%
Hotel Chocolat Honduras, Mayan Red 100%
Naive Madagascar Extra Dark
Rózsavölgyi Trincheras 95
Timo A. Meyer 95% Venezuela

Micro-batch Dark
Ara Chocolat Porcelana 70%
Chocolate Tree Peru Marañón 69%
Duffy’s Honduras Indio Rojo
Duffy’s Nicaragua Chuno
Duffy’s Nicaragua Nicaliso
Guido Castagna Raw Venezuela
Guido Castagna Raw Madagascar
Omnom Madagascar 66%
Pump Street Bakery Grenada 70%
Pump Street Bakery Madagascar Criollo 74%
Rózsavölgyi Porcelana

Rough/Textured Dark
Donna Elvira Modicana 70% Madagascar
Donna Elvira Modicana 70% Peru Piura

Review: Rogue Jamaica

Richard's Rating: 7.5

chocolate maker Rogue bar Jamaica region Jamaica plantation Bachelor's Hall cacao trees (unknown) year 2014 size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 75% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $16.00

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate appearance glossy, smooth, uneven sheen aroma earth (grass), spice, roast (tobacco, cocoa, smoke) snap hard taste roast (tobacco, cocoa), fruit (tropical), spice, woody, nut, sweet melt creamy length long finish tannin, slightly sour

Best Prices Online
$16.00 directly from Rogue

Review: Rogue Porcelana

Richard's Rating: 7.5

chocolate maker Rogue bar Porcelana region Venezuela plantation El Chama cacao trees Criollo year 2014 size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 80% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $18.00

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1526 Dark Red Brown appearance glossy, smooth, uneven sheen aroma spice, fruit (nectarine), roast (cocoa), earth (must), dairy snap hard taste earth (must, grass), fruit (peach, cherry), dairy (cream), nut (macadamia), roast (cocoa, malt) melt creamy length long finish somewhat acidic, slightly tannin

Best Prices Online
$18.00 directly from Rogue (sold out)
$20.00 at The Meadow
$20.00 at Cocova

Good Food Awards for Chocolate 2014

The Good Food Awards published their winners for 2014. The following unflavored bars won awards in the chocolate category:

Askinosie San Jose Del Tambo (Ecuador 70%)
Blue Bandana 70% Madagascar
Dick Taylor Belize Toledo 72%
Fruition Dominican 70%
Guittard 100%
Patric Signature 70%
Rogue Balao (Ecuador 75%)
Rogue Hispaniola (Dominican Republic 70%)
Rogue Silvestre (Bolivia 75%)
Videri Ecuador Camino Verde 90%

The links above go directly to our associated detailed chocolate bar review.

Review: Rogue Sambirano

Richard's Rating: 9.0

chocolate maker Rogue bar Sambirano region Madagascar plantation Åkesson cacao trees Criollo year (unknown) size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 70% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $7.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate appearance smooth, glossy, uneven sheen, adhered bits aroma fruit (prune), roast (hint of coffee), earth, wood (cedar) snap hard taste fruit (citrus, orange, lime, raisin, cherry), roast melt creamy length long finish acidic

Colin Gasko reformulated Sambirano since we last reviewed it over two years ago. It is now made without any added cocoa butter, and the remaining two ingredients (70% cacao beans and 30% cane sugar) are both organic. The bar was not certified.

The cacao beans for this chocolate came from Bertil Åkesson's plantation in the Sambirano Valley of Madagascar. The bar was hand-crafted in the United States at Rogue's nut-free facility in Three Rivers, Massachusetts.

The 60 gram bar came sealed in cellophane inside a paper envelope. The best before date was October 2013.

Rogue created an incredible surface sheen (apologies for not having a photo, but that top surface was simply too reflective :). The bar was unscored and without any imprints or bubbles. Except for an oval from the pour where the sheen was uneven and some tiny adhered bits of chocolate, the bar appeared nearly perfect.

The chocolate was a medium brown Bitter Chocolate (PANTONE 19-1317) color. The bar had a hard snap.

The aroma contained fruit, roast, earth and wood scents. The fruit was mostly prune. The roast contained a hint of coffee. The wood seemed to be cedar.

Sambirano tasted fruity, with citrus flavors of orange and lime. Raisin and cherry came forth shortly thereafter. Roast was also present. The wrapper described the flavor profile as "citrus, rum raisin, toast".

The melt was creamy, with just a suggestion of fudge in the mouthfeel. The length was remarkably long, with the chocolate flavor lasting 50 to 60 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was acidic.

Overall, this was a superb chocolate, and is now among my favorites.

You can purchase Sambirano online for $7.99 directly from Rogue or for $8.00 from Chocolopolis.

Northwest Chocolate Festival Awards

Tonight the awards were announced for the Northwest Chocolate Festival. There were two judged categories (Bean to Bar and Inclusions) and one non-judged category.

In the judged Bean to Bar category, the winners were:

• GOLD: Rogue Balao
• GOLD: Rogue Silvestre
• SILVER: Patric 67% Madagascar
• BRONZE: Dick Taylor Belize

In the judged Inclusions (flavored chocolate) category, the winners were:

• GOLD: Patric 74% In-NIB-itable
• SILVER: Madre Triple Cacao
• BRONZE: Grenada Nib-A-Licious

They also gave out non-judged awards, including:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Bill Fredricks of Chocolate Man
• "Mott Green" Sustainability: Fran Bigelow of Fran's Chocolates
• Artisan of the Year: Karen Neugenbauer of Forte Chocolates

You can still buy tickets at the door for this weekend ($40 for a day pass or $65 for both days) at the Conference Center of the Washington State Convention Center.

Review: Rogue Balao 75%

Richard's Rating: 8.0

chocolate maker Rogue bar Balao region Ecuador plantation Camino Verde cacao trees (unknown) year 2012 size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 75% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $13.00

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, glossy, spot of uneven sheen, adhered bits aroma earth (must), wood (cedar), spice, floral snap hard taste earth, spice, fruit (papaya), sweet, wood, floral melt more smooth length long finish tannin, slightly sour

U.S. chocolate maker Colin Gasko hand-crafts single origin bean to bar chocolate as Rogue Chocolatier. As you've probably read in our enthusiastic reviews of his other bars (Hispaniola, Piura, Rio Caribe, Sambirano, and Silvestre), Colin seeks out excellent cacao, works with farmers to help improve fermentation and drying, pays 2-4 times fair-trade prices, and maintains his focus on quality during every step as he produces each chocolate bar.

All of Rogue's chocolate is absolutely pure: made from only cacao beans and cane sugar. The factory in Three Rivers, Massachusetts, is soy-free, nut-free, wheat-free, and dairy-free. The ingredients of Balao were 75% cacao beans from Ecuador and 25% cane sugar.

Rogue provided an insert with extensive information about the cacao of this bar:

Vicente Norero of Camino Verde in Balao, Ecuador, is obsessive about quality. He has painstakingly renovated 500 hectares of traditional Ecuadorian varieties of cacao on his farm and in the process is raising the bar for Ecuadorian beans. He carefully controls fermentation and drying following the latest science and then tastes the liquor to determine profile. Vicente even goes so far as to sort cacao pods by phenotype (shape) and process them differently! For the Balao bar, we worked with Vicente to process two special lots. We blended two phenotype-optimized fermentations to create the world's first single-farm blend. One fermentation is more floral, green, and herbal and the other more spicy, woody, and fruity. The combination produces a remarkable chocolate that highlights Vicente's passion.

The 60 gram bar came sealed in a plastic pouch inside a heavy white paper envelope. It arrived with the top corner broken. The bar reviewed here was from batch 1 of Balao chocolate and was produced in December 2012.

Balao had a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The bar was a single unscored slab. It was smooth and had a lovely glossy sheen. There was a spot of unevenness in the sheen, and some adhered bits of chocolate. The bar had a hard snap.

The aroma contained earth, wood, spice, and floral scents. The earthiness was musty, and the woody aspect smelled distinctly of cedar.

The chocolate tasted much like it smelled, but without the cedar. An initial earthiness was soon joined by spice and fruit. As the taste became sweet, it seemed to me that the fruit included papaya. Woodiness and floral flavors were also present.

I categorized the melt as more smooth, though it was nearly creamy. The length was also remarkably long, with the chocolate flavor lasting 45 to 50 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was tannin and slightly sour.

The superb sheen, wonderful melt (with no added cocoa butter), and enduring length were evidence of the production quality of this chocolate. Overall, this was the best Ecuador bar I've tasted in a long time.

You can purchase Balao 75% online for $13.00 directly from Rogue or for $11.99 from Chocolopolis. I've never purchased chocolate from them before, but I also found it available from Bar & Bean for only $8.00!

2013 Good Food Awards for Chocolate

The Good Food Awards published their winners for 2013. The following unflavored bars won awards in the chocolate category:

Amano Chuao
Dandelion Sambirano, Madagascar
Fresco Papua New Guinea 220
Patric Madagascar 67%
Patric Madagascar 75%
Ritual Costa Rica
Ritual Madagascar
Rogue Hispaniola
Rogue Rio Caribe
Rogue Sambirano

The links above go directly to our associated detailed chocolate bar review.

Review: Rogue Silvestre

Richard's Rating: 7.5

chocolate maker Rogue bar Silvestre region Bolivia plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2012 size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 75% added fat (none) sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $13.00

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, glossy, uneven sheen aroma earth, roast, floral (jasmine), fruit, nut snap hard taste earth, fruit (plum, citrus), nut, roast (cocoa) melt smooth length medium finish somewhat bitter, slightly sour

U.S. bean to bar chocolate maker Rogue Chocolatier regularly makes three single origin bars: Hispaniola from the Dominican Republic cacao, Rio Caribe from Venezuelan cacao, and Sambirano from Madagascar cacao. Founder and chocolate maker Colin Gasko also crafts two limited edition bars: Piura from Peruvian cacao and Silvestre. The cacao beans used in Silvestre came from wild cacao trees that grow along the Rio Beni in Bolivia.

All of Colin's chocolates use only two ingredients: cacao beans and cane sugar, with no added cocoa butter, emulsifier, or flavoring. Silvestre contained 75% cacao beans and 25% cane sugar. The 60 gram bar came enclosed in plastic inside a heavy white paper envelope. The production date was 23 April 2012 and identified as batch 5. The best before date was April 2013.

Silvestre had a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface was smooth and glossy. There was some unevenness in the sheen where the chocolate was poured. The bar was a single unscored slab and had a hard snap.

The strongest scent was that of earth, but the aroma included roast, floral, fruit and nut as well. The floral scent seemed to be that of jasmine.

After an initial earthy taste, fruit flavors of plum and citrus revealed themselves. I also tasted nuttiness and roast in the form of cocoa.

The wrapper described Silvestre as plum, jasmine, and banana, but I didn't experience any banana in the aroma or the taste.

The melt was smooth. The length was medium, with the chocolate flavor lasting about 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The final aftertaste was somewhat bitter and slightly sour.

You can purchase Silvestre online for $13.00 directly from Rogue or for $11.99 from Chocolopolis.

Help Rogue improve its chocolate

One of our favorite chocolate makers, Colin Gasko of Rogue Chocolatier, is raising money to purchase some equipment. With it, they will begin producing chocolate using a new technique that solves two major issues with crafting dark chocolate: milling evenly and conching consistently. The process should improve the flavor, aroma, and texture of his already excellent chocolate, as well as increase their capacity by about 50%.

Colin crafts his bean to bar chocolate bars from only single origin cacao and cane sugar. He currently makes four bars: Hispaniola (Dominican Republic; Lindy rated it 10.0!), Sambirano (Madagascar), Rio Caribe (Venezuela), and Silvestre (Bolivia). The limited edition Piura (Peru) is not currently available, but you will receive four of them (along with four other bars from the first batch using the new method) with a pledge of $100 or more.

Rogue is collecting donations on Kickstarter, and giving chocolate bars and other perks in return. For $125 or more, you will also receive invitations to one of the six release parties (I've pledged and will be attending the one at Chocolopolis in Seattle). However, he has to raise $20,000 by August 12th for it to happen, so be sure to pledge soon if you're interested.

2012 Good Food Awards for Chocolate

This weekend the Good Food Awards announced their winners for 2012. The following won awards in the chocolate category:

Amano Guayas
Dandelion Costa Rica
Escazu Costa Rica
Fresco 214
Lillie Belle Farms Perfect Illusion
Patric Signature 70%
Rogue Sambirano
Theo Theo and Jane Goodall 70%

The links above go directly to our associated detailed chocolate bar review.

Event: Northwest Chocolate Festival and Chocolopolis

Chocolopolis is not only participating in the Northwest Chocolate Festival (weekend of October 22-23 in Seattle), but also selling a limited number of tickets without online fees. You can purchase a VIP pass for $85 (saving $4 vs. online, and not available at event) or a single day pass for $20 (saving $2 vs. online, and $5 vs. at event). However, you must pay in cash.

Chocolopolis is facilitating three classes during the festival, including

• Chocolate Tasting 101 (by percentage of cocoa solids) Sat 11 a.m. with their Chief Chocophile Lauren Adler
• Chocolate Tasting 102 (by cacao origin) Sun 11 a.m., again with Lauren Adler
• Make It Snap! (about tempering chocolate) Sun 1 p.m., with chocolatiers Dominica and Sebastian

In addition, Chocolopolis is hosting two additional free events separate from the festival.

The weekend before the festival, on Saturday, October 15th, from 2-4 p.m., Kallari will be at Chocolopolis (1527 Queen Anne Ave. N., Seattle, WA 98109) having a chocolate tasting. There will also be a cacao farmer from the Kallari Association.

The day after the festival, on Monday, October 24th, Colin Gasko, the chocolate maker and founder of Rogue will be having a chocolate tasting at the store from 5-7 p.m. Rogue is one of our favorite chocolate makers, and we're looking forward to meeting the maker behind their wonderful chocolate.

One additional note about Chocolopolis is that they are now selling chocolates from maker Dandelion.

Event: Northwest Chocolate Festival October 22-23 in Seattle

The Northwest Chocolate Festival (NWCF) will be held in Seattle next month, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day during the weekend of October 22nd and 23rd. Nearly all of the festival will take place in the Northwest Rooms of Seattle Center (305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109). The theme of the weekend is Taste, Learn, and Celebrate.

Tasting includes not only an amazing selection of chocolate (from at least 17 chocolate makers, including: Amano, Chocolate Conspiracy, Divine, Escazú, Fresco, Indahphoria, Kallari, Lillie Belle Farms, Madécasse, Madre, Mindo, Olive & Sinclair, Rogue, Snake & Butterfly, Stirs the Soul, Taza, and Theo), but also chocolate desserts and even drink pairings.

Learning includes a huge variety of more than 70 classes about farming cacao, trade equity, crafting chocolate from the bean, single origin chocolate, tempering chocolate, pairing chocolate, health benefits, etc. For an additional $8 [$10 at the door] and attending 5 classes, NWCF is offering their Chocolate Academy "Masters in Chocolate Level 1" certificate, which also includes Chocolate Academy membership. Membership benefits include a quarterly newsletter, discounts on tickets to future festivals, and invitations to special chocolate events at partner businesses.

Celebrating is highlighted by Saturday night's Chocolate Masquerade Ball at Sole Repair (1001 E. Pike St., Seattle WA 98122). This special event has separate admission. It starts at 8 p.m. with a Chocolate Dessert Showcase and Competition, with awards for the best desserts. At 10 p.m., there will be a Best Costume contest. Attire is black tie and/or masquerade.

You can read more about the entire weekend on their website: http://www.nwchocolate.com/.

In addition to these activities open to everyone, 100 VIP tickets are being sold that include full weekend passes, an exclusive "Meet the Maker" opening night reception of wine and chocolate, a VIP-only chocolate and pairing event, a complimentary drink flight in the Beer, Cider, Spirit and Wine Garden during the festival, the Chocolate Academy certificate described above, and a chance to win two tickets on Alaska Airlines.

You can purchase any of the following tickets in advance and pick up your non-transferable ticket at Will Call with photo identification:

• $37.50 full weekend pass [$40 at the door]
• $22.00 one day pass (age 13+) [$25 at the door]
• $6.50 one day youth pass (age 5 to 12)
• $89.00 VIP full weekend pass and more
• $42.50 chocolate masquerade ball [$50 at the door]

With so many bean-to-bar chocolate makers and great classes, the third annual Northwest Chocolate Festival might be the best chocolate event in the U.S. this year. If you will be in the Seattle area, you do not want to miss it. Lindy and I are attending, and we hope you'll be able to get there, too!

Store: Chocolopolis

As you've no doubt read in previous postings, Chocolopolis was the store that introduced me to artisan chocolate and inspired me to create this blog. The owner, Lauren Adler, is not only an enthusiastic and educated chocophile, but also extremely generous and interested in sharing her passion for chocolate. All of the staff that I've met at the store in Seattle have been friendly and helpful, providing information for the novice and expert alike. At the same time, when they haven't known something, they admitted it and offered to try to find out.

Chocolopolis has many events, including weekly happy hours during which you can taste chocolate for free. They also have a frequent bar club, in which you receive one bar free for every 10 different chocolate bars you buy.

chocolate store	Chocolopolis
website	http://www.chocolopolis.com
address	1527 Queen Anne Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109 United States
phone	(206) 282-0776
hours	Mon-Wed	11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
	Thu-Sat	11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
	Sun	11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
online shopping	yes, click here
shipping area	continental United States click here for more information
warm weather shipping	yes, with gel packs
chocolate makers	Amano Amedei Askinosie Bonnat El Ceibo Michel Cluizel Coppeneur Claudio Corallo Dandelion Domori Escazú Fearless Fine & Raw Fresco Grenada E. Guittard Kallari Lillie Belle Farms Madécasse Chocolat Moderne Moonstruck Olive & Sinclair Original Beans Pacari Patric François Pralus Republica del Cacao El Rey Ritual Rogue Santander Snake & Butterfly Taza Theo Valrhona Venchi Waialua Estate
special deals & events	frequent bar club weekly happy hours tasting events
last updated	Febrary 24, 2012

In addition to stocking over 200 different chocolate bars, Chocolopolis carries a variety of chocolate truffles by multiple chocolatiers and several other items for chocolate lovers (drinking chocolate, books, gifts, etc.)

Chocolopolis also opened a temporary second store at the Bravern in Bellevue for the winter holidays, but it is still open.
  Address:
     700 110th Ave. NE, Suite 192,
     Bellevue, WA 98004
  Phone: (425) 453-0776
UPDATE: The last day the store at the Bravern will be open is April 30th.

Review: Rogue Rio Caribe

Lindy's Rating: 7.5 (previously ***)

Richard's Rating: 7.5 (previously ***)

chocolate maker Rogue bar Rio Caribe region Venezuela plantation (unnamed) cacao trees Trinitario year (unknown) size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $6.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1217 Mustang texture smooth aroma floral, roast snap hard taste roast (coffee), fruit (orange), nut, sweet melt more smooth length short finish slightly ashy

Rogue Chocolatier currently makes four chocolate bars. We've previously reviewed the other three, all of which were so good that they made it onto either Lindy's or my favorite list. With this review, we will have tasted Rogue's entire line of chocolates.

Rio Caribe is made from Trinitario cacao trees in the Paria Peninsula of Venezuela (near Trinidad). According to the information on Rogue's website, this bar is made from the cacao beans of a single plantation, though it is not named.

As with all of the Rogue bars, this one had a simple presentation: a plain slab of smooth-textured chocolate without imprints or scoring. However, unlike the others, Rio Caribe includes tahitian vanilla among its ingredients (Rogue's other bars had no flavoring whatsoever).

This chocolate's color was a medium brown Mustang (PANTONE 19-1217). The bar had a hard snap. The aroma was somewhat weak, but included clear floral and roast scents. The taste of Rio Caribe was initially a coffee roast, which transitioned to include something nutty and then also a fruity orange. I also tasted sweetness.

The melt was smoother than average. The duration of the flavor after the chocolate was gone was 10 to 15 seconds, for a short length. The final aftertaste was slightly ashy, but not bitter.

Lindy and I both rated this bar *** due to its nice melt and taste, but it was on the low end of that rating and not as good as Rogue's other excellent chocolates.

Rogue Sambirano won award and free shipping on $20 purchase

Rogue Chocolatier's Sambirano chocolate bar was among the winners in the chocolate category at the 2011 Good Food Awards.

In celebration, Rogue is offering free shipping on online orders of $20 or more for the rest of January. Free shipping is normally only available for orders of $40 or more. The $10 shipping charge is automatically removed once your order reaches $20.

This is a great opportunity to purchase small quantities of Rogue's excellent chocolate bars. We highly recommend the Hispaniola, Piura, and Sambirano bars, and you can find them among the bars we like best (Richard's Favorites and Lindy's Favorites). The fourth bar made by Rogue, the Rio Caribe is also good, but we felt it was not in the same category as the other three. I'll post a review of Rio Caribe tomorrow. You can read our reviews of each of Rogue's chocolate bars here or by clicking on Rogue in the Labels section.

Unfortunately, they are presently out of stock of the Piura bar (you'll get a message in your shopping cart in the top left if you try to add it). Buying one of each of Rogue's other three bars totals $20.97, which qualifies for free shipping, so you may want to try all three.

Follow this link directly to Rogue's product page to shop online: http://www.roguechocolatier.com/products-page/

Review: Rogue Sambirano

Lindy's Rating: 9.5 (previously ***)

Richard's Rating: 9.0 (previously ***)

chocolate maker Rogue bar Sambirano region Madagascar plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $6.99

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth aroma raisin, earthy, citrus, sweet, hint of orange snap hard taste citrus (lime, orange), cherry, roast, hint of spice melt smooth length short finish slightly acidic

MORE RECENT REVIEW: Rogue Sambirano

This week Lindy and I tasted our third of the four bars made by independent chocolate maker Rogue. Sambirano was made from Venezuelan cacao trees that were planted in the Sambirano Valley of Madagascar. The best before date on the bar we tasted was December 2011. As with all of the Rogue bars we've reviewed so far, this one was simple with respect to both ingredients and presentation.

Sambirano had a medium dark brown color, smooth surface, and hard snap. The aromas it revealed were earthy (which didn't clarify into anything more specific) and fruity (which was obviously raisin, but also had a scent of citrus that occasionally gave hints of orange). We also noticed a sweetness.

The taste of this chocolate came forth in two distinct stages. The first was a strong citrus suggested by the aroma: a lime with some orange. That flavor transitioned into a lovely cherry for the second stage, in which the lime and orange faded to the background. A second taste confirmed this unusually distinct separation of flavors. We also tasted a roast and a hint of spice.

Lindy felt this chocolate was brittle as one bites it. The melt, however, was smooth. The flavor lasted about 15 to 20 seconds after the chocolate was gone, leaving a slightly acidic finish.

Although disappointed by its length, we both found the flavor profile of this bar interesting enough to make up for that. Sambirano is another excellent chocolate from Rogue. Here's a link to all of our Rogue reviews, or you can just click on the label Rogue in the right column.

Overall, we both rated this bar a solid ***. Lindy placed this chocolate into her top 10 favorite bars (replacing another Rogue bar, the Piura, that she had at #10). I find the Piura to the better of the two (my current #7), and the Sambirano didn't quite break into my favorites, but it was close (my current #10 is still the Cluizel Maralumi 64% that won our blind chocolate tasting in December).

Review: Rogue Hispaniola

Lindy's Rating: 10.0 (previously ****)

Richard's Rating: 9.5 (previously ***)

chocolate maker Rogue bar Hispaniola region Dominican Republic plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 70% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $6.99

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth aroma initial berry, earthy, sour snap hard taste tangy, berry (cherry), citrus (orange, lime) melt more smooth length medium finish tangy, slightly acidic

This is the second bar we've reviewed by tiny Rogue Chocolatier, and we liked it even better than the first one. We reviewed Rogue Piura in October and I'm already looking forward to reviewing Rogue's other two bars (Rio Caribe and Sambirano) next year.

Rogue Hispaniola is made from cacao beans from a small cooperative in the Dominican Republic. Like the Piura bar, Hispaniola is made from only two ingredients: cocoa beans and cane sugar. The appearance of the bar is simple, too: just a smooth bar of chocolate, without imprints or scoring.

This chocolate gave off an initial aroma of red berries, followed by an earthiness. I also smelled a sourness that I wasn't able to more specifically identify. The taste of Hispaniola was terrific: a tangy cherry with a citrus of orange and lime.

The melt was smoother than average for an artisan chocolate. The length was also a bit better than typical, with a flavor that consistently lasted around 25 seconds after the chocolate was gone; we only wish it was as long as the Piura. The finish was nicely tangy, too, and only slightly acidic with no bitterness.

Hispaniola was another favorite bar for both Lindy and I. That makes two for two for Rogue chocolates being among our respective ten favorite bars.

Review: Rogue Piura

Lindy's Rating: 9.0 (previously ***)

Richard's Rating: 9.0 (previously ***)

chocolate maker Rogue bar Piura region Peru plantation Juan Tirado cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 75% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $8.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth aroma floral, clove, roast, red fruit snap very hard taste grapefruit, earth, hint of nuts melt less smooth length long finish tangy

Rogue is a tiny independent U.S. chocolate maker in Minneapolis, MN. The founder, Colin Gasko, is passionate about the chocolate he produces and goes to great lengths to ensure quality in every step of the process from cacao tree to shipping the resulting chocolate bars.

Rogue's Piura bar was made from four bags of cacao beans that he purchased from Juan Tirado's small organic farm in Piura, Peru. Fewer than 4,000 bars are being sold.

The ingredients of the Piura bar were simply cocoa beans and cane sugar. The texture was similarly simple: smooth and without any imprints or scoring, suggestive of its production by a small, low-volume chocolate maker. The color was a medium brown with an orangish tint.

This chocolate gave off a floral aroma, with scents of clove and a red fruit, perhaps cranberry. Rogue's Piura had an unusual and interesting flavor that we both liked: a citrus that Lindy perceived as grapefruit and I thought might also have some lime, as well as a hint of nuts. Lindy found the taste somewhat tart.

The melt was smooth, but less so than most other chocolates with a smooth melt. The flavor of this chocolate lasted quite a while: almost a minute for me, and more than a minute for Lindy. Unlike many chocolates, there was no final bitterness; instead there was a pleasant tanginess left from the citrus taste.