Review: Trader Joe's 72% Dark Chocolate

Lindy's Rating: 3.0 (previously *)

Richard's Rating: 4.0 (previously **)

chocolate maker (unknown) bar 72% Dark Chocolate region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 500g ~ 17.6oz cocoa solids 72% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $4.99

color darkest brown PANTONE 19-1217 Mustang texture ridged top, smooth sides, scoring aroma allspice, sweet, earthy snap hard taste brown sugar, roasted melt smooth length minimal finish slightly acidic or bitter

Trader Joe's Pound Plus Belgian chocolate bars are so big that they probably shouldn't be considered bars. At 500 grams, they weigh more than a pound, and are 5 to 10 times bigger than a typical artisan bar. For the price of only $4.99, these Pound Plus bars are a fantastic bargain, and top our Chocolate Value chart at only $0.28 per ounce.

The color of the 72% Dark Chocolate bar was an extremely dark brown. It gave off a clear aroma of allspice and sweetness, with a somewhat less obvious earthy scent. The taste was dominated by a brown sugar sweetness, and also had a roasted flavor. The melt was smooth.

Unfortunately, the chocolate flavor disappeared within seconds, providing only minimal length. The finish was slightly acidic to me, and somewhat bitter to Lindy.

Overall, I found this to be a decent chocolate, and certainly an exceptional value. Lindy enjoyed it, but felt there wasn't enough chocolate flavor. Both of us think this bar, like the 54% bar, is too sweet.