Review: Moonstruck Venezuela

Lindy's Rating: 5.0 (previously **)

Richard's Rating: 5.0 (previously **)

chocolate maker Felchlin bar Venezuela region Venezuela plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 56g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 74% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $7.50

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with image imprint and scoring aroma earthy (musty), floral, sweet snap medium hard taste initial tart, fruit (citrus), sweet, earth melt smooth length short finish slightly astringent

Moonstruck Venezuela is the second single origin bar we've reviewed by this chocolatier. The bar was wrapped in silver foil inside a paper box with raised graphics. The best before date was August, 2012. The chocolate was made from 74% cocoa solids plus cane sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla bean. The two ounce bar was scored into 15 pieces, each with an imprint of Moonstruck's crescent moon and flute player. The color of the chocolate was a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). The bar had a medium-hard snap.

Venezuela had a musty earthy aroma similar to that of their Dominican Republic bar, but it also had floral and sweet scents. The chocolate had an initial tart taste, and then gradually revealed a fruit in the form of citrus and sweetness.

The melt was smooth. The flavor after the chocolate was gone lasted about 10 to 15 seconds, a short length. The finish was slightly astringent.

This chocolate bar won a silver medal at the 2010 Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon.

You can purchase Venezuela online directly from Moonstruck for $7.50 or in person at one of their chocolate cafés or from one of their retail partners.

Review: Moonstruck Dominican Republic

Lindy's Rating: 5.0 (previously **)

Richard's Rating: 6.0 (previously **)

chocolate maker Felchlin bar Dominican Republic region Dominican Republic plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 56g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 72% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $7.50

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 18-1314 Acorn texture smooth with image imprint and scoring aroma earthy (musty), hint of fruit snap medium hard taste initial cinnamon, sweet, fruit (berry, apple, melon, citrus, prune) melt less smooth length short finish slightly ashy, slightly acidic

Moonstruck Chocolatier is a small U.S. chocolatier in Portland, OR. In 2008, after 7 years at Barry Callebaut, Julian Rose joined the company as master chocolatier and head of research and development. Moonstruck makes a wide variety of chocolate products and has six chocolate cafés in the Portland area. They also sell a few chocolate bars, including four single-origin bars from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and the famous Fortunato No.4 from Peru.

I spoke with a company representative and discovered they are not a bean to bar chocolate maker. I was forwarded to one of their press representatives to find out their chocolate maker, and am awaiting an answer. I'll update this post once I hear back from them.

Dominican Republic is a single origin bar. The chocolate was made from 72% cocoa solids plus cane sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla bean. The bar was wrapped in silver foil inside a paper box with raised graphics. The best before date was August, 2012. The two ounce bar was scored into 15 pieces, each with an imprint of Moonstruck's crescent moon and flute player.

The color of the chocolate was a medium-dark brown Acorn (PANTONE 18-1314). The bar had a medium-hard snap that revealed an earthy aroma, which seemed primarily musty. I also smelled occasional hints of fruit.

Dominican Republic had an initial cinnamon flavor, followed by a sweetness and multiple fruit flavors. Lindy noticed berry and apple. I tasted berry, overripe melon, citrus, and prune.

The melt of this chocolate was less smooth. The length of the chocolate was the middle of short (with the flavor lasting roughly 15 seconds). The aftertaste was slightly ashy. I also found it slightly acidic, and Lindy described it as vaguely metallic.

In spite of the seemingly interesting flavors, neither Lindy nor I particularly liked the taste of this chocolate, and we both rated it **. Moonstruck Dominican Republic won a silver medal at the 2010 Los Angeles Luxury Chocolate Salon.

You can purchase Dominican Republic online directly from Moonstruck for $7.50 or in person at one of their chocolate cafés or from one of their retail partners.

Review: Bonnat Libânio Brésil

Richard's Rating: 8.0 (previously ***)

chocolate maker Bonnat bar Libânio region Brazil plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 75% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1518 Puce texture smooth with text imprint and scoring aroma earthy snap hard taste earthy (moss), sweet, fruit, hint of mold melt smooth length medium finish very slightly acidic

Bonnat Libânio is a single origin bar from Brazil. As with other Bonnat bars, this chocolate was made from 75% cocoa solids, with added cocoa butter and sugar. The 100 gram bar was in Bonnat's typical form, with their imprint on the larger middle piece and scored into 32 small pieces around it. The bar arrived broken into three pieces (which you can see in the picture above, if you look carefully on the right side of the full-size image).

Libânio was the third colorfully wrapped new Bonnat bar that Lauren, Emily, and I tasted together. This chocolate had a light medium-dark brown Puce (PANTONE 19-1518) color. The bar had a hard snap that was a little brittle (spreading tiny chocolate shards when broken).

The only blatant aroma from this bar was an earthiness. The chocolate had a similar earthy flavor that Lauren quickly identified as mossy. We also tasted sweetness and some fruit. A subsequent piece revealed a hint of mold in the earthiness in addition to the mossy flavor.

The melt was smooth. The chocolate flavor after the chocolate was gone lasted longer for Libânio than either Cusco or Cuba, remaining for 20 to 30 seconds, and thus a medium length. The finish was not bitter, only very slightly acidic.

Even lacking a complex aroma, Libânio seemed the best among these three bars and I rated it ***.

You can purchase Bonnat Libânio online for $12.25 from Chocosphere.

Review: Bonnat Cuba

Richard's Rating: 6.5 (previously **)

chocolate maker Bonnat bar Cuba region Cuba plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 75% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth with text imprint and scoring aroma coconut, roast (cocoa), hint of nut snap medium hard taste sweet, roast, fruit (cantaloupe), hint of nut melt smooth length short finish slightly bitter

Bonnat Cuba is a single origin bar from (surprise) Cuba. As with other Bonnat bars, this chocolate was made from 75% cocoa solids, with added cocoa butter and sugar. The 100 gram bar was in Bonnat's typical form, with their imprint on the larger middle piece and scored into 32 small pieces around it.

Cuba was the second colorfully wrapped new Bonnat bar that Lauren, Emily, and I tasted together. The color of the chocolate was similar to the Bitter Chocolate (PANTONE 19-1317) of Cacao Cusco, with a slightly darker brown. It also had a medium hard snap.

The primary aromas from this bar were coconut and a roast in the form of cocoa. Lauren also smelled a hint of nut.

Cuba took several seconds before the chocolate melted enough to release any flavor, but then we tasted sweet and roast, as well as a fruit that I experienced as cantaloupe. There was a hint of nut in the taste as well as the aroma.

After the slow start, the melt was smooth. The length was short, and the finish was noticeably less bitter than the Cusco bar.

Overall, I found Cuba better than Cusco, but it was not interesting enough to rate ***, so I rated this bar a high **.

You can purchase Bonnat Cuba online for $12.25 from Chocosphere.

Review: Bonnat Cacao Cusco Pérou

Richard's Rating: 5.0 (previously **)

chocolate maker Bonnat bar Cacao Cusco region Peru plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 75% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth with text imprint and scoring aroma roast, earth, hints of fruit and nut snap medium hard taste roast, sweet (burnt caramel), bitter melt smooth length short finish somewhat acidic, bitter

Lauren Adler of Chocolopolis gave me the opportunity to try this chocolate, along with two others from Bonnat, that she was considering for her store. Joining us was Emily, a staff member at the store.

In a change from its former use of traditional white and pale-colored paper, Bonnat has introduced bolder colors for these wrappers, such as the green of this one. We all liked the change.

Bonnat Cacao Cusco is a single origin bar from Peru. As with other Bonnat bars, this chocolate was made from 75% cocoa solids, with added cocoa butter and sugar. The 100 gram bar was in Bonnat's typical form, with their imprint on the larger middle piece and scored into 32 small pieces around it.

The color of this bar was a medium brown Bitter Chocolate (PANTONE 19-1317). It had a medium hard snap. The chocolate gave off a roast aroma, and we also clearly smelled earth. Other scents were less obvious, but we noticed hints of nut and fruit.

Cacao Cusco's flavor was a similarly strong roast. There was also a sweet taste of burnt caramel and an underlying bitterness.

The melt was smooth, unsurprising given Bonnat's liberal use of extra cocoa butter. The length was short, leaving a somewhat acidic and bitter aftertaste.

You can purchase Bonnat Cacao Cusco online for $12.25 from Chocosphere.

Sale: Green & Black's (and Lindt) 2 for $4

Walgreens is have a sale starting tomorrow, Sunday, March 27th, through Saturday, April 2nd, on Green & Black's, Lindt, and Dove chocolate bars: 2 for $4. This is a good price for Green & Black's Organic Dark bars.

Although the sale officially begins tomorrow, it seems to be available for online purchases starting today. Unfortunately, they only have one Green & Black's bar online -- the Organic Dark 70% (more are available in some stores). They have several Lindt bars online and some Dove bars. Shipping to the continental United States is free with purchase of $25 or more.

For more info on the four of these bars we've reviewed, here are direct links:
Green & Black's Organic Dark 70%
Green & Black's Organic Dark 85%
Lindt Excellence 70%
Lindt Excellence 85%

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: Patric Rio Caribe Superior 70%

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

Richard's Rating: 8.5 (previously ***)

chocolate maker Patric bar Rio Caribe Superior region Venezuela plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 65g ~ 2.3oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $7.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture matte with imprint aroma roast (coffee, cocoa), floral, spice, earth, hint of sweet snap hard taste sweet, tart, fruit (berry, apricot, citrus), roast, hint of walnut melt more smooth length medium finish slightly sour, very slightly acidic

The bar arrived broken :(

Patric is the creation of independent American craft chocolate maker Alan McClure. In addition to his work making great bean to bar chocolate at his factory in Columbia, MO, he is also one of the founders and current Chair of the Craft Chocolate Makers of America.

Patric Rio Caribe Superior is a single-origin bar made of 70% cacao from the Paria peninsula of Venezuela. The only additions to the cacao beans were cane sugar and cocoa butter. Inside the paper wrapper, the 65 gram Rio Caribe bar was enclosed in clear plastic. As I've mentioned before, I prefer foil to plastic, so that you can easily reuse it if you don't eat the entire bar in one sitting. The best before date was November, 2011.

The chocolate bar was a single slab with a matte finish and a large cursive "Patric" imprinted across it. The bar we reviewed had unfortunately been broken at some point. In any case, it had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color and a hard snap.

Lindy soon mentioned that the chocolate had a pleasant aroma. The scents we noticed were roast (as coffee to me; cocoa to Lindy), floral, spice, earth, and a hint of sweet.

Rio Caribe had a taste that was both sweet and tart, with fruit flavors of berry, apricot, and something citrus. I also experienced some roast, and Lindy detected a hint of walnut.

The melt was smoother than average, definitely in the more smooth category. The flavor lasted 20 to 25 seconds after the chocolate was gone, placing it on the near end of a medium length. The final aftertaste was slightly sour, and I also noticed a very slight acidity.

Overall, the Patric Rio Caribe Superior had many great qualities, and although it did not break into either of our favorites lists, we both thought well of this chocolate. Lindy described her rating as a high ***. This was our first review of a Patric chocolate bar, but it won't be the last. We look forward to trying others.

You can purchase Rio Caribe Superior online for $7.99, either directly from Patric or, if you want to bundle it with some bars from other chocolate makers, from Chocolopolis.

Sale: Michel Cluizel 20% off, Bonnat 15% off, Pralus 15% off

World Wide Chocolate is having a few sales through March 28th, including

• 20% off Michel Cluizel chocolate.
  For this discount, use coupon code CLUIZEL20 during checkout.
• 15% off Bonnat, Cafe-Tasse, Pralus, Vintage, and Vivani chocolate.
  Coupon code TRY15.

They also have a few other sales going on, and their normal specials:

• 5% off all orders: 1day5-0
• 10% off orders over $25: 1day10-25
• 15% off orders over $75: 1day15-75
• 20% off orders over $275: 1day20-275

Only one coupon code is allowed per order.

World Wide Chocolate only ships to United States, APO (military), and FPO (diplomatic) addresses. Shipping is free on orders over $150.

Here are direct links to World Wide Chocolate:

• complete list of special offers
• all Michel Cluizel products
• Michel Cluizel single plantation bars
• World Wide Chocolate shipping information

Thoughts on Chocolate Labeling

As with other food products, chocolate is often labeled with descriptions that may be more or less accurate, but increase the perceived value and thus the price of the product. General terms such as "organic", "fair trade", and "sustainable" come to mind. Chocolate-specific terms include "single-origin", "plantation", higher quality bean names ("Criollo", "Trinitario", or "Arriba"), and chocolate names suggestive of desirable specific provenance, such as "Chuao", "Venezuela", or "Sambirano".

For a few of these terms, there are government and third-party certifications. The downside of certifications is that they cost money, and some chocolate makers achieving the same goals may choose not to acquire certification due to the added cost.

What provoked me write about this was my recent review of Pralus Caracas, during which I discovered that the chocolate was made from a blend of both Trinitario cacao beans from Venezuela and (lower quality and lower priced) Forastero beans from Ghana. This clearly conflicted with the wrapper that indicated a single origin in Venezuela, not only with the name of the city of Caracas, but also with its latitude and longitude. The wrapper only listed Trinitario cacao beans. Pralus had more complete information on their website, and while I give them credit for providing it, it would be much more honest to disclose such information on the wrapper of the bar itself.

That experience only makes me wonder what other chocolate makers may not be telling us, whether through intentional deception or not.

Ultimately, what matters most to me is the resulting chocolate, regardless of where and how the cacao was grown, what type of beans were used, etc. However, the other information is relevant, and for some consumers even more important than the sensual properties of the chocolate. I wish we could rely on every chocolate maker to straightforwardly present full and accurate information about their chocolates, but savvy consumers should remain skeptical and place more faith in government and uninvolved third-party certifications.

Here are some of the certifications you may see, along with links to the certifying organization for additional information.

	EU organic
	U.S. Department of Agriculture organic
	French Agriculture Biologique organic
	Fairtrade International fair trade
	TransFair USA fair trade
	Fair For Life fair trade and socially responsible
	Rainforest Alliance sustainable

Review: Francois Pralus Caracas

Lindy's Rating: 7.0 (previously ***)

Richard's Rating: 6.0 (previously **)

chocolate maker Pralus bar Caracas region Ghana, Venezuela plantation (blend) cacao trees Forastero, Trinitario year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 75% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price €4,00

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with text imprint and scoring aroma sweet, earthy, spice, hint of smoke snap hard taste sweet, fruit (coconut), almond, hint of tart melt smooth length short finish very slightly acidic

Caracas is a misleading name for this chocolate bar from Pralus. It is not a single-origin bar from Venezuela, as it includes beans from Ghana. The Trinitario label is also misleading, as this chocolate is made from a mixture of both Forastero and Trinitario cacao beans.

Pralus Caracas is made of 75% cocoa solids, sugar, added cocoa butter, and soy lecithin. This bar was packaged as usual for Pralus chocolate bars: paper wrapper over gold foil-covered chocolate. The 100 gram bar we reviewed had a best before date of 6 August 2011.

The bar was scored into 24 small pieces and one large piece (that is the same size as 8 small ones) with the "Pralus" imprint. The color of Caracas was a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). It had a hard snap.

This chocolate had aromas of sweetness, some earthiness, and a spice that I thought might include cinnamon. Lindy also noticed a hint of smokiness.

Caracas tasted sweet, and included flavors of fruit, coconut, almond, and a hint of tartness. Lindy playfully described it as the "Almond Joy" chocolate due to the coconut and almond flavors, even though it tasted nothing like Almond Joy candy.

The melt was smooth, and the length short. The finish was not bitter, with the aftertaste being only very slightly acidic. Overall, Lindy rated Caracas a low *** and I rated it a high **.

You can purchase Pralus Caracas online directly from Pralus for €4,00, or from Chocolopolis for $9.50.

Review: E. Guittard Nocturne

Lindy's Rating: 5.0 (previously **)

Richard's Rating: 5.0 (previously **)

chocolate maker E. Guittard bar Nocturne region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 57g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 91% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $2.89

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with signature imprints and scoring aroma roast(cocoa), berry, floral(honeysuckle), earth(must) snap hard taste sour/tart, citrus, roast(cocoa), nut, vanilla, slightly ashy melt smooth length minimal-short finish sour, somewhat ashy

Etienne Guittard started the Guittard Chocolate Company in 1868 in San Francisco, and it remains owned and operated by the Guittard family. Nocturne is the darkest chocolate made by Guittard, with 91% cocoa solids. The two ounce bar reviewed here came wrapped in gold foil inside the black paper wrapper printed with a best before date of October 2012. Nocturne was scored into 12 pieces, each with an imprint of the "E. Guittard" signature.

Guittard Nocturne had a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. Breaking the bar gave a hard snap and released more aromas of roast in the form of cocoa, a red berry, a floral scent that Lindy identified as honeysuckle, and an earthy must.

The taste of this chocolate seemed sour to me and tart to Lindy, with flavors of citrus, the cocoa we smelled in the aroma, nuttiness, and some vanilla. It also tasted slightly ashy to me.

Nocturne had a smooth melt. The chocolate flavor left quickly after the chocolate was gone. The aftertaste was not bitter; instead we were left with a sour and somewhat ashy finish. Lindy could also continue to taste some of the nuttiness.

You can purchase Guittard Nocturne online directly from Guittard for $2.89, or from Chocolopolis for $2.99.

Review: Amano Montanya

Lindy's Rating: 8.0 (previously ***)

Richard's Rating: 8.0 (previously ***)

chocolate maker Amano bar Montanya region Venezuela plantation (blend) cacao trees Criollo year (unknown) size 56g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $8.95

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth with text imprints and scoring aroma earthy (musty, grassy), hint of vanilla snap hard taste sweet, fruit (berry, cherry, apple, melon, apricot), roasted marshmallow, hint of tannin melt smooth length short finish slightly astringent

Amano Montanya is made from Criollo cacao beans from some remote farms in the mountains of northern Venezuela. The two ounce bar of 70% cocoa solids came wrapped in gold foil inside a glossy black package with the print of a painting of a cacao tree by Cary Henrie. The best before date was December 2012.

This Montanya bar was scored into 15 pieces, each with an imprint of "AMANO Artisan Chocolate" and their tiny emblem of a small branch of a cacao tree. The color of this chocolate was a medium dark brown Bitter Chocolate (PANTONE 19-1317).

The aroma of Montanya was earthy, with clear musty and grassy scents. I also smelled a hint of vanilla. The bar had a hard snap.

As we tasted this chocolate, we noticed several fruit flavors after the obvious sweetness. After an initial bit of berry or cherry, apple and melon flavors seemed strongest, though it sometimes tasted of apricot, too. Underlying these fruits was the marshmallow advertised on the wrapper. Lindy clarified that flavor as roasted marshmallow. In addition, she tasted a hint of tannin.

Montanya had a smooth melt. The length of this chocolate was very short, just 5 to 10 seconds, exceeding the 5 second threshold of short duration, but not by much. The final aftertaste was slightly astringent. Lindy found it stronger than I did, and also experienced some of the roasted marshmallow taste remaining with her.

Lindy and I both rated this chocolate ***. Amano Montanya won a Silver in the bean to bar dark chocolate category at the 2009 Academy of Chocolate Awards. For reference, the Montanya bar we reviewed was from lot number 3/4/84C with a best before date of December 2012.

You can purchase Amano Montanya online directly from Amano for $8.95, or at Chocolopolis for only $8.25.

Review: Theo Ultimate Dark 85%

Lindy's Rating: 7.0 (previously ***)

Richard's Rating: 6.0 (previously **)

chocolate maker Theo bar Ultimate Dark 85% region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 84g ~ 3.0oz cocoa solids 85% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $4.00

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with scoring aroma roast (smoke), earth, spice, fruit (cherry, dried apricot) snap hard taste roast (toast), fruit (citrus, cherry), somewhat bitter melt smooth length medium finish burnt, somewhat bitter

Theo Ultimate Dark is part of this chocolate maker's Classic Collection, which includes several flavored chocolate bars, a 45% milk chocolate, a 70% dark chocolate that we'll review soon, and this 85% dark chocolate. Ultimate Dark is USDA certified organic and IMO Fair for Life certified fair trade and socially responsible for nearly all of its ingredients. Only the ground vanilla bean lacked a fair trade certification. The 3 ounce bar came wrapped in silver foil and was scored into 6 large pieces.

Ultimate Dark had a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color and a hard snap. It gave off a strong aroma, immediately permeating the area as soon as it was unwrapped. The scents included a smoky roast, some earthiness, a little spice, and some fruits that Lindy identified as cherry and dried apricot.

The flavors of this chocolate were primarily roast and fruit. Lindy experienced the roast as toast, and we both tasted fruits as a combination of citrus and cherry. I noticed a hint of spice, and found Ultimate Dark to be slightly bitter. Lindy felt the bitterness was substantial.

This chocolate had a smooth melt. After the chocolate was gone, the flavor lasted around 20 seconds, just barely giving it a medium length. The finish was nearly identical to the bitterness we experienced in the taste: Lindy found it bitter, and I found it slightly so. There was also an unpleasant flavor in aftertaste that Lindy identified as burnt toast.

Overall, Lindy rated Ultimate Dark a low *** and I rated it a high **. For reference, the Ultimate Dark bar reviewed here had a best before date of July 2012.

You can purchase Theo Ultimate Dark 85% online for $4.00 directly from Theo.

Review: Michel Cluizel Mangaro 65%

Lindy's Rating: 8.0 (previously ***)

Richard's Rating: 8.0 (previously ***)

chocolate maker Michel Cluizel bar Mangaro 65% region Madagascar plantation Mangaro cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 70g ~ 2.5oz cocoa solids 65% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring bourbon vanilla other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with text and image imprints and scoring aroma roast (coffee, toast), spice, earth, fruit snap medium hard taste fruit (berry, blueberry, citrus), sweet (honey, caramel), tart melt more smooth length short finish slightly acidic

Michel Cluizel 1er Cru de Plantation Mangaro is made from 65% cocoa solids from the Mangaro plantation in the Sambirano river valley of Madagascar. The 70 gram bar came wrapped in gold foil and was scored into 15 pieces, and imprinted as shown in the photograph above. The best before date was 21 December 2011.

The color of Mangaro was a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). The aromas of this chocolate included roast in the forms of coffee and toast, as well as some earthiness, some spice, and fruit. This bar had a medium hard snap.

Mangaro had tastes primarily of fruit and sweetness. The fruit flavor included berry in general, and blueberry specifically, as well as a citrus that was suggestive of lime. The sweetness seemed a combination of honey and caramel. Lindy also noticed some tartness in addition to the citrus flavor.

The melt of this chocolate was better than smooth, in the more smooth category. The flavor lasted about 15 seconds after the chocolate was gone, resulting in a short length. The final aftertaste was not bitter, leaving instead a slightly acidic finish. Lindy also found that she could still taste hints of roasted nuts and honey.

You can purchase Cluizel Mangaro 65% online for $6.99 at Chocolopolis.

For reference, the Mangaro bar reviewed here had a best before date of December 21, 2011. This chocolate won one star at the Great Taste Awards in 2008 and 1er Prix at the Paris Salon du Chocolat in 2003.

Review: Trader Joe's Fair Trade Swiss Dark Chocolate

Lindy's Rating: 5.0 (previously **)

Richard's Rating: 5.0 (previously **)

chocolate maker (unknown) bar Swiss Dark region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 71% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $1.99

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with lines and scoring aroma sweet (brown sugar, caramel), roast (cocoa), earthy, hint of berry snap hard taste sweet, fruit (pear), roast melt smooth length short finish slightly sour

Trader Joe's Fair Trade Swiss Dark Chocolate is made from 71% cocoa solids. The vanilla flavoring comes from vanilla bean pods. The wrapper has an Equitable Trade ("Fair Trade and Beyond") label on the back, but is not certified fair trade. The Equitable Trade website (http://www.equitabletrade.org) is not active. The 100 gram bar came wrapped in silver foil and was scored into pieces. The remainder of this bar (as photographed above) was given to me by my friend Phillip (thank you!)

Swiss Dark had a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color and a hard snap. The chocolate gave off aromas of sweetness in scents of brown sugar and caramel, roast in the scent of cocoa, and earthiness. There was also a hint of fruit that I think was some sort of berry.

The taste of Swiss Dark was quite sweet with a fruit flavor that we identified as pear. I also noticed a roast flavor. The chocolate melted smoothly, and when it was gone, the flavor lasted 10-15 seconds (a short length). The final aftertaste was not bitter, leaving only a slight sourness as a finish.

Lindy and I both rated this bar **. At $1.99, Trader Joe's Swiss Dark Chocolate is a bargain at the lowest price per ounce ($0.56) of all the bars we both rated ** (in contrast with the Amedei Toscano Black 70 we reviewed yesterday, which is the most expensive ** bar at $3.69 per ounce). You can see all of our chocolate ratings and relative prices on our Best Chocolate Values page.

For reference, the Swiss Dark bar reviewed here had a best before date of June 30, 2012.

Review: Amedei Toscano Black 70

Lindy's Rating: 5.5 (previously **)

Richard's Rating: 6.0 (previously **)

chocolate maker Amedei bar Toscano Black 70 region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees Criollo, Trinitario year (unknown) size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 70% 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 with text imprints and scoring aroma spice, earthy, floral, roast (tobacco), sweet snap hard taste fruit (cherry), sweet, roast melt smooth length short finish slightly acidic

Amedei Toscano Black 70 is unsurprisingly made from 70% cocoa solids. They use only Criollo and Trinitario cacao beans from farms producing exclusively for Amedei. The bar came wrapped in yellow foil inside a folded black paper container in the standard shape for Italian chocolate maker Amedei. The 50 gram bar was scored into 10 pieces, each with an Amedei text imprint and some lines.

The color of this Toscano Black 70 bar was a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). It had a hard snap. The aromas of the chocolate were spice, floral, and earth. Lindy also detected some sweetness and I smelled a tobacco roast.

Toscano Black 70 had a strong cherry flavor that was somewhat too sweet, and a roast that I thought hinted of coffee. The melt of this chocolate was smooth. After the chocolate was gone, the flavor lasted 10-15 seconds, giving it a short length. The final aftertaste was slightly acidic. Lindy was also left with just a hint of cherry that didn't seem to go away.

As you can see from the sticker on the package in the picture at top, Toscano Black 70 won one of the gold awards for best bean to bar chocolates at the 2009 Academy of Chocolate. Unfortunately, Lindy and I didn't like this bar anywhere near as much as the judges liked the bar two years ago in 2009. Lindy rated Toscano Black 70 ** and I agreed, though it was a high ** for me. Amedei does not have a list price for Toscano Black 70. However, you can purchase it online for $6.50 at Chocolopolis. At that price it is currently the most expensive ** bar on our Best Chocolate Values list.

Review: Domori Chuao Hacienda San José

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

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

chocolate maker Domori bar Chuao region Venezuela plantation San José cacao trees Criollo year (unknown) size 25g ~ 0.9oz cocoa solids 70% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth with text imprints aroma earthy (musty, straw), floral, nut (roasted almond), spice, berry snap hard taste fruit (tropical, pineapple, papaya, raisin), honey, tart, cream, hint of nut melt creamy length short finish very slightly acidic

Domori Chuao Hacienda San José is another chocolate bar made from Criollo cacao beans from Venezuela. It is a plantation bar, with all of its beans coming from Hacienda San José. The chocolate has only 70% cocoa solids and 30% cane sugar for ingredients. It comes in a tiny 25 gram bar (less than an ounce) that is scored into 4 pieces, each with a Domori imprint.

The color of this chocolate was different from the other Chuaos we've reviewed (they were all different shades of Bracken). Domori Chuao was closer to Bitter Chocolate (PANTONE 19-1317) in color. The bar had a hard snap.

Chuao San José gave off a complex aroma, with scents of earthy must and straw (or perhaps hay), something floral, nuts in the form of roasted almond, spice we didn't identify, and non-specific berry.

The flavors we tasted were similarly interesting, including tropical fruits that Lindy identified as pineapple and papaya. I noticed some honey and cream. Lindy found some tartness. We both also experienced raisin and a hint of nut.

This bar had a wonderful creamy texture as it melted. The flavor lasted about 15-20 seconds after the chocolate was gone, leaving it near the middle of a short length. The finish was minimal as the flavor just faded away, leaving only a very slightly acidic aftertaste.

Lindy and I both like Chuaos, and this was no exception. In comparison with the other Chuaos we've reviewed, Domori fits in as 4th:

1. Amedei
2. Bonnat
3. Coppeneur
4. Domori
5. Amano

Overall, we both rated Domori Chuao a high ***, and it made it onto our respective lists of 10 favorite bars: 10th on Lindy's and 8th on mine. As Lindy put it, "If I liked the flavor more, this would be ****."

Domori does not provide a list price for Chauo Hacienda San José. This bar costs $6.99 at Chocolopolis. It is not currently listed in their online catalog, but I'm confident you could order it from them by phone at (206) 282-0776.