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.