Review: Amedei Toscano Black 63

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

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

chocolate maker Amedei bar Toscano Black 63 region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees Criollo, Trinitario year (unknown) size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 63% 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 floral, earth (moss), roast (cocoa, coffee), sweet, fruit (raspberry) snap hard taste sweet (honey), roast (hot chocolate), fruit (red berry) melt more smooth length long finish slightly sweet, very slightly acidic

Amedei makes their Toscano Black bars using blends of Criollo and Trinitario cacao beans from plantations with which Amedei has exclusive relationships. Toscano Black 63 is made from cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla, with a total of 63% cocoa solids. This 50 gram bar came in the standard Amedei shape: scored into 10 pieces, each with an "AMEDEI" text imprint and some lines. It came sealed inside yellow sided silver foil in a red textured paper container. The best before date was February 2012.

Toscano Black 63 had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color and a hard snap. The chocolate had a terrific and complex aroma, with lots of scents. I first noticed something floral and some earthiness. Lindy clarified the earth as a moss. We smelled roast scents with both cocoa and coffee, though more of the former. There was also some sweetness and a red fruit aroma that Lindy identified as raspberry.

The taste immediately revealed a sweetness in the form of honey that was surprisingly nice, and not the excessive sweetness we anticipated. Following that was a roast flavor like that of a terrific hot chocolate, a great combination of cocoa and just the right amount of sugar. Finally, we noticed a red berry fruit.

This chocolate had a melt that was more smooth. The length was an impressive long, with the flavor lasting around a minute after the chocolate was gone. The finish was slightly sweet and very slightly acidic.

Overall, we both rated Toscano Black 63 a high ***. This chocolate surprised us both and made it onto our respective lists of favorites (click on the links in the top right Pages section to see them). It also won a gold at the Academy of Chocolate's 2011 Awards.

You can purchase Amedei Toscano Black 63 online for $6.50 in the U.S. from Chocolopolis, or for £3.95 in the U.K. from Chocolate Trading Co.