Review: Mast Brothers Brooklyn Blend

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

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

chocolate maker Mast Brothers bar Brooklyn Blend region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2011 size 71g ~ 2.5oz cocoa solids 74% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $7.00

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth with scoring, uneven sheen aroma floral (jasmine), roast, earth snap hard taste tart, red fruit, roast, hints of sour and earth melt smooth length short finish slightly bitter, very slightly sour

Brooklyn Blend is Mast Brothers first house blend, with cacao from multiple regions. This chocolate was made from 74% cacao and 26% cane sugar on 2 June 2011. The 2.5 ounce bar was scored into 32 small pieces, wrapped in gold foil and placed inside nice heavy craft paper.

The color of this chocolate was a medium brown Bitter Chocolate (PANTONE 19-1317). As with other Mast Brothers bars, the surface was imperfect, with swirls of slightly different smoothness and color. The bar had a hard snap.

Brooklyn Blend had an aroma of jasmine flowers and a roast we didn't identify. I also detected an earthy scent.

This chocolate had a tart flavor, along with a red fruit. We couldn't decide what red fruit, perhaps a berry or cherry. We also tasted the roast, and I experienced hints of sour and earth. Lindy remarked that she especially liked the tartness.

Although the melt began slowly, Brooklyn Blend had a smooth texture. The length was short, with the flavor lasting 10 to 15 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was slightly bitter and very slightly sour.

Overall, we both rated this chocolate a low ***.

You can purchase Mast Brothers Brooklyn Blend online for $8.50 in the contiguous U.S. from French Broad Chocolates or for £8.95 in the U.K. from The Chocolate Society.