Review: E. Guittard Quetzalcoatl 72%

Lindy's Rating: 5.5

Richard's Rating: 6.0

chocolate maker Guittard bar Quetzalcoatl region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 57g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 72% added fat (none) 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, smoke), sweet, vanilla, hint of floral snap hard taste sweet, vanilla, roast (cocoa) melt smooth length short finish slightly bitter, slightly chalky

United States bean to bar chocolate maker E. Guittard makes both single origin and blend chocolates. Quetzalcoatl, named for the feathered serpent god who brought us chocolate, was made from a blend of cacao beans and is the only chocolate Guittard makes without added cocoa butter. The ingredients were 72% cacao beans, cane sugar, soy lecithin, and vanilla beans.

The bar was the standard two ounce size of Guittard's chocolates. It was scored into 12 pieces, each with an imprint of the E. Guittard signature. The chocolate was wrapped in brassy-colored foil and enclosed in a paper cover. The best before date on the chocolate we reviewed was April 2013.

Quetzalcoatl had a medium-dark brown Bracken color (PANTONE 19-1015). The surface was smooth, with only a little scuffing. The bar had a hard snap.

We both smelled aromas of roast, sweetness and vanilla. The roast was primarily cocoa, but also included clear scents of smoke. Lindy clarified the vanilla aroma to be vanilla bean. I also noticed the suggestion of something floral. As for taste, this chocolate had a straightforward and simple flavor profile: it tasted sweet, with flavors of vanilla and cocoa roast.

The melt was smooth and Quetzalcoatl had a short length, with the flavor lasting 10 to 15 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was slightly bitter and slightly chalky.

Overall, this chocolate wasn't particularly interesting, but it was better than most comparable mainstream bars, such as Ghirardelli, Godiva, Green and Black's, and Lindt.

You can purchase Guittard Quetzalcoatl online for $2.89 directly from Guittard or for $2.50 from Chocosphere.