Review: Madécasse 70%

Richard's Rating: 5.5

chocolate maker Madécasse bar 70% region Madagascar plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 75g ~ 2.6oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $5.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with stylized cacao bean imprints, scoring, bubble aroma floral, roast (burnt, smoky), spice, fruit, acidic snap medium hard taste fruit (berry, citrus, cherry), roast (burnt), sweet, earth melt smooth length short finish roast (burnt), slightly bitter

Madécasse makes single origin Madagascar chocolate in Madagascar! Working locally, they are frequently able to start production within a month of the cacao beans being dried. Madécasse works closely with the local Ezaka Cooperative of cacao farmers from whom they purchase beans at well above fair trade prices.

Madécasse 70% was made from cacao beans, sugar, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, and vanilla. The 75 gram bar was scored into 24 pieces, each with a stylized cacao imprint. It was wrapped in gold-sided foil and put inside a paper envelope. The best before date on the wrapper of the bar was December 2011, so this chocolate was not at its best for this review.

The chocolate had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface of the bar was smooth, with only a single bubble and some discoloration in the scoring. The snap was medium hard.

The aroma began with floral and roast, the latter of which smelled burnt and smoky. I detected scents of spice, fruit and acidity.

70% tasted of fruit, including berry, citrus, and cherry. The burnt roast from the aroma was clearly present. I also tasted sweetness and an earth flavor.

The chocolate had a smooth melt. The flavor after the chocolate was gone lasted only about 10 seconds, given a short length. The aftertaste was a burnt roast with a slight bitterness that lingered.

Madécasse 70% won Best in Show at the 2009 New York Chocolate Show. My experience of this chocolate was good, but not great. The roast seemed too strong, impacting the other aromas and flavors, and the length and finish weren't great. However, note that this review is for a chocolate past its best before date.

You can purchase 70% online for $5.99 directly from Madécasse. Better yet, Chocosphere is currently running a sale on 70% bars with a best before date of June 2012 for only $4.15 (30% off).