Review: Snake & Butterfly Benjamin's 76% Blend

Lindy's Rating: 7.0

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Snake & Butterfly bar Benjamin's 76% Blend region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 50g ~ 1.75oz cocoa solids 76% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane juice emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $5.00

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1431 Fudgesickle texture smooth with text and image imprints, scoring, bubbles, uneven sheen aroma roast (smoke), fruit (red berry), sweet (molasses), wine snap medium hard taste roast (smoke), wood, tannin, fruit (berry, citrus), sweet melt smooth length medium finish tannin

California chocolate maker Snake & Butterfly began making bean to bar chocolate in 2007. Although their bars are not certified, they use fair trade cacao beans and organic ingredients. Due to customer demand, they currently focus on flavored chocolate and no longer make single origin chocolate. However, they still hand craft two blend bars, one of which is Benjamin's 76% Blend.

Benjamin's 76% Blend was made from cacao beans, evaporated cane juice, and cocoa butter, with no added emulsifier or flavoring. The 1.75 ounce bar was scored into four large pieces, with alternating imprints of the company name and a stylized branch with a cacao pod.

Inside a paper sleeve, the bar came wrapped in black-sided foil. There was neither a production date nor a best before date for the chocolate we reviewed.

The chocolate had a medium brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431) color. The surface was smooth with some bubbles, and the sheen was uneven. The bar had a medium hard snap.

The aroma included a smoky roast, a red berry fruit, and a molasses sweetness. Lindy also described one scent as that of a fruity red wine.

The taste of Benjamin's 76% Blend contained the smoky roast from the aroma. Other flavors we tasted were wood, fruit in the form of berry and a hint of citrus, and sweetness. A tannin flavor also grew from slight to strong.

This chocolate had a smooth melt. The flavor lasted 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving it a medium length. The finish was strongly tannin.

You can purchase Benjamin's 76% Blend online for $5.00 directly from Snake & Butterfly for delivery to the continental U.S. or Canada.