Review: Madécasse 80%

Richard's Rating: 6.0

chocolate maker Madécasse bar 80% region Madagascar plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 75g ~ 2.6oz cocoa solids 80% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $5.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth with stylized cacao bean imprints, scoring, bubbles aroma floral, roast (burnt, smoky), acidic snap medium hard taste roast (burnt), earth (soil), fruit (citrus, berry, apricot, lime), nut melt smooth length short finish roast (burnt), slightly acidic

Madécasse makes single origin Madagascar chocolate locally in Madagascar. They work closely with the nearby Ezaka Cooperative of cacao farmers from whom they purchase beans at well above fair trade prices.

Unlike the 70% and 75% bars, Madécasse 80% had neither soy lecithin nor vanilla among its ingredients. It was made from only cacao beans, sugar, and cocoa butter.

The 80% bar used the same molds: 75 grams 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 was January 2012, so I reviewed this chocolate more than a month past its best.

The color of this chocolate was a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). The surface of the bar was smooth, with several bubbles (many more than 70% or 75%). The snap was medium hard.

80% had an aroma similar to the other bars: an initial floral, then a burnt and smoky roast, and some acidity. I didn't notice the expected fruit scent.

The chocolate tasted of burnt roast, but it wasn't smoky as with 70% and 75%. I experienced an earthy soil flavor before the fruits came out: citrus, berry, apricot, and lime. There was some nuttiness as well.

The melt was slower than 70% and 75%, but still smooth. The length was short, with flavor after the chocolate was gone lasting 15 to 20 seconds. The final aftertaste was a slightly acidic burnt roast.

You can purchase 80% online for $5.99 directly from Madécasse. At the time of this posting, Chocosphere has a clearance sale on 80% bars with a best before date of January 2012 at half off: 2 for $5.95.