Review: Moho Dark 67%

Richard's Rating: 5.5

chocolate maker Moho bar Dark 67% region Belize plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 67g ~ 2.3oz cocoa solids 67% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $4.50

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, uneven shape, uneven sheen, scuffing aroma roast (smoke, tobacco), earth (must) snap hard taste roast (cocoa), sweet, earth, tannin, fruit melt less smooth length short finish tannin, slightly bitter, slightly ashy

Moho is a single origin bean to bar chocolate maker based in New York, but with strong ties to the Moho river valley of Belize. Not only do they source their cacao beans from small local farmers through Moho River Cacao, but Jeff Pzena also co-owns Cotton Tree Lodge there, which hosts educational chocolate weeks. Moho River Cacao handles all of the fermentation and solar drying of the cacao for quality and consistency.

The current Moho Chocolate Company was previously Moho Cocoa, and the Dark 67% reviewed here had the old Moho Cocoa label. Moho is in the process of phasing out these 2.35 ounce bars and instead making 100 gram bars. They make flavored chocolate bars in addition to their Dark 67% and Plain Dark 72% (which we'll review next).

As explained on their website, Dark 67% was crafted from 8 parts cocoa beans, 5 parts sugar, and 2 parts cocoa butter. Jeff confirmed that they make their cocoa butter from the same Belize cacao beans.

The 2.35 ounce bar came as a single slab wrapped in foil-sided wax paper inside a paper sleeve. There was no production or best before date.

Dark 67% had a medium-dark brown color that was slightly redder than Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). The bar was uneven, with one side slightly wider than the other. The surface was smooth, but had an uneven sheen and some scuffing. The bar had a hard snap.

The aroma was roasted and earthy. The roast included both smoke and tobacco scents; the earth was musty.

The chocolate had a roast taste, too, but it was cocoa rather than smoky and tobacco. The taste was sweet and tannin, and had additional flavors of earth and fruit.

The melt was less smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted about 15 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a short length. The finish was tannin, slightly bitter, and slightly ashy.

It appears you can still purchase Dark 67% online for $4.50 on the Moho Cocoa website.