Review: Dandelion Ocumare Venezuela

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker Dandelion bar Ocumare region Venezuela plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2012 size 56g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 70% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $8.00

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, glossy, scoring, imprints, adhered bits aroma roast (malt), earth, fruit (berry), spice snap hard taste roast (malt), earth, sweet, nut, tannin, spice (cinnamon), fruit melt smooth length medium finish tannin, somewhat sour

U.S. chocolate maker Dandelion released their Ocumare, Venezuela bar earlier this spring. All Dandelion chocolate is made with only two ingredients: cacao beans and cane sugar, and is produced in a nut-free facility.

Ocumare contained 70% cacao beans and 30% cane sugar. The two ounce bar was scored into 18 pieces, each with five parallel squiggles. It came wrapped in heavy gold-sided foil inside a pretty craft paper outer wrapper. I am always impressed by both the wrappers and heavy foil used by Dandelion. The wrapper was sealed closed with a sticker on the back, initialed by the person who made the batch (Todd Masonis) and the person who packaged the bar (MG). There was no production or best before date, but the batch was identified as 3.

The chocolate had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface was smooth and glossy. There were some adhered chocolate bits and a tiny bit of scuffing, but the bar looked great as usual. The snap was hard, almost brittle.

The aroma of Ocumare was a malt roast. I also smelled scents of earth, fruit, and spice. The fruit seemed to include some berry.

Ocumare tasted of the malt from the aroma. Along with that malt roast were flavors of earth, sweetness, nut, and a cinnamon spice. I experienced tannin as well.

The melt was smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted more than 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving it a medium length. The final aftertaste was tannin and somewhat sour.

Ocumare was another delicious chocolate from Dandelion, even if it didn't quite reach the heights of Amano Ocumare.

Unfortunately, Dandelion Ocumare, Venezuela is no longer available for purchase online.

Sale: 20% off at World Wide Chocolate for Cyber Monday

For Cyber Monday, World Wide Chocolate is having a nearly storewide sale for 20% off all chocolate makers other than Amedei.

Minimum purchase is $60. Use coupon code MONDAY20 during checkout (through midnight tonight).

World Wide Chocolate ships to United States, APO (military), and FPO (diplomatic) addresses. Shipping is fairly expensive, so check their shipping policies for full information.

Sale: 20% off Taza Chocolate

Just like last year, Taza is running a Cyber Monday sale today and tomorrow for 20% off everything at their online store.

Enter CYBER20 in the "Coupon or Promotional Code:" field during checkout and click the triangle to the right of it to apply the 20% discount.

This is the best deal I've seen from Taza, so now is the time to take advantage of the best prices of the year. The sale ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, November 26th.

Taza ships to the United States, Canada, and Europe. Additional shipping information can be found here.

Sale: 20% off at World Wide Chocolate through Friday

World Wide Chocolate is having a nearly storewide sale for 20% off all chocolate makers other than Amedei.

Minimum purchase is $40. Use coupon code FRIDAY20-40 during checkout (through Friday, November 23).

World Wide Chocolate ships to United States, APO (military), and FPO (diplomatic) addresses. Shipping is fairly expensive, so check their shipping policies for full information.

Sale: Chocolopolis Free Shipping on Small Business Saturday

On Small Business Saturday (November 24th), Chocolopolis will provide free ground shipping on all orders (purchased online or in-store) to anywhere in the United States. Consider taking this opportunity to buy extraordinary chocolate bars as gifts and send them to the chocolate lovers in your life.

Ground shipping should automatically be priced as $0 this Saturday at their online store. If you'd like to delay shipment until sometime in December (e.g., for Christmas gifts), you can phone the store at 206.282.0776 to place your order and still get free ground shipping.

Review: Pacari Nube / Cloud

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker Pacari bar Cloud / Nube region Ecuador plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2012 size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier sunflower lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, scoring, uneven bottom surface, uneven sheen, scuffing, adhered bits aroma floral (rose), fruit, earth, spice snap medium soft taste fruit, sour, sweet, intense rose floral, earth, spice, vanilla melt smooth length medium finish sour, somewhat astringent, slightly acidic

Nube is one of two new award-winning bars that Pacari recently added to their collection. We reviewed the other, Piura Quemazón, earlier this month. During the International Chocolate Awards 2012 Semi-Finals, Nube won both the Ecuador gold and an Americas overall silver in the unflavored dark chocolate bar category.

Nube, which means Cloud in English, was made with cacao from a specific location in Ecuador. Owners Santiago Peralta and Carla Barboto would not reveal the region when I spoke with them at the Northwest Chocolate Festival.

The chocolate had 70% cocoa solids (including added cocoa butter). Sunflower lecithin was used as an emulsifier. All of the ingredients other than the sunflower lecithin were certified organic by both the USDA and EC.

The 50 gram bar came enclosed in a black plastic pouch inside a silver paper box. The bar was scored into 15 pieces. There was no production or best before date.

The color of the chocolate was a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). The appearance and temper of this bar were disappointing. The surface of the bar was smooth except for the bottom, which was uneven with swirls you could see and feel from cooling too quickly. The sheen was uneven. There were some other minor imperfections as well: some scuffing, adhered bits of chocolate, and two tiny bubbles. The snap was medium soft and the break suggested this bar was not tempered correctly.

Nube had a powerful rose floral scent. The aroma also included some fruit, earth, and spice, but the scent of roses was dominant.

After initial fruit, sour, and sweet flavors, the chocolate quickly revealed the taste of an intense floral rose flavor like that of the aroma. Earth and spice were also present, but subdued in comparison to the rose flavor. I also tasted vanilla, even though there was none added.

The melt was smooth, with a slightly chalky texture. The flavor lasted about 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving it a medium length. The finish was sour, somewhat astringent, and slightly acidic.

In spite of the production flaws, which Pacari will surely resolve, the unique aroma and taste of Nube make it a chocolate that should be experienced.

Pacari Nube is not yet available for purchase online.

Review: Pacari Piura Quemazón

Richard's Rating: 8.0

chocolate maker Pacari bar Piura Quemazón region Peru plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2012 size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier sunflower lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color light brown PANTONE 19-1431 Fudgesickle texture smooth, scoring, uneven sheen, adhered bits, scuffing aroma floral, spice (cinnamon), sweet (caramel), fruit (citrus, orange, berry), earth snap medium hard taste floral, spice (cinnamon), fruit (citrus, grapefruit, mango), sour, sweet (caramel) melt smooth length long finish tannin, somewhat sour, slightly acidic

Pacari recently won several categories at the 2012 World Final of the International Chocolate Awards. Their Piura Quemazón won an overall silver in the unflavored dark chocolate bar category.

Piura Quemazón was made with cacao from Peru. This is the first chocolate bar Pacari has made with cacao sourced outside Ecuador. It contained 70% cocoa solids (cacao beans plus added cocoa butter), cane sugar, and sunflower lecithin. As with all of their chocolates, Piura Quemazón was USDA and EC certified organic.

The 50 gram bar came enclosed in a plastic pouch inside a paper box. The bar was scored into 15 pieces. There was no production or best before date.

The chocolate had an unusually light brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431) color. The surface of the bar was smooth, with an uneven sheen and adhered bits. There was some minimal scuffing. The snap was medium hard.

Piura had an interesting and strong aroma, with floral, cinnamon spice, sweet caramel, fruit and earth scents. The fruit contained a general citrus scent along with orange and a little berry.

The taste of this chocolate began with flavors from the aroma: floral and cinnamon spice. Fruit flavors were soon revealed, including citrus, grapefruit and mango. A sweetness of caramel from the aroma was also present along with some sourness.

The melt was smooth. The length was remarkably long, with the flavor lasting about 45 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was tannin, somewhat sour, and slightly acidic.

Unfortunately, Pacari Piura Quemazón is not currently available for purchase online, but you should definitely try it once you can.