Review: Marou Tien Giang 70%

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Marou bar Tien Giang region Vietnam plantation (blend) cacao trees Trinitario year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1012 Dark Brown appearance smooth, scoring, imprint, bubbles, adhered bits aroma roast (coffee, smoke), sweet snap hard taste roast (smoke), spice (pepper), fruit (prune), sweet (honey, toffee), earth melt smooth length long finish somewhat acidic, slightly tannin

Tien Giang is one of five regional bean to bar chocolates crafted by Marou locally in Vietnam. Each bar is made with cacao from a different growing region within the country. The other four bars are: Ba Ria, Ben Tre, Dong Nai, and Lam Dong.

The outer paper wrapper of Tien Giang was a beautiful deep blue (and slight purple hue) with silk-screened gold ink lines and drawings. Inside, the large 100 gram bar was wrapped in thin bronze foil-sided paper.

The ingredients of Tien Giang were cacao beans, cocoa butter, and cane sugar. The chocolate had 70% cocoa solids and 30% sugar. The bar was produced in Marou's nut-free factory in Ho Chi Minh City. The batch number was 306 and the best before date was January 27, 2014.

The bar was scored with diagonal lines, giving pieces of different sizes. The center had an imprint of the Marou logo. The surface was smooth with a slightly uneven sheen. The color was a medium brown Dark Brown (PANTONE 19-1012). There were some bubbles and adhered bits.

The snap was hard. The aroma was primarily roast, with scents of coffee and smoke. I also smelled some sweetness.

Tien Giang had a smoky roast flavor that tasted initially quite strong. Other flavors that soon came forth included a complex spice with pepper, a fruit flavor that contained prune, and a sweetness that seemed to be a cross between honey and toffee. Some earthiness was also present.

The chocolate had a smooth melt. The length was long, with the flavor lasting over 50 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The final aftertaste was somewhat acidic and slightly tannin.

Tien Giang won a silver at the Academy of Chocolate 2013 awards.

You can purchase Marou Tien Giang 70% online for $9.00 from Chocolopolis.

Review: Marou Ben Tre 78%

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker Marou bar Ben Tre region Vietnam plantation (blend) cacao trees Trinitario year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 78% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1431 Fudgesickle appearance smooth, scoring, imprint, adhered bits, bubbles aroma roast (cocoa, tobacco), earth (hay), spice snap hard taste roast (cocoa), earth (hay), sweet (honey), nut melt smooth length long finish somewhat tannin, somewhat acidic

Marou, Faiseurs de Chocolat makes five single origin chocolate bars in Vietnam with cacao from different local regions in the country: Ba Ria, Ben Tre, Dong Nai, Lam Dong, and Tien Giang.

Ben Tre was made from 78% cocoa solids (cacao beans and cocoa butter) and 22% cane sugar in Marou's nut-free factory in Ho Chi Minh City.

The bright green outer paper wrapper had silk-screened gold ink and was held closed by double-sided adhesive. Inside, the 100 gram bar came hand-wrapped in bronze foil-sided paper closed with a sticker of their "M" logo.

The bar was scored with diagonal lines, giving pieces of different sizes. The center had an imprint of the Marou logo. The best before date of this was January 25, 2014, and the batch number was 303.

The chocolate had a medium brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431) color. The surface was smooth and looked great, even with some adhered bits, lines from the wrapper, and a few bubbles.

Ben Tre had a hard snap. The rich aroma contained roast, earth, and spice. The roast was a mix of cocoa and tobacco. The earth scent seemed closest to hay.

The taste began with and maintained an underlying cocoa roast and earthy hay. Sweetness grew into a strong honey flavor, and some nuttiness developed in the latter half. There was also a hint of sourness.

The chocolate had a smooth melt. The flavor after the chocolate was gone lasted about 40 to 50 seconds, giving a long length. The final aftertaste was somewhat tannin and somewhat acidic.

Ben Tre won a bronze at the Academy of Chocolate 2013 awards.

You can purchase Marou Ben Tre 78% online for $9.00 from Chocolopolis.

Sale: Taza 20% off sale

Taza is running their annual 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 associated Apply button to receive the 20% discount.

This is the largest discount offered by Taza, so now is the time to take advantage of their best prices of the year. The sale ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Monday, December 2nd.

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

Review: Marou Lam Dong 74%

Richard's Rating: 6.0

chocolate maker Marou bar Lam Dong region Vietnam plantation (blend) cacao trees Trinitario year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 74% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1431 Fudgesickle appearance smooth, scoring, imprint, bubbles, adhered bits aroma roast (coffee), earth, nut, sweet snap hard taste roast (cocoa, smoke), spice (pepper), sweet, earth (soil) melt smooth length long finish somewhat tannin, somewhat bitter

Marou, Faiseurs de Chocolat crafts five single origin chocolates locally from different regions in Vietnam. In addition to Lam Dong reviewed here, they make chocolate from Ba Ria, Ben Tre, Dong Nai, and Tien Giang.

Samuel Maruta and Vincent Mourou make all of their chocolate in their nut-free factory in Ho Chi Minh City from three ingredients: cacao, cocoa butter, and cane sugar.

Lam Dong 74% came hand-wrapped in bronze foil-sided paper sealed closed by a sticker with their "M" logo. The outer peacock aqua paper wrapper was silk-screened with gold ink and closed with double-sided adhesive.

The 100 gram bar was scored with diagonal lines that provide pieces of different sizes. In the center was an imprint of the Marou logo. The chocolate was made with 74% cocoa solids and 26% cane sugar. The best before date of this particular bar was January 16, 2014, and the batch number was 288.

The color of the chocolate was a medium brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431). The surface was smooth, but had several bubbles, lines from the wrapper, and a few adhered bits.

The bar had a hard snap. The aroma was primarily a coffee roast. Some earthiness, a bit of nuttiness, and a sweetness were also present.

The chocolate tasted of roast, spice, and earth. The roast had both cocoa and smoke flavors. The spice included pepper. The earthiness seemed closest to soil. There was also some of the sweetness from the aroma.

The melt was smooth. The chocolate had a long length, with the flavor lasting 40 to 45 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was somewhat tannin and somewhat bitter.

You can purchase Marou Lam Dong 74% online for $9.00 from Chocolopolis.

Sale: Free Shipping at Caputo's

Caputo's Deli is having a free shipping sale on chocolate through the end of the year with no minimum purchase requirement.

Caputo's has excellent prices on the many makers they carry, as well as several great chocolate bar collections. This is a perfect opportunity to get some amazing chocolate gifts for those you love, as well as for yourself.

Use coupon code CHOCOLATE during checkout for this free shipping offer. This code is valid through December 31st.

Note that this free shipping offer does NOT apply to their direct chocolate website (http://www.caputoschocolate.com), but they seem to have the same inventory and pricing on both sites.

Review: Rogue Sambirano

Richard's Rating: 9.0

chocolate maker Rogue bar Sambirano region Madagascar plantation Åkesson cacao trees Criollo year (unknown) size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 70% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $7.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate appearance smooth, glossy, uneven sheen, adhered bits aroma fruit (prune), roast (hint of coffee), earth, wood (cedar) snap hard taste fruit (citrus, orange, lime, raisin, cherry), roast melt creamy length long finish acidic

Colin Gasko reformulated Sambirano since we last reviewed it over two years ago. It is now made without any added cocoa butter, and the remaining two ingredients (70% cacao beans and 30% cane sugar) are both organic. The bar was not certified.

The cacao beans for this chocolate came from Bertil Åkesson's plantation in the Sambirano Valley of Madagascar. The bar was hand-crafted in the United States at Rogue's nut-free facility in Three Rivers, Massachusetts.

The 60 gram bar came sealed in cellophane inside a paper envelope. The best before date was October 2013.

Rogue created an incredible surface sheen (apologies for not having a photo, but that top surface was simply too reflective :). The bar was unscored and without any imprints or bubbles. Except for an oval from the pour where the sheen was uneven and some tiny adhered bits of chocolate, the bar appeared nearly perfect.

The chocolate was a medium brown Bitter Chocolate (PANTONE 19-1317) color. The bar had a hard snap.

The aroma contained fruit, roast, earth and wood scents. The fruit was mostly prune. The roast contained a hint of coffee. The wood seemed to be cedar.

Sambirano tasted fruity, with citrus flavors of orange and lime. Raisin and cherry came forth shortly thereafter. Roast was also present. The wrapper described the flavor profile as "citrus, rum raisin, toast".

The melt was creamy, with just a suggestion of fudge in the mouthfeel. The length was remarkably long, with the chocolate flavor lasting 50 to 60 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was acidic.

Overall, this was a superb chocolate, and is now among my favorites.

You can purchase Sambirano online for $7.99 directly from Rogue or for $8.00 from Chocolopolis.

Review: Zotter Labooko Papua Neuguinea 75%

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Zotter bar Labooko Papua Neuguinea 75% region Papua New Guinea plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 70g ~ 2.5oz cocoa solids 75% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients salt list price 3,35€

color medium brown PANTONE 18-1312 Deep Taupe appearance relief, imprints, textured top, bloom, adhered bits, scuffing aroma earth (must), roast (smoke), spice, vanilla snap hard taste roast (coffee, smoke), fruit (blackberry), earth, spice, sweet (molasses), tannin melt smooth length long finish tannin, somewhat bitter

Austrian chocolate maker Zotter makes several fair trade and organic bean to bar chocolates. They produce several unflavored single origin chocolates under their Labooko line as well as a huge variety of flavored chocolates.

Zotter sourced the cacao for Labooko Papua Neuguinea 75% from an organic and fair trade cooperative in Papua New Guinea. The ingredients of this chocolate were cocoa mass, raw cane sugar, cocoa butter, and salt. All of the ingredients other than salt were certified organic and fair trade. The salt content was 1% and cocoa solids (mass and butter) were 75%.

Papua Neuguinea 75% was sold in the standard Labooko packaging containing two 35 gram bars. Each bar was individually wrapped in gold foil-sided wax paper that was glued into the folds of a heavy outer paper wrapper (which was taped closed).

The bar itself had a relief of "zotter" on a small smooth upper portion of the bar and imprints of "Labooko" and stylized cacao pods (one of which was covered in writing) on a textured lower portion of the bar. The best before date was November 27, 2013.

Unfortunately, the chocolate appeared to have bloomed slightly and had a medium brown Deep Taupe (PANTONE 18-1312) color. There were some bits of adhered chocolate and the surface was scuffed.

The snap was hard, almost very hard. Papua Neuguinea's aroma included scents of musty earth, roast, smoke, spice, and vanilla.

The taste contained flavors of roast, fruit, earth, and spice. The strong roast was mostly coffee and smoke. The only distinctive fruit flavor I identified was blackberry. The taste was also sweet with a molasses flavor and tannin.

The chocolate had a smooth melt. The chocolate flavor lasted more than 45 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a long length. The finish was tannin and somewhat bitter.

You can purchase Labooko Papua Neuguinea 75% online for €3,35 directly from Zotter.

International Chocolate Awards 2013 World Final Results

The International Chocolate Awards have national and regional semi-final competitions throughout the year, followed by a world final in October in London. Below are the World Final winners in the unflavored dark chocolate bar category. You can also read results in all categories.

WORLD GOLD: Pacari Piura Quemazón 70%
WORLD SILVER: Patric Piura 67%
WORLD SILVER: Pacari Raw 70%
WORLD SILVER: Patric Madagascar 67%
WORLD SILVER: Bonnat Juliana
WORLD SILVER: Friis-Holm Nicaliso 70%

Pacari Piura Quemazón 70% was also recognized with special awards of Gold Chocolate Maker, Gold Growing Country, Gold Directly Traded, and Gold Organic.

Review: Pascha Organic Dark 70% Cacao

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker (unknown) bar 70% Cacao region Peru plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients cocoa powder list price $5.00

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1012 Dark Brown appearance smooth, imprints, scoring, scuffing, adhered bits aroma roast (smoke), vanilla, earth, spice, sweet snap medium hard taste sweet (butterscotch, honey), vanilla, fruit (citrus, grapefruit, berry), roast, nut, chalk melt smooth length medium finish tannin, somewhat acidic, slightly chalky, slightly sour

As you probably read in our review of their 85% Cacao bar, Pascha began selling chocolate this year that is completely free of exposure to any of the eight food allergens recognized by the U.S. F.D.A.

70% Cacao was made in Peru from local cacao. The bar was certified organic, verified non-GMO, certified fair trade, and certified kosher.

The ingredients were cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and vanilla, all of which were organic. Cocoa solids totaled 70%.

The bar was the traditional size for chocolate bars: 100 grams. It came sealed in plastic inside a paper box. The bar was scored into 24 pieces, half imprinted with parallel lines and half imprinted with the image of someone carrying a basket of cacao pods. The best before date was May 21, 2014.

The color of the chocolate was a medium brown Dark Brown (PANTONE 19-1012). The surface was smooth, with a little scuffing and some adhered bits of chocolate.

70% Cacao had a medium hard snap. The aroma contained scents of smoky roast, vanilla, earth, spice, and sweetness.

The chocolate tasted sweet, with vanilla, fruit, roast, and nut flavors. The sweetness seemed to be a combination of butterscotch and honey. The vanilla flavor was strong. The fruit included citrus, grapefruit, and berry. I also tasted some chalkiness.

The melt was smooth. The length was medium, with the chocolate flavor lasting about 35 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was tannin, somewhat acidic, slightly chalky, and slightly sour.

This chocolate bar surprised me. While not perfect, this was a very good chocolate, which would be an accomplishment for anyone, but is especially noteworthy for a new company.

You can purchase Organic Dark 70% Cacao online directly from Pascha in packs of 5 bars for $25, or from Chocosphere for $5.30 individually, $24.65 for five, or $46.60 for ten.

Sale: Free Shipping at World Wide Chocolate

World Wide Chocolate has free UPS Ground shipping sale on all orders with no minimum purchase requirement. Even though their prices are typically a little higher than the least expensive online chocolate retailers, free shipping is a great deal for small orders.

This is also an excellent opportunity to pick up your favorite Amano, Amedei, Madécasse, Patric, and Potomac chocolate bars. World Wide Chocolate has competitive prices for these makers even without a sale, so free shipping makes them a bargain.

Use coupon code FREESHIPPING during checkout for this free shipping offer. This code is valid through Monday, October 14th has been extended through Monday, November 25th.

Review: Pascha Organic Dark 85% Cacao

Richard's Rating: 5.5

chocolate maker (unknown) bar 85% Cacao region Peru plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 85% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients cocoa powder list price $5.00

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken appearance smooth, imprints, scoring, adhered bits, bubbles aroma roast (malt, smoke), nut, vanilla, spice snap hard taste roast (malt), nut, wood, fruit (citrus, grapefruit), bitter, chalky, sour melt smooth length medium finish tannin, somewhat acidic, slightly sour

In March, Simon Lester officially launched Pascha Chocolate in Toronto, Canada, to provide "passionately pure" chocolate that is organic and avoids potential allergic reactions. Their facility has no exposure to peanuts, tree nuts, soy, dairy, wheat, gluten, or egg. Pascha makes two unflavored dark chocolate bars (85% Cacao and 70% Cacao), a chocolate bar (55% Cacao), and two flavored chocolate bars (55% with Goldenberries and 55% with Cocoa Nibs).

Pascha not only sources their cacao in Peru, but also works with a small independent factory there to make their chocolate bars locally. 85% Cacao was certified organic, non-GMO, fair trade, and kosher. The bar was also labeled vegan. While still caring about the societal aspects of cacao production, Simon focuses primarily on the consumer experience of Pascha chocolate.

85% Cacao included cocoa powder among its ingredients, which is extremely unusual. Simon explained that they press cacao at the factory and experimented with varying liquor, butter, and powder to get the result they wanted. All of the ingredients of 85% Cacao were organic: cocoa mass, cocoa powder, sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla.

The large 100 gram bar came sealed in plastic inside a paper box. It was scored into 24 pieces, each imprinted with either parallel lines or an image of someone with a basket of cacao pods on their back. The best before date was May 20, 2014.

The chocolate had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface was smooth. There were some adhered bits of chocolate and several tiny bubbles in the corners. The bar had a hard snap.

Roast, nut, and vanilla were predominant in the aroma. The roast contained malt and smoke. I also smelled spice.

85% Cacao tasted initially of a malt roast, and then flavors of nut, wood, and fruit came forth. The fruit flavor was generally citrus and included grapefruit in particular. During two passes, the nuttiness was noticeably stronger than the other flavors. The taste was also bitter, chalky, and somewhat sour.

The melt was smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted about 30 to 35 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a medium length. The finish was tannin, somewhat acidic, and slightly sour.

The nutty flavor and nut-free production make this an especially interesting chocolate for someone allergic to nuts to taste.

You can purchase Organic Dark 85% Cacao online directly from Pascha in packs of 5 bars for $25, or from Chocosphere for $5.30 individually, $24.65 for five, or $46.60 for ten.

International Chocolate Awards 2013 Americas Semi-Finalists

The International Chocolate Awards have national and regional semi-final competitions throughout the year, followed by a world final in October in London. The full results of the Americas semi-finals were just published, and here are the winners in the unflavored dark chocolate bar category.

AMERICAS GOLD: Pacari Raw 70%
AMERICAS SILVER: Patric Madagascar 67%
AMERICAS SILVER: Pacari Piura Quemazón 70%
AMERICAS SILVER: Pacari Guayacán 70%
AMERICAS SILVER: Patric Piura 67%
AMERICAS SILVER: Grenada 60%
ECUADOR GOLD: Pacari Raw 70%
USA GOLD: Patric Madagascar 67%
USA SILVER: Patric Piura 67%
USA SILVER: Amano Chuao 70%
USA SILVER: Askinosie Cortés, Honduras 70%
USA SILVER: Tejas Capistrano
USA SILVER: Dandelion Papua New Guinea 70%
VENEZUELA GOLD: Franceschi Canoabo 2013
NOMINATION: Amazona Peru 73%

Northwest Chocolate Festival Awards

Tonight the awards were announced for the Northwest Chocolate Festival. There were two judged categories (Bean to Bar and Inclusions) and one non-judged category.

In the judged Bean to Bar category, the winners were:

• GOLD: Rogue Balao
• GOLD: Rogue Silvestre
• SILVER: Patric 67% Madagascar
• BRONZE: Dick Taylor Belize

In the judged Inclusions (flavored chocolate) category, the winners were:

• GOLD: Patric 74% In-NIB-itable
• SILVER: Madre Triple Cacao
• BRONZE: Grenada Nib-A-Licious

They also gave out non-judged awards, including:

• Lifetime Achievement Award: Bill Fredricks of Chocolate Man
• "Mott Green" Sustainability: Fran Bigelow of Fran's Chocolates
• Artisan of the Year: Karen Neugenbauer of Forte Chocolates

You can still buy tickets at the door for this weekend ($40 for a day pass or $65 for both days) at the Conference Center of the Washington State Convention Center.

Giveaway results: Northwest Chocolate Festival tickets

Congratulations to Melissa King, who won two free passes to the 2013 Northwest Chocolate Festival in our giveaway.

If you haven't yet purchased your tickets for NWCF, now is the time to do so. Buying them in advance should save you time getting in (and a little money). This fabulous chocolate event is this weekend, and you don't want to miss it. For more information, see my posting about it or the event website, nwchocolate.com.

You can purchase tickets directly at http://nwchocolate.strangertickets.com.

Review: Claudio Corallo 100% Puro Cacau

Richard's Rating: 5.0

chocolate maker Claudio Corallo bar 100% Puro Cacau region São Tomé e Principe plantation Terreiro Velho cacao trees Forastero year (unknown) size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 100% added fat (none) sweetener (none) emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1314 Seal Brown texture smooth, uneven shape and size, uneven grayish tone, adhered bits aroma roast, acidic, spice, fruit, earth snap hard taste sour, chalky, spice, tannin, roast (malt, tea, cocoa), bitter melt more smooth length medium finish astringent, tannin, acidic, somewhat sour

Claudio Corallo crafts his chocolate from tree to bar with cacao grown on his plantations in São Tomé e Principe. Corallo does not conche his chocolate, which tends to leave it with a less smooth melt and sharper flavor.

100% Puro Cacau was made only with cacao from the Terreiro Velho plantation on Principe, with no other added ingredients. Two bars totalling 50 grams came packaged in a single sealed plastic wrapper. The best before date was October 2014.

The two bars were individually uneven and completely different in size, with one less than half the thickness of the other. The color was a medium-dark brown Seal Brown (PANTONE 19-1314). The surface had a grayish tone and there were bits of adhered chocolate.

The aroma was acidic, and contained scents of roast, spice, fruit, and earth. On one occasion, I thought I smelled berry.

The taste of 100% Puro Cacau began gradually with sour and spice flavors along with chalkiness. Tannin grew quite strong with a complex roast of malt, black tea, and cocoa. A little bitterness was present as well.

This chocolate had a melt that was more smooth. The length was medium, with the chocolate flavor lasting 30 to 35 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The final aftertaste was astringent, tannin, acidic, and somewhat sour.

Claudio Corallo 100% Puro Cacau has no list price, and I could not find it available for purchase online anywhere. I purchased this one from Chocolopolis for $12.50, but they do not sell it online. QuintEssenz has it priced for €5.95 but they have none in stock, and only ship to Germany and Austria.

Review: Domori Il 100% Criollo

Richard's Rating: 8.5

chocolate maker Domori bar Il 100% Criollo region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees Criollo year (unknown) size 25g ~ 0.9oz cocoa solids 100% added fat (none) sweetener (none) emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, scoring, imprints, scuffing, uneven sheen aroma roast (cocoa), sweet, dried fruit (raisin), spice snap hard taste roast (tobacco, coffee), sweet, nut, peanut melt creamy length long finish nut, tannin

MORE RECENT REVIEW: Domori Il 100% Criollo

Italian bean to bar chocolate maker Domori makes two 100% chocolate bars, Il 100% and Il 100% Criollo. This is a review of the latter.

Il 100% Criollo was made from 100% cocoa mass and nothing else. The tiny 25 gram bar came enclosed in a sealed plastic wrapper inside a paper box. It was scored into four pieces, each with an imprint of the Domori name and symbol. The best before date was August 31, 2015.

This chocolate had a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The bar looked good, with a smooth surface, sharp imprints, and no sign of bubbles. There was some scuffing, an uneven sheen, and just a few adhered bits.

The bar had a hard snap. The aroma contained scents of a cocoa roast, sweetness, a dried fruit that seemed best described as raisin, and spice.

Il 100% Criollo initially tasted of roast, with both tobacco and coffee flavors. Sweetness and then a nutty flavor came forth, following by a strong taste of peanut.

The melt was remarkably creamy, one of the best I've experienced. The chocolate flavor lasted over 40 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a long length. The finish was nutty and tannin.

Even though I didn't personally love the flavor, this was an excellent 100% bar, succeeding in nearly every dimension. I place it at the top of our current ranking of 100% chocolates. Too bad it's so expensive.

You can purchase Domori Il 100% Criollo online for $6.25 from Chocosphere.

Review: Francois Pralus Le 100%

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Pralus bar Le 100% region Madagascar plantation Pralus cacao trees Criollo year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 100% added fat cocoa butter sweetener (none) emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price €3,95

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, scoring, text imprint, uneven sheen, adhered bits aroma roast (coffee, cocoa), fruit (berry), earth, spice snap medium hard taste roast (coffee, burnt, malt), wood, fruit (citrus) melt more smooth length medium finish somewhat tannin, slightly sour

Pralus sources the cacao for Le 100% from their own plantation on the island of Nosy Be, Madagascar. The bar was certified organic by Ecocert France.

In addition to added cocoa butter, this chocolate included soy lecithin (unlike the previous formulation of Le 100% that we reviewed in 2010). The best before date for this bar was May 11, 2015.

Pralus still sells their chocolate in large 100 gram bars from the same nice molds they have used for many years. Wrapped in gold-sided foil, Le 100% came enclosed inside a paper wrapper. The bar was scored into 24 small pieces and one large piece containing the Pralus imprint.

The color was a little different than earlier version of this chocolate, a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015. The bar had an overall good appearance and a smooth surface, but the sheen was uneven and there were a few bits of adhered chocolate.

Le 100% had a roast aroma of coffee and cocoa. There were additional scents of a berry fruit, earthiness, and spices. The bar had a somewhat softer than typical medium-hard snap

The taste was a heavy roast, with flavors of coffee, burnt, and malt. Other flavors included wood and fruit, the latter of which contained some citrus.

The melt was almost creamy, but still in the more smooth category. The length was medium, with the chocolate flavor lasting 35 to 40 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was somewhat tannin and slightly sour.

Until recently, Le 100% had been my favorite 100% bar. Unfortunately, Pralus changed the recipe and used a roast that tastes excessive to me. It is still a good chocolate, but no longer near the top of our ranking of 100% chocolate bars (which you can see in the second list from the bottom on the Chocolate Rankings page).

Pralus Le 100% is available for purchase online for $8.35 from Chocosphere or for $8.50 from Chocolopolis. You can also purchase it for £4.85 from Chocolate Trading Co.

Review: SOMA Arcana 100%

Richard's Rating: 7.5

chocolate maker SOMA bar Arcana 100% region Dominican Republic, Haiti, Hawaii, Madagascar plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 45g ~ 1.6oz cocoa solids 100% added fat (none) sweetener (none) emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price CA$5.50

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, image imprint, bubbles, adhered bits aroma roast (cocoa, tobacco), dairy, earth (grass), fruit snap hard taste roast (cocoa), fruit (melon), earth, hint of sour melt more smooth length medium finish somewhat tannin

Canadian bean to bar chocolate maker SOMA makes several artisan chocolate bars and many chocolate products. Based in Toronto, they have two retail stores and accept orders via email, but do not yet have an online store.

Arcana 100% was made from only cacao beans. The pre-printed text indicated it was made with three types of cacao, but there were four different origin listed on the label: Dominican Republic, Madagascar, Haiti, and Hawaii. The chocolate reviewed here was from batch A24, and there was no production or best before date.

The 45 gram bar came sealed inside a silver plastic wrapper. It was unscored with a deep-set image imprint of cacao pods, using the same mold that Stirs the Soul uses with their Origins line.

The color of Arcana 100% was a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). The bar had several bubbles and adhered bits of chocolate, but otherwise had a smooth surface.

Opening the package revealed a rich roast aroma, mostly cocoa with some tobacco. Other scents in the aroma included dairy, a grassy earth, and some fruit. The bar had a hard snap.

The taste contained flavors of roast, fruit, and earth. The roast was mostly that rich cocoa, and the only fruit flavor I identified more specifically was melon. There was a hint of sourness as well.

The melt was more smooth, almost creamy, and yet also slightly excessive (perhaps the particle size was too small?). The chocolate flavor lasted 30 to 40 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a medium length. The finish was somewhat tannin.

With the seeming random blend of origins, I suspected that Arcana 100% might be made from leftover beans, and that less care might be used in crafting this chocolate. If that was the case, however, the result was impressive. This 100% chocolate was superior to most of its competitors.

You can purchase SOMA Arcana 100% online for $9.50 from Chocolopolis.

Raising the Bar

Over the last decade, dozens of new artisan chocolate makers have introduced hundreds of chocolate bars. You might think that most of those chocolates would not be very good. However, not only are these chocolate bars usually good, but a surprising number are great.

The rating threshold for our Best Chocolates Overall page was set at 7.0, which is the point at which we consider a chocolate excellent. With an increasing number of great chocolate bars being made, the list has become too long for a "Best" page, so we're raising that threshold to 8.0.

We still believe that chocolate bars rated 7.0 and higher are excellent, but we'll only be including those with ratings 8.0 or higher as Best Chocolates Overall.

Giveaway: FREE Tickets to the Northwest Chocolate Festival!

The Northwest Chocolate Festival has generously provided us with two tickets to give away to this year's event. The free passes are for Saturday, September 21st, and allow you and a friend to experience a full day of the 2013 Northwest Chocolate Festival. The event is held at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle. For more information, please see my posting about it or the event website.

To enter this giveaway, send us an email at onegoldenticket@outlook.com with "NWCF Tickets" as the subject line and in the text of the message include your full name.

Entry email must be received by midnight PT, Monday, September 16, 2012. One entry per person. Winner will be selected at random. Tickets are valid for admission to the 2013 Northwest Chocolate Festival on Saturday, September 21st.

Good luck!

Event: Northwest Chocolate Festival

The transition to autumn is my favorite time of year, and with it comes my favorite chocolate event: The Northwest Chocolate Festival!

NWCF will be held in Seattle over the weekend of September 20th through 22nd at the Washington State Convention Center (800 Convention Place, Seattle, WA 98101). The main festival will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. On Friday, there will be a separate VIP Awards party from 7 to 11 p.m.

Here's a list of chocolate makers currently participating in the festival, most of which will have a booth at which to taste and purchase chocolate bars: Caribeans, Chocolate Conspiracy, Dandelion, Dick Taylor, Divine, Fearless, French Broad, Fresco, Grenada, Kallari, Lillie Belle Farms, Lonohana, Madre, Olive and Sinclair, Organic Fair, Pacari, Raaka, Rogue, Scharffen Berger, Taza, Theo, and Zotter. More than two dozen chocolatiers and chefs will also be present.

In addition to meeting the people who make your chocolate and tasting their wonderful creations, you'll have the opportunity to attend some of the more than 40 workshops and classes. While I love trying new chocolate (which varies with every harvest and formulation), I highly recommend attending several classes. They are a wonderful introduction to many aspects of chocolate: cacao farming, trade equity, sustainability, genetics, origins, history, crafting, evaluating, etc. You can read more about the entire weekend on their website: http://www.nwchocolate.com/.

This year, there is also a separate new professional series (that includes admission to the festival), with three full days of classes. Friday is training on how to evaluate cacao. Saturday's classes are about crafting bean to bar chocolate. Sunday is for chocolatiers and tasters.

If you can only attend one day, don't worry -- you will still get nearly the full experience. The classes are all different, so you may want to choose which day based on the classes you'd like to attend. Saturday will be more crowded, and by Sunday afternoon there may be some chocolate that is no longer available.

You can purchase any of the following tickets in advance and print or pick up your non-transferable ticket at Will Call with photo identification:

• $62.22 full weekend pass [$65 at the door]
• $34.35 one day pass (age 13+) [$35 at the door]
• $73.37 one day family pass (2 people 13+ plus 2 children 5-12) [$75 at the door]
• $73.37 Friday Awards party [$75 at the door]
• $140.28 VIP full weekend pass (includes Friday party, Aphrodisiac Room tastings, priority workshop seating) [$145 at the door]
• $279.67 Pro-Series pass

As you've probably already read on this blog, there have been some roughly 50% discount offers on Groupon and LivingSocial. Unfortunately, the Groupon deals have expired, but the LivingSocial deal is still available! UPDATE: The LivingSocial deal has expired as well.

Review: Fruition 100% Dark

Richard's Rating: 6.0

chocolate maker Fruition bar 100% Dark region Peru plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 100% added fat (none) sweetener (none) emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth, relief, tiny bubbles aroma roast, fruit, earth, sweet snap hard taste roast, sour, earth, fruit, bitter melt more smooth length short finish bitter, somewhat sour

U.S. chocolate maker Bryan Graham created Fruition in 2011 to craft bean to bar chocolate and confections. Beginning with Costa Rica cacao, Fruition now makes bars with cacao from Peru.

100% Dark was made only from cacao beans from Peru, and no other ingredients. The unscored 60 gram bar had a repeated relief of the Fruition pattern, along with an off-center "F". It came sealed in cellophane inside a paper envelope.

The bar reviewed here was from batch 083 and had a best before date of March 2014.

The chocolate had a medium brown Bitter Chocolate color (PANTONE 19-1317). The bar looked impressive, with only very small bubbles in the relief and a slight unevenness in the sheen.

The aroma contained a strong roast scent, along with some fruit, earthiness, and sweetness.

100% Dark tasted initially of that roast, but then sourness took over and dominated the taste. Other flavors of earth and fruitiness were present. I also tasted some bitterness.

The melt was better than average and more smooth. The length was short, with the chocolate flavor lasting 15 to 20 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The final aftertaste was bitter and somewhat sour.

Many qualities of this chocolate were better than its overall rating. The overwhelming sour flavor pulled down the result to good rather than great.

You can purchase Fruition 100% Dark online for $10.99 from Chocolopolis.

Review: Zotter Labooko Peru 100%

Richard's Rating: 8.0

chocolate maker Zotter bar Labooko Peru 100% region Peru plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2013 size 70g ~ 2.5oz cocoa solids 100% added fat (none) sweetener (none) emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price 3,35€

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, relief, imprints, textured top, adhered bits aroma earth, roast (smoke), floral, spice snap hard taste roast (smoke, cocoa), earth, fruit, sour melt smooth length long finish tannin, slightly sour

Josef Zotter is the vision behind Austrian chocolate maker Zotter. They opened their own chocolate factory in 2006, and craft fair trade and organic chocolate from bean to bar. Zotter produces several single origin chocolates as well as a huge variety of flavored chocolates. Labooko is their line of chocolate bars that includes single origin and pure dark chocolates.

Labooko Peru 100% is their only chocolate made from 100% cocoa mass (with no added cocoa butter). As with all of the Labooko line, this chocolate was sold as a package of two 35 gram bars. Each bar was wrapped in gold foil-sided wax paper that was glued into the folds of a heavy outer paper wrapper (which was taped closed).

The bar itself had a relief of "zotter" on a small smooth upper portion of the bar and imprints of "Labooko" and stylized cacao pods (one of which was covered in writing) on a textured lower portion of the bar. The best before date was April 19, 2014. Based on the described shelf life of 14 months, the bar was likely produced in February.

The color of the chocolate was a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). The overall appearance was great, with some tiny bits of adhered chocolate on the surface.

A hard snap revealed its nice aroma of earth, roast, floral, and spice. The roast scent was somewhat smoky.

The taste of Peru 100% contained roast, earth, and fruit flavors. The roast included smoke and cocoa. I also tasted some sourness.

The chocolate had a smooth melt, not far from more smooth. The length was long, with the chocolate flavor lasting 40 to 45 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was tannin and slightly sour, without any bitterness.

Overall, this was a wonderfully pleasant surprise and a great 100% bar. Even though the taste was not especially interesting, it was good, and the appearance, length, and finish were all excellent.

You can purchase Labooko Peru 100% online for €3,35 directly from Zotter or for $7.99 from Chocolopolis.

Northwest Chocolate Festival Living Social Deal

Living Social now has a deal running for passes to the 2013 Northwest Chocolate Festival on September 21 and 22. I haven't yet written a posting about this year's event, but here's info about the 2012 event and you can read about this year on the Northwest Chocolate Festival website.

With this deal for more than 50% off, you can purchase a one-day pass for either Saturday or Sunday for only $17 (vs. $35), a weekend pass for $32 (vs. $65), or a family pass for two adults and two children for one day for $36 (vs. $75).

Note that a similar deal on Groupon is still available as well. UPDATE: the Groupon deal is no longer available.

Review: Marou Dong Nai 72%

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker Marou bar Dong Nai region Vietnam plantation (blend) cacao trees Trinitario year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 72% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture smooth, scoring, imprint, uneven sheen, bubbles, adhered bits aroma earth, wood, roast (malt) snap hard taste sweet (honey), roast (smoke), spice (pepper, anise), earth melt smooth length medium finish somewhat bitter, slightly sour

Marou, Faiseurs de Chocolat, is the first artisan bean to bar maker to craft chocolate in Vietnam made from Vietnamese cacao. Samuel Maruta and Vincent Mourou released their first bars in December 2011 from their small nut-free factory in Ho Chi Minh City.

All of their chocolate is made from only cacao, cocoa butter, and cane sugar. They also make the cocoa butter they use from their own cacao. Marou currently produces five bars, each made with Trinitario cacao from a different region within Vietnam: Ba Ria, Ben Tre, Dong Nai, Lam Dong, and Tien Giang.

Dong Nai So Co La Den was hand-wrapped in bronze foil-sided paper and sealed using a sticker of the Marou logo ("M"). It was then enclosed in an ochre yellow paper wrapper with silk-screened gold ink and closed with double-sided adhesive. Each regional bar has a different colored wrapper. Here's an article about the design of Marou's outer wrappers.

This chocolate contained 72% cocoa solids (cacao plus added cocoa butter) and 28% cane sugar. It came in a large 100 gram bar. I prefer these traditional full-sized bars that have often been replaced by smaller sizes in an effort to lower the price per bar. The Dong Nai bar had the Marou logo imprinted in the center and surrounded by diagonal scoring that gave pieces of different sizes. The best before date was October 25, 2013.

The color of Dong Nai was a medium brown Bitter Chocolate (PANTONE 19-1317). The surface was smooth with an uneven sheen. There were some bubbles and bits of adhered chocolate.

The bar had a hard snap. The aroma of the chocolate contained earth, wood, and roast scents. The roast included malt.

Dong Nai tasted sweet, with roast, spice, and earth flavors. The sweetness came in the form of honey. The roast was smoky. I tried to identify individual spice flavors, and the two closest seemed to be pepper and anise.

The chocolate had a smooth melt. The flavor lasted 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving it a medium length. The final aftertaste was somewhat bitter and slightly sour.

You can purchase Marou Dong Nai 72% online for $9.00 from Chocolopolis.

Northwest Chocolate Festival Groupon

There's another Groupon running with some of the same terrific one-day deals to the 2013 Northwest Chocolate Festival on September 21 and 22. I haven't yet written a posting about this year's event, but here's info about the 2012 event and you can read about this year on the Northwest Chocolate Festival website.

You can purchase a one-day pass for either Saturday or Sunday for only $18 (vs. $35) or a one day pass for two people for only $34 (vs. $70). Unfortunately, the full weekend passes sold out in the prior Groupon. This is my favorite chocolate event of the year, and this offer is likely to be the best price you'll find to the event.

Here's a direct link to the Groupon. It is scheduled to run through Sunday, August 18th, but may end sooner.

Review: Åkesson's Brazil Fazenda Sempre Firme 75%

Richard's Rating: 6.0

chocolate maker (unknown) bar Brazil region Brazil plantation Sempre Firme cacao trees Forastero year 2011 size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 75% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate texture relief, scoring, smooth, uneven sheen, scuffing aroma earth (hay), roast (tobacco) snap hard taste earth (hay), roast (tobacco), bitter, fruit (berry, raisin), sweet melt smooth length short finish somewhat bitter, slightly sour, slightly acidic

Åkesson's sells three single origin plantation bars: Madagascar Ambolikapiky and Bali Sukrama Farms that we've previously reviewed, and this one: Brazil Fazenda Sempre Firme. Åkesson purchased this plantation in Bahia in 2009.

The cacao grown at Fazenda Sempre Firme is a Forestero variety called Parazinho. Åkesson's Brazil chocolate was made with 75% cocoa solids (cacao beans from this plantation and added cocoa butter). The other 25% were cane sugar and soy lecithin.

Åkesson's chocolate is made by an unnamed French company (presumed to be Pralus). Even though they did not make the chocolate themselves, Åkesson's was actively involved in production decisions.

The bar came sealed in a clear cellophane inside a black paper box. It weighed 60 grams and had a large "Å" relief in the center. The bar was scored into symmetrically, but unevenly, into 9 pieces. The best before date for this particular bar was December 16, 2013.

Brazil Fazenda Sempre Firme had a medium dark brown Bitter Chocolate (PANTONE 19-1317) color. The chocolate was not in perfect condition (probably from improper transportation or storage at some point), yet the surface was smooth with an uneven sheen and a little scuffing. The picture above over-emphasized the contrast -- the bar looked better in person.

The aroma was primarily a strong earthy scent that reminded me of wet hay. There was also a tobacco roast. The combination smelled slightly unpleasant to me. The snap was hard.

The initial taste of this chocolate was similar its aroma: a powerful earthy hay with tobacco roast undertones. Bitterness and sweetness were present as fruit flavors developed. I tasted berry and raisin in particular.

The melt was smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted 15 to 20 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a short length. The finish was somewhat bitter, slightly sour, and slightly acidic.

Åkesson's previous Brazil bar, made with cacao from a neighboring farm (Fazenda Monte Alegre), won a gold in 2011 from the Academy of Chocolate.

You can purchase Åkesson's Brazil Fazenda Sempre Firme 75% online from The Meadow for $7.95.

Chocolopolis kickstarter needs a little help

If you're willing to help out a fantastic independent Seattle chocolate store with an amazing selection (that ships anywhere in the U.S.), please consider contributing to their kickstarter project.

The project is more than 80% funded, but with only 5 days left, they need your help for this project to succeed (and you get some nice perks). Please note that I am not affiliated with Chocolopolis in any way. I am simply a happy customer whose life is a little better with them here.

If you're at all considering contributing, please pledge even a small amount.

If you have already pledged, thank you! Consider increasing your pledge, as I did recently.

Review: Spartak Bitter Elite Aerated 72%

Richard's Rating: 4.0

chocolate maker (unknown) bar Bitter Elite region Côte d'Ivoire plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2012 size 75g ~ 2.6oz cocoa solids 72% added fat (none) sweetener sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring vanillin other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1431 Fudgesickle texture rough, scoring, aerated, adhered bits, scuffing aroma vanilla, sweet, roast, fruit (prune, coconut) snap medium taste roast, sweet, vanilla, fruit (prune), hint of almond melt aerated, less smooth length short finish somewhat bitter, somewhat tannin

Spartak is a company from Belarus. I do not know whether they make their own chocolate or have someone else produce it. I did find out that they source their cacao from Côte d'Ivoire.

Aerated chocolate is made by foaming the chocolate with a gas (typically nitrogen). The result is chocolate filled with bubbles, increasing both volume and surface area. Spartak sells both normal and aerated chocolate bars.

The ingredients of Bitter Elite Aerated were cocoa mass, sugar powder, soy lecithin, and "natural vanilla flavor" (which is the artificial ingredient vanillin fermented from edible inputs). A friend of mine gave me this chocolate bar to review (thanks Edward!) Normally, I would not consider reviewing any chocolate containing vanillin. However, since this bar was also aerated, I thought it would be interesting to make an exception.

Bitter Elite Aerated came sealed in a plastic wrapper, but was otherwise unprotected. The 75 gram bar contained 72% cocoa solids and was scored into 24 pieces. The production date was December 3, 2012. Unfortunately, as you can see in the photo above, the bar experienced some terrible conditions on its way to me.

The chocolate had a medium brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431) color. The surface was rough, with some sheen, bubbles, and lots of superficial damage and adhered bits. The snap was medium, partially due to the aeration.

The aroma of Bitter Elite was a strong vanilla, with sweetness and scents of roast and fruit. The fruit scent included prune and coconut.

I tasted some roast, sweet, and prune flavors in the chocolate, but the dominant flavor was clearly vanilla. There was also just a hint of almond in the taste.

The melt was interesting due to the aeration. There was a sensation similar to carbonation as the chocolate melted and collapsed. Due to the low density, seemingly substantial pieces of chocolate were consumed surprisingly quickly. The melt seemed less smooth to me, though the aeration made it more difficult to compare.

The chocolate flavor lasted about 10 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a short length. The final aftertaste was somewhat bitter and somewhat tannin.

I definitely prefer the melt of traditional non-aerated chocolate. As for this particular chocolate, while its strong aroma was pleasant, the flavor was overwhelmed by the vanillin.

It appears that you can purchase Spartak Bitter Elite Aerated online from Russian Products for $2.64, though I've never shopped there.