Review: The Chocolate Conspiracy Dark Bar

Richard's Rating: 6.0

chocolate maker Chocolate Conspiracy bar Dark Bar region Peru plantation blend cacao trees unknown year 2013 size 56g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 74% added fat cocoa butter sweetener wildflower honey emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $9.00

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1012 Dark Brown appearance smooth, text imprints, uneven sheen, bubbles aroma earth, spice, fruit, floral, cocoa, sweet snap medium hard taste earth, nut, spice (cinnamon), fruit, coffee, sweet (honey), acidic melt less smooth length short finish acidic, slightly sour

The Chocolate Conspiracy made several changes to their Dark Bar since we reviewed it in 2012. The cacao beans for this chocolate now come from Peru rather than Ecuador. Vanilla beans are no longer among the ingredients. The Chocolate Conspiracy has new wrappers and shapes their bars in new molds.

A.J. Wentworth still crafts his chocolate raw, with the temperature never exceeding 105°F (41°C). The 74% cocoa solids of Dark Bar were cacao beans and cocoa butter, both of which were certified organic. The 26% sweetener was unfiltered wildflower honey.

Inside an outer paper wrapper, the unscored two ounce bar came wrapped in copper-colored foil-sided wax paper. The best before date was September 12, 2014.

The bar had a smooth surface, but the sheen was uneven and there were several bubbles around the text imprints. The chocolate had a medium-dark brown Dark Brown (PANTONE 19-1012) color.

Dark Bar had a medium hard snap. The aroma contained scents of earth, spice, fruit, floral, cocoa, and sweet.

An initial earthy taste developed additional flavors of nut, cinnamon spice, fruit, coffee, and honey. The coffee flavor grew dominant. The taste was acidic.

The melt of this chocolate was less smooth, with a slightly grainy texture. The length was short, with the chocolate flavor lasting about 15-20 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The final aftertaste was acidic and slightly sour.

Overall, I preferred the prior incarnation of this chocolate, but Dark Bar remains a good choice among raw or sugar-free chocolate.

You can purchase Dark Bar for $9.00 directly from The Chocolate Conspiracy.