Review: Dick Taylor Madagascar Sambirano

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker Dick Taylor bar Madagascar Sambirano region Madagascar plantation blend cacao trees unknown year 2013 size 57g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 72% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $8.00

color medium-light brown PANTONE 19-1526 Dark Red Brown appearance imprint, smooth, uneven sheen, bubbles aroma earth (grass), dairy (cheese), fruit, roast, spice snap hard taste earth, fruit (berry, citrus, lemon), roast (cocoa), molasses, acidic, sour melt more smooth length medium finish acidic, somewhat tart, somewhat sour

Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor are among the chocolate-making purists, crafting their unflavored chocolate from only cacao beans and cane sugar (with no added cocoa butter, lecithin, or vanilla).

They sourced the cacao for this Madagascar Sambirano bar from Åkesson. Both the cacao beans and cane sugar were organic, though the bar was not certified.

The two ounce bar came wrapped in gold foil-sided wax paper inside a paper envelope. It was a single unscored bar with Dick Taylor's intricate imprint. The best before date was August 2014 and the batch number was 13232.

The chocolate had a smooth surface, but the sheen was uneven in a couple of places and there were several bubbles from the finely detailed mold. The color was a medium-light brown Dark Red Brown (PANTONE 19-1526). The snap was hard.

Madagascar Samibrano had an aroma of earth, dairy, fruit, roast, and spice. The earth and dairy were strongest, with more distinct scents of grass and cheese, respectively.

The taste started with some earthiness before the fruit flavors of berry, citrus and lemon came forth. Cocoa roast and molasses were also present. The taste was acidic and slightly sour.

The melt was more smooth, with a slight fudginess. The length was medium, with the chocolate flavor lasting about 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was acidic, somewhat tart, and somewhat sour.

Compared with the previous version of this bar we reviewed, the melt has improved. I slightly preferred the taste of that prior incarnation, but overall, this was another great chocolate from Dick Taylor.

You can purchase Madagascar Sambirano online for $8.00 directly from Dick Taylor or for $7.49 from Caputo's.