Review: Botticelli 70% Cacao

Richard's Rating: 5.0

chocolate maker unknown bar 70% Cacao region unknown plantation blend cacao trees unknown year unknown size 85g ~ 3oz cocoa solids 70% added fat (cocoa butter) sweetener sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken appearance smooth, scoring, imprints, adhered bits, scuffing aroma roast (smoke), sweet (molasses), earth snap hard taste roast (burnt toast), sweet (molasses), nut, bitter, chalky melt smooth length short finish bitter, acidic, somewhat tannin

My friend Phillip gave me this chocolate bar a few months ago. Botticelli is a brand made by Dynamic Chocolates at their facility in Delta, Canada (near Vancouver).

The ingredients of 70% Cacao were listed as unsweetened chocolate, sugar, and soy lecithin. Based on the labelled fat content, the "unsweetened chocolate" included added cocoa butter.

Inside a paper sleeve, the three ounce bar came wrapped in brass foil-sided wax paper. There was no listed production or best before date.

The bar was scored into 12 pieces, each imprinted with parallel lines. Underneath many adhered bits and scuffing, the surface looked smooth. The color of the chocolate was a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015).

Cacao 70% had a hard snap. The aroma contained scents of smoky roast, sweet molasses, and some earthiness.

The chocolate tasted of roast, sweet, and nut flavors. The roast reminded me of burnt toast. The sweetness was molasses. The taste was also bitter and a little chalky.

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

I didn't find Cacao 70% available for purchase online. However, Phillip told me he paid $2 for this bar, and at that price, it's a bargain for a decent chocolate (as you can see on our Best Chocolate Values page).

Review: Dandelion Camino Verde, Ecuador 100%

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker Dandelion bar Camino Verde 100% region Ecuador plantation Camino Verde cacao trees unknown year 2014 size 56g ~ 2oz cocoa solids 100% added fat (none) sweetener (none) emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $12.00

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1012 Dark Brown appearance smooth, imprints, scoring aroma roast (cocoa, coffee), earth (must), nut, dried fruit (raisin) snap medium hard taste earth, roast (cocoa, tea, malt), nut, dairy, tannin, sour, chalky melt more smooth, fudgy length medium finish tannin, somewhat acidic, slight sour

In 2014, Dandelion released two chocolates made with cacao from a 2014 harvest at Vicente Norero's Camino Verde farm in Balao, Ecuador. In addition to a bar with 85% cocoa solids, they released this bar as their first 100% chocolate.

That Camino Verde cacao was the one and only ingredient in this chocolate. There was no added cocoa butter. This chocolate was made at Dandelion's nut-free facility in San Francisco.

Enclosed inside thick craft paper sealed with a sticker, the two ounce bar came wrapped in heavy gold-sided foil. The bar reviewed here was from batch 1, with a best before date of September 2015.

The bar was scored into 18 pieces, each with imprints of 5 parallel squiggles. The surface looked superb. The chocolate had a medium-dark brown Dark Brown (PANTONE 19-1012) color.

Camino Verde 100% had a medium hard snap. The aroma was primarily a cocoa and coffee roast combined with a musty earth scent. I also smelled nut and dried fruit close to raisin.

The taste began with earth and roast. The roast included cocoa, tea, and a hint of malt. Nuttiness and some dairy joined the roast flavors. The taste was also tannin, sour, and chalky.

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

Overall, Camino Verde 100% was a great addition to the growing number of artisan 100% chocolates.

You can purchase Camino Verde 100% online for $12.00 directly from Dandelion.

Review: Valrhona Andoa

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Valrhona bar Andoa region unknown plantation blend cacao trees unknown year 2013 size 70g ~ 2.5oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $7.49

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1012 Dark Brown appearance scoring, imprints, smooth aroma roast (smoke, cocoa), earth (mold), fruit, sweet (marshmallow) snap medium hard taste earth, roast (smoke, tobacco), fruit (berry, date), peanut, sweet melt smooth length medium finish somewhat acidic, somewhat bitter, slightly chalky

Valrhona blended a variety of their Grand Cru cacao to make Andoa. The bar reviewed here was made on 3 October 2013 with a best before date of February 2015.

The ingredients of Andoa were cacao beans, cane sugar, cocoa butter, and soy lecithin. Cocoa solids made up 70%.

The 70 gram bar came wrapped in brass colored foil inside a paper box. It was scored into 20 uneven pieces and had imprints of Valrhona's logo and name. The surface was great other than some tiny bubbles in a few of the corners.

The chocolate was a medium brown Dark Brown (PANTONE 19-1012) color. The snap was medium hard.

Andoa gave off an aroma of roast, earth, fruit, and sweetness. The roast was a smoky cocoa. The earth scent was moldy. The fruit seemed to have a faint berry scent. I smelled a hint of marshmallow in the sweetness.

Initially, the taste was a combination of earth and a smoky roast. A berry fruit flavor grew and the roast added some tobacco flavor. I also tasted peanut and date, as well as sweetness.

The melt was smooth. The length was medium, with the flavor lasting about 25-30 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was somewhat acidic, somewhat bitter, and slightly chalky.

You can purchase Andoa online for $7.49 directly from Valrhona. You can also buy Andoa online for $7.49 in the U.S. from Chocosphere and for £3.75 in the U.K. from Chocolate Trading Co.

Review: Valrhona Guanaja

Richard's Rating: 7.5

chocolate maker Valrhona bar Guanaja region Caribbean plantation blend cacao trees Criollo, Trinitario year 2013 size 70g ~ 2.5oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring vanilla extract other ingredients (none) list price $7.49

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1314 Seal Brown appearance scoring, imprints, smooth aroma roast (smoke, tobacco, coffee), spice fruit, earth snap medium hard taste roast (coffee, cocoa, smoke, tobacco), fruit (blueberry, mango, citrus), nut (almond) melt more smooth length medium finish somewhat acidic, somewhat tannin, slightly bitter

Guanaja was named for the island where Christopher Columbus landed off the coast of Honduras in 1502. This chocolate was made from a blend of Criollo and Trinitario cacao.

Valrhona's recipe for this chocolate contained 70% cocoa solids: cacao beans plus added cocoa butter. Other ingredients were sugar, soy lecithin, and vanilla extract.

Unfortunately, I did not photograph this 70 gram bar. Inside a paper box, it was wrapped in brass colored foil. The bar was made on September 18, 2013, and had a best before date of January 2015.

The bar was scored into 20 uneven pieces and had imprints of the Valrhona logo and name. The surface looked great, as is typical for Valrhona quality.

Guanaja had a medium brown Seal Brown (PANTONE 19-1314) color. The snap was medium hard.

A strong smoky roast gave a vague unpleasantness to the aroma of this chocolate. The roast scent contained tobacco and coffee as well. Spice, fruit, and earth were also present.

The taste began with an initial roast of coffee, cocoa, smoke, and tobacco that had none of the unpleasantness of the aroma. Guanaja soon revealed interesting fruit flavors of blueberry, mango, and citrus, along with an almond nuttiness. The result was a delicious combination.

The melt was more smooth. The flavor after the chocolate was gone lasted about 35 to 40 seconds, giving a medium length. The final aftertaste was somewhat acidic, somewhat tannin, and slightly bitter.

You can purchase Guanaja online for $7.49 directly from Valrhona, for $6.95 from World Wide Chocolate, and for $6.99 from Caputo's.

Review: Valrhona El Pedregal

Richard's Rating: 8.0

chocolate maker Valrhona bar El Pedregal region Venezuela plantation El Pedregal cacao trees Criollo year 2013 size 70g ~ 2.5oz cocoa solids 64% added fat cocoa butter sweetener brown sugar emulsifier soy lecithin flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price $9.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1431 Fudgesickle appearance scoring, imprints, smooth aroma spice (pepper, vanilla), nut, roast (coffee, cocoa), fruit (raisin) snap medium hard taste roast (cocoa), spice (pepper, vanilla, clove), fruit (berry), nut (almond), sweet (molasses), acidic melt smooth length long finish tannin, somewhat acidic

Unfortunately, Valrhona no longer makes their very good Palmira plantation bar from Venezuela. In its place, Valrhona has another Venezuelan plantation: El Pedregal, which grows Porcelana Criollo cacao for this chocolate.

Cocoa solids made up 64% of El Pedregal, including added cocoa butter. The sweetener for this chocolate was a surprising brown sugar. Soy lecithin was added as an emulsifier. There was also a small amount of vanilla.

The 70 gram bar reviewed here was produced on July 9, 2013, with a best before date of December 2014.

Valrhona scored the bar into 20 uneven pieces. The bar had imprints of the Valrhona logo and name. The surface of the chocolate was impressive, with only minuscule bubbles in some corners.

The chocolate had a medium brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431) color. The bar had a medium hard snap.

El Pedregal gave off a spicy roast aroma. Scents included pepper, nut, coffee, cocoa, raisin, and vanilla.

Beginning with a cocoa roast, the taste revealed that peppery spice and some clove. Other flavors included a berry fruit, almond nuttiness, and a molasses sweetness. I also tasted vanilla and a little acidity.

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

Overall, while not as marvelous as some other Porcelana chocolates and sweeter than I'd prefer, I found El Pedregal to be excellent, certainly among the best chocolates with this much sugar.

You can purchase El Pedregal online for $9.99 directly from Valrhona, for $8.95 from World Wide Chocolate, and for $8.99 from Caputo's.

Sale: Free Shipping at World Wide Chocolate

UPDATE: free shipping using this offer was extended through December 31st.

World Wide Chocolate is offering free shipping through December 25th with no minimum purchase. This is a great opportunity if you want to send a few great chocolate bars as a gift (or just get some for yourself).

Use coupon code FREESHIPPING during checkout.

World Wide Chocolate ships to U.S., APO (military), and FPO (diplomatic) addresses. Please see their shipping policies for additional information.

Review: Fresco 226 Peru

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Fresco bar 226 region Peru plantation blend cacao trees unknown year 2013 size 45g ~ 1.6oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $8.00

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1317 Bitter Chocolate appearance lined, scoring, smooth aroma roast (coffee), fruit (blackberry), wood, sweet snap medium hard taste roast (coffee), earth, fruit (blackberry, lemon, cranberry), sweet, nut, acidic melt smooth length medium finish tannin, somewhat acidic

Crafting different chocolates from the same beans using the same proportions of ingredients, Rob Anderson of Fresco demonstrates the remarkably different flavors that can be produced from even a single batch of beans.

226 was made from the same cacao from Peru as 225. The beans used in 226 were given a much heavier roast. Both were conched moderately.

Cocoa solids (cacao beans plus added cocoa butter) were 70% of the ingredients (same as in 225). The remaining 30% was cane sugar. The chocolate was produced in Fresco's nut-free facility.

Inside a paper box, the 45 gram bar came wrapped in silver foil-sided wax paper. The bar reviewed here was number 0121 from batch 226-13-060, and was created on May 29, 2013 with a best before date of June 2015.

The bar was scored into 10 pieces, each of which was alternately lined either vertically or horizontally. The chocolate had a smooth surface and no bubbles, even in the corners.

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

226 had a strong roast coffee aroma. Other scents included blackberry, wood, and sweetness.

That same strong roast coffee from the aroma came forth in the taste. Fruit flavors of blackberry, lemon and cranberry were present, along with earth, nut, and sweetness. The taste was slightly acidic.

The melt was smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted 30 to 40 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a medium length. The final aftertaste was tannin and somewhat acidic.

You can purchase 226 Peru online for $8.00 directly from Fresco or for $7.00 from Chocolopolis.

Review: Fresco 225 Peru

Richard's Rating: 7.0

chocolate maker Fresco bar 225 region Peru plantation blend cacao trees unknown year 2013 size 45g ~ 1.6oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $8.00

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1431 Fudgesickle appearance lined, scoring, smooth, bubbles aroma earth, fruit (citrus, banana), dairy (cheese), spice snap medium hard taste earth, fruit (citrus, banana, berry, fig), wood, roast, sour, sweet (butterscotch) melt smooth length medium finish acidic, tannin

Fresco 225 is the first of two recipes from an identical harvest of cacao from Peru. The primary difference between the two recipes was that the beans were given a light roast in 225 and a heavy roast in 226.

All of Fresco's chocolate is made in their nut-free facility. Rob Anderson uses only three ingredients: cacao beans, cocoa butter, and cane sugar. 225 had 70% cocoa solids and 30% cane sugar.

The bar came wrapped in gold foil-sided wax paper inside a paper box. The bar number we reviewed was 0143 from batch 225-13-065, and was created on August 5, 2013. The best before date was September 2015.

The 45 gram bar was scored into 10 pieces, each of which was alternately lined either vertically or horizontally. The chocolate had a smooth surface, but there were bubbles in some of the corners.

225 had a medium brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431) color and a medium-hard snap.

The chocolate gave off an aroma of earth, fruit, dairy, and spice. The fruit scent contained both citrus and banana. The dairy smell was reminiscent of an aromatic cheese.

An initial earthy flavor soon expanded into citrus and banana. The taste also included wood, roast, and sour flavors, and additional fruit flavors of berry and fig. A butterscotch sweetness was present in the background much of time.

Although the melt reached the smooth range, it leaned toward less smooth. The length was at the short end of medium, with the chocolate flavor lasting 20 to 25 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The finish was acidic and tannin.

You can purchase 225 Peru online for $8.00 directly from Fresco or for $7.00 from Chocolopolis.

International Chocolate Awards 2014 World Winners

The International Chocolate Awards finally published the 2014 world winners and here are the results for the unflavored dark and high percentage bars:

Dark
GOLD: Pacari Montubia 70%
SILVER: Pacari Raw 70%
SILVER: Bonnat Kaori
SILVER: Pacari Piura Quemazon 70%
SILVER: Cacaosuyo Lakuna
SILVER: Pacari La Cumbia 70%
SILVER: Pacari Tangara 70%
BRONZE: SOMA Peru Nacional
BRONZE: Friis-Holm Johe 70% (Bonnat)
BRONZE: Friis-Holm Nicaliso 70% (Bonnat)
BRONZE: Omnom Madgascar 66%

High Percentage
GOLD: Marou Tan Phu Dong 85% La Grande Epicerie de Paris
SILVER: Pacari Raw 85%
SILVER: Pacari Raw 100%