Review: Potomac Upala 70%

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Potomac bar Upala 70% region Costa Rica plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 57g ~ 2.0oz cocoa solids 70% added fat (none) sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $8.00

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, scoring, uneven sheen, uneven form, bubbles aroma earth, roast (coffee), sweet (molasses), fruit (berry) snap hard taste earth, sweet (caramel), tannin, acidic, roast (coffee, cocoa), fruit (raspberry) melt more smooth length short finish somewhat tannin

U.S. bean to bar chocolate maker Ben Rasmussen has been hand-crafting chocolate in Woodbridge, VA, since 2010 as Potomac Chocolate. He currently makes two unflavored chocolate bars with cacao beans from Upala, Costa Rica, (Upala 70% and Upala 82%) and one with cacao beans from Bahia, Brazil (Bahia 70%).

The ingredients of Upala 70% were simply 70% cacao beans and 30% sugar. The two ounce bar was scored into 10 pieces and came wrapped in foil-sided paper inside a paper sleeve. The bar reviewed here was identified as coming from batch #12055, with a best before date of February 2013.

The chocolate had a medium-dark brown color that was just a slight bit redder than Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). The surface of the bar was smooth with an uneven sheen and tiny bubbles. The bottom surface was somewhat uneven with larger bubbles. The bar had a hard, almost very hard, snap.

Upala 70% had an earthy and coffee roast aroma. There were also scents of a molasses sweetness and a berry fruit.

The taste was earthy and sweet, with tannin and acidity. Roast and fruit flavors came forth as well. The sweetness tasted of caramel. The roast included coffee and cocoa. The fruit was raspberry.

The melt was more smooth, somewhat like that of fudge. The chocolate flavor lasted about 15 to 20 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving a short length. The finish was somewhat tannin.

This bar reminded me of Ritual Costa Rica and Dandelion Upala, Costa Rica. All three used only cacao beans and cane sugar. Ritual had nearly the same bar mold, but was scored into 9 pieces rather than 10. Dandelion had the same Upala origin within Costa Rica. Potomac Upala 70% won one of the Silvers from the Academy of Chocolate's 2011 Awards.

I'm definitely going to have to do a blind origin tasting and ranking of Costa Rica chocolate after reviewing Upala 82%.

You can purchase Upala 70% online for $8.00 directly from Potomac or, to combine it with other brands of chocolate, for $7.99 from Chocolopolis or World Wide Chocolate, or for $8.00 from Cocova.

Review: Amedei Toscano Black 66

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Amedei bar Toscano Black 66 region (unknown) plantation (blend) cacao trees Criollo, Trinitario year (unknown) size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 66% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, scoring, text imprints, uneven sheen, tiny bubbles aroma roast (cocoa, tobacco, malt), earth, wood, sweet snap medium hard taste roast (burnt, coffee), sweet (honey, molasses), fruit (berry), wood, dairy (butter) melt more smooth length medium finish tannin, sour, slightly bitter, slightly acidic

This is another bar in Amedei's Toscano Black line, made using blends of Criollo and Trinitario cacao beans from plantations with which Amedei has exclusive relationships. Others in the line include Toscano Black 63 and Toscano Black 70.

Toscano Black 66 was made from cocoa mass, cane sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla, with a total of 66% cocoa solids. The 50 gram bar came scored into 10 pieces, each with a text imprint and some parallel lines. It came sealed in yellow-sided silver foil inside a textured green paper envelope. The best before date was 30 December 2012.

The chocolate had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface was smooth, but had an uneven sheen and some tiny bubbles. The bar had a medium hard snap.

The aroma contained an interesting roast, a blend of cocoa, tobacco, and malt. Earth, wood, and sweet scents were also present.

The roast in the aroma transformed in the taste to that of burnt and coffee flavors. 66 was sweet, with both honey and molasses. There was a berry fruit I didn't identify more specifically, along with woodiness, and a dairy flavor that tasted like butter to me.

This chocolate had a melt that was more smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted about 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving 66 a medium length. The finish was tannin and sour, with slight bitterness and acidity.

Overall, Toscano Black 66 had the potential to be a very good chocolate, but with its unpleasant aftertaste, I rated this release to be a 6.5, closer to 70 than the marvelous 63 we reviewed last year.

You can purchase Amedei Toscano Black 66 online for $6.99 in the U.S. from Chocolopolis, or for £3.95 in the U.K. from Chocolate Trading Co.

Review: Patric Madagascar 67%

Richard's Rating: 7.5

chocolate maker Patric bar Madagascar 67% region Madagascar plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 65g ~ 2.3oz cocoa solids 67% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $7.99

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1431 Fudgesickle texture matte, smooth, imprint aroma roast (cocoa), earth, fruit (raisin, berry), dairy, vinegar snap hard taste sweet (molasses), roast (cocoa), dairy, fruit (plum, berry, citrus, raisin) melt smooth length medium finish somewhat acidic, slightly tannin

U.S. chocolate maker Patric currently hand-crafts nine bean to bar chocolate bars. Three of them are unflavored single origin bars: Rio Caribe Superior 70%, Madagascar 75%, and Madagascar 67%.

Maker and owner Alan McClure sourced the cacao beans for this bar from the Sambirano Valley of Madagascar. The other ingredients were cane sugar and cocoa butter. The chocolate contained 67% cocoa solids. The unscored 65 gram bar came in sealed plastic inside a paper envelope. The best before date was 15 December 2012.

The chocolate had a medium brown Fudgesickle (PANTONE 19-1431) color. The surface of the bar was matte, with just a few flecks of adhered chocolate and a minimal amount of scuffing. The sheen on the bottom revealed swirls from the pour. The bar had a hard snap.

Madagascar 67% gave off an aroma that included roast, earth, fruit, dairy, and vinegar. The roast was mostly cocoa, and the fruit contained raisin and berry scents.

The taste was unsurprisingly sweet, with a molasses flavor. The cocoa roast and dairy from the aroma were also present. Fruit came out in flavors of plum, berry, citrus, and raisin.

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

You can purchase Madagascar 67% online for $7.99 directly from Patric or, to combine it with other brands of chocolate, for $7.95 from Chocosphere or for $7.99 from Chocolopolis or World Wide Chocolate.

Review: Amedei Chuao

Richard's Rating: 8.5

chocolate maker Amedei bar Chuao region Venezuela plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, scoring, broken, adhered bits, uneven sheen aroma earth, fruit (raisin), roast (cocoa), sweet (molasses) snap hard taste roast (cocoa, coffee), sweet (honey, molasses), earth, fruit (berry, cherry, blueberry, plum) melt smooth length medium finish coffee, bitter, acidic, tannin

Amedei Chuao is the only chocolate bar that Lindy and I have both rated 10.0. That previous review was almost two years ago, and only our fifth published review.

The cacao beans for this chocolate came from the Chuao region of Venezuela, renown for its extraordinary cacao. The other ingredients were cane sugar, cocoa butter, and vanilla. Total cocoa solids made up 70% of the chocolate.

The 50 gram bar came sealed inside foil-lined yellow paper and packaged in a textured paper envelope. The bar was scored into ten pieces, each with an imprint of the Amedei name and parallel lines. Unfortunately, the bar arrived broken (as you can see in the picture above). A best before date of 28 February 2012 was stamped on the envelope, indicating the chocolate was months past its prime.

Amedei Chuao had a medium brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface of the bar was smooth, with some adhered bits of chocolate. The sheen was uneven. The bar had a hard snap.

The earthy aroma contained scents of fruit that smelled close to raisin, roast in the form of cocoa, and molasses sweetness.

The chocolate tasted of roast, sweetness, earth, and fruit. The roast included both cocoa and coffee flavors. The sweetness seemed to be a mix of both honey and molasses. I tasted several fruit flavors: berry, cherry, blueberry, and plum.

The melt was smooth, bordering on more smooth. The chocolate flavor lasted 35 to 40 seconds after the chocolate was gone, giving it a medium length. The finish included a lingering coffee flavor, along with bitterness, acidity, and tannin.

While still an excellent chocolate, this incarnation no longer retains its top spot on my favorites list. Some of that decline from near perfection might be attributed to the age of this particular bar, but not the disappointing aftertaste.

UPDATE: As of 16 April 2013, the best price I found for purchase online in the U.S. was $14.50 from three places: Caputo's, Chocosphere, and World Wide Chocolate. The best price I found for purchase online in the U.K. was £5.69 from Chocolate Trading Co.

Review: Rogue Silvestre

Richard's Rating: 7.5

chocolate maker Rogue bar Silvestre region Bolivia plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year 2012 size 60g ~ 2.1oz cocoa solids 75% added fat (none) sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $13.00

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, glossy, uneven sheen aroma earth, roast, floral (jasmine), fruit, nut snap hard taste earth, fruit (plum, citrus), nut, roast (cocoa) melt smooth length medium finish somewhat bitter, slightly sour

U.S. bean to bar chocolate maker Rogue Chocolatier regularly makes three single origin bars: Hispaniola from the Dominican Republic cacao, Rio Caribe from Venezuelan cacao, and Sambirano from Madagascar cacao. Founder and chocolate maker Colin Gasko also crafts two limited edition bars: Piura from Peruvian cacao and Silvestre. The cacao beans used in Silvestre came from wild cacao trees that grow along the Rio Beni in Bolivia.

All of Colin's chocolates use only two ingredients: cacao beans and cane sugar, with no added cocoa butter, emulsifier, or flavoring. Silvestre contained 75% cacao beans and 25% cane sugar. The 60 gram bar came enclosed in plastic inside a heavy white paper envelope. The production date was 23 April 2012 and identified as batch 5. The best before date was April 2013.

Silvestre had a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015) color. The surface was smooth and glossy. There was some unevenness in the sheen where the chocolate was poured. The bar was a single unscored slab and had a hard snap.

The strongest scent was that of earth, but the aroma included roast, floral, fruit and nut as well. The floral scent seemed to be that of jasmine.

After an initial earthy taste, fruit flavors of plum and citrus revealed themselves. I also tasted nuttiness and roast in the form of cocoa.

The wrapper described Silvestre as plum, jasmine, and banana, but I didn't experience any banana in the aroma or the taste.

The melt was smooth. The length was medium, with the chocolate flavor lasting about 25 to 30 seconds after the chocolate was gone. The final aftertaste was somewhat bitter and slightly sour.

You can purchase Silvestre online for $13.00 directly from Rogue or for $11.99 from Chocolopolis.

Help Rogue improve its chocolate

One of our favorite chocolate makers, Colin Gasko of Rogue Chocolatier, is raising money to purchase some equipment. With it, they will begin producing chocolate using a new technique that solves two major issues with crafting dark chocolate: milling evenly and conching consistently. The process should improve the flavor, aroma, and texture of his already excellent chocolate, as well as increase their capacity by about 50%.

Colin crafts his bean to bar chocolate bars from only single origin cacao and cane sugar. He currently makes four bars: Hispaniola (Dominican Republic; Lindy rated it 10.0!), Sambirano (Madagascar), Rio Caribe (Venezuela), and Silvestre (Bolivia). The limited edition Piura (Peru) is not currently available, but you will receive four of them (along with four other bars from the first batch using the new method) with a pledge of $100 or more.

Rogue is collecting donations on Kickstarter, and giving chocolate bars and other perks in return. For $125 or more, you will also receive invitations to one of the six release parties (I've pledged and will be attending the one at Chocolopolis in Seattle). However, he has to raise $20,000 by August 12th for it to happen, so be sure to pledge soon if you're interested.

Review: Trader Joe's Fair Trade Organic 72% Belgian

Richard's Rating: 5.5

chocolate maker (unknown) bar Fair Trade Organic 72% Belgian region (blend) plantation (blend) cacao trees (unknown) year (unknown) size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 72% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $1.99

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1015 Bracken texture smooth, slight scuffing, slight adhered bits aroma roast, earth, sweet (molasses), nut snap hard taste roast (cocoa), ashy, nut, fruit (berry), sweet (brown sugar) melt smooth length short finish somewhat bitter, slightly sour, slightly acidic

Trader Joe's doesn't reveal which chocolate maker crafts this chocolate bar for them. Fair Trade Organic 72% Belgian was socially responsible and fair trade certified by IMO and USDA certified organic by QAI.

The chocolate was made from cocoa mass, cane sugar, and cocoa butter. Cocoa solids made up 72% of the bar. The 100 gram bar came wrapped in foil inside a paper box. The best before date was August 2013.

The color was a medium-dark brown Bracken (PANTONE 19-1015). The surface was smooth, with minimal scuffing and a few adhered bits of chocolate. The bar was scored into eight large pieces. The snap was hard.

The aroma contained scents of roast, earth, sweetness, and nut. The sweetness smelled similar to molasses.

The chocolate tasted of a cocoa roast, along with flavors of nut and a berry fruit. The taste was ashy with a sweetness that reminded me of brown sugar.

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 somewhat bitter, with slight sourness and acidity.

Trader Joe's sells this bar in their stores for only $1.99. It's another good inexpensive chocolate, and worth checking out along with their Swiss 72% and Dark Chocolate Lover's.