Review: Amedei Porcelana

Richard's Rating: 9.0

chocolate maker Amedei bar Porcelana region Venezuela plantation blend cacao trees Criollo year unknown size 50g ~ 1.8oz cocoa solids 70% added fat cocoa butter sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price €14,70

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1012 Dark Brown appearance smooth, scoring, imprints, adhered bits, scuffing aroma earth (must), floral, fruit (strawberry, raisin), roast (malt), dairy snap medium hard taste nut (almond), earth, spice, roast (cocoa, malt), fruit (strawberry, citrus, raisin), sweet (butterscotch), slightly ashy melt smooth length long finish somewhat acidic, somewhat tannin

Prior Reviews
2011 Review
2010 Review

Best Prices Online
$16.50 at World Wide Chocolate
$18.50 at Amedei Store (NYC)
$18.50 at Caputo's
$18.50 at Chocosphere
£8.00 at Chocolate Ocean
€11,25 to €11,99 on Amazon.de
€14,70 at Amedei

Review: Taza Wicked Dark

Richard's Rating: 6.5

chocolate maker Taza bar Wicked Dark region Dominican Republic plantation blend cacao trees unknown year unknown size 85g ~ 3.0oz cocoa solids 95% added fat (none) sweetener cane sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring (none) other ingredients (none) list price $6.50

color medium-dark brown PANTONE 19-1012 Dark Brown appearance smooth, scoring, text imprints, adhered bits aroma earth (burlap), roast (smoke, malt), fruit (berry) snap medium hard taste earth, nut, roast (smoke, cocoa, malt), fruit (blackberry, prune), acidic, bitter, sour melt grainy length medium finish acidic, slightly sour

You can purchase a slightly smaller version (71 grams or 2.5 ounces) of Wicked Dark online directly from Taza for $5.00, from Chocosphere for $4.95, and from NewLeaf for $5.00.

Review: Hägeland Costa Rica

Richard's Rating: 5.5

chocolate maker Hägeland bar Costa Rica region Costa Rica plantation blend cacao trees unknown year unknown size 100g ~ 3.5oz cocoa solids 71% added fat cocoa butter sweetener sugar emulsifier (none) flavoring vanilla other ingredients (none) list price N/A

color medium-dark brown appearance smooth, scoring aroma roast (smoke), earth, spice snap hard taste roast (smoke, cocoa), earth, wood, sweet (caramel), hint of fruit, bitter melt more smooth length long finish tannin, slightly acidic

Academy of Chocolate 2015 Awards

The London Academy of Chocolate released their ridiculously large number of award winners for 2015.

They had two bean to bar dark chocolate categories: under 80% and at least 80%.

GOLD under 80%
Åkesson's Madagascar 75% Criollo
Amano Ocumare 70%
Bar au Chocolat Dominican Republic 70%

SILVER under 80%
Åkesson's Bali 75% Trinitario
Bar au Chocolat Madagascar 70%
Castronovo Colombia Sierra Nevada 72%
Chocolat Madagascar Fine Dark 65%
Chocolat Madagascar Organic Fine Dark 70%
Dick Taylor Madagascar Sambirano
Green & Black's THIN Dark 70%
Hotel Chocolat 70% Saint Lucia Rabot Estate Bord du Lac
Pump Street Bakery Grenada 70% Crayfish Bay Estate
Pump Street Bakery Madagascar Criollo 74% Åkesson's Estate
Red Star Duffy’s Honduras Indio Rojo 72%
SPAGnVOLA Nigeria 70% Oda Cocoa Estate
SPAGnVOLA Dominican Republic 70% Single Estate

BRONZE under 80%
Amano Chuao 70%
Amano Cuyagua 70%
Amano Madagascar 70%
Amano Morobe 70%
Amazona 74% El Shunté (Tiesto)
Amazona 72% Valle del Chanka (Lamas)
AQUIM Q 65%
Chocolate Tree Madagascar Sambirano 72%
Chocolate Tree Peru Marañon 69%
ChocXO Camino Verde Ecuador 72%
ChocXO Guantupi Ecuador 75%
ChocXO Tres Rios Peru 68%
Damson Ecuador 70% Los Rios
Damson Madagascar 70% Åkesson Estate
Dick Taylor Belize Toledo
Dick Taylor Ecuador Camino Verde
Doble & Bignall Raven Johe 72%
Domori Ocumare 77 Criollo 70%
Du Jour Pure 70%
Hotel Chocolat 70% Honduras Mayan Red
Idilio Origins No. 3 Selección Cata Ocumare
Idilio Origins No. 4 Carenero Urrutia Superior
NAÏVE Nicaragua Nicalizo 72%
Omnom Madagascar 66%
Original Beans Papua Kerafat
Original Beans Piura Porcelana
Pacari Esmeraldas 60%
Red Star Duffy’s Nicaragua Chuno 70%
Ritual Mid Mountain Blend
Rococo Organic Dark 65% Artisan Bar
Rozsavolgyi Madagascar Criollo 71% Åkesson Estate
Rozsavolgyi Puerto Cabello 74%
Rozsavolgyi Porcelana 71%
Tobago Cocoa Estate

GOLD at least 80%
Åkesson's Madagascar 100% Criollo

SILVER at least 80%
Papa 80% Peru
Pump Street Bakery Honduras Finca Tres Marias 80%
SPAGnVOLA Dominican Republic 80% Single Estate

BRONZE at least 80%
Bar au Chocolat Trinidad 80%
Baravelli's Madagascan Sambirano 82%
Chocolat Madagascar Fine Dark 85%
Michel Cluizel Noir Infini 99%
Domori Criollo 100% Hacienda San Jose
Hazel Mountain 87% Venezuela Bean Sur del Lago
Szanto Tibor Baracoa Cuba 88% Ocenta y Ocho

Here's a link to the full lists of 2015 Award Winners in all of the categories.

Good Food Awards for Chocolate 2015

The Good Food Awards published their winners for 2015. The following unflavored bars won awards in the chocolate category:

Acalli Chocolate El Platanal, Chulucanas, Peru 70%
Dandelion Butuo, Liberia 70%
Escazú Tumbes, Peru 70%
French Broad Matagalpa, Nicaragua 68%
Nathan Miller Ghana 70%
Patric Madagascar 67%

Sale: Free Shipping at World Wide Chocolate

World Wide Chocolate is offering free shipping through January 15th with no minimum purchase. If you're interested in buying only a few chocolate bars, or sending a little chocolate to several friends, this is a good time to do so.

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.

Sale: 20% off at World Wide Chocolate

World Wide Chocolate is having a nearly storewide sale of 20% off chocolate from all makers other than Amedei (and Valrhona multi-kilogram products) through January 5th.

Use coupon code JAN20 during checkout. No minimum purchase is required.

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