SCHARFFEN BERGER (California) - Bittersweet
Fine Artisan Dark Chocolate 70%
"Deep and complex, made from a combination of up to nine different cacao bean sources, with rich fruit notes and a long finish."
*Subtle start, then mild tartness, followed by a sweet, mellow finish
*Musty, earthy
*All-around mellow bar, nice roundness
8.31.2008
GUITTARD: Ambanja Bittersweet
E. GUITTARD (California) - Ambanja Bittersweet
65%
"Made primarily from rare Criollo beans from the fertile Sambiarno Valley in Madagascar, it mingles tart essences with deep, rich chocolate flavor."
*Oily
*Underlying brightness all the way through
*Mild coconut
*Weak start and finish, all the flavor piled in the middle
65%
"Made primarily from rare Criollo beans from the fertile Sambiarno Valley in Madagascar, it mingles tart essences with deep, rich chocolate flavor."
*Oily
*Underlying brightness all the way through
*Mild coconut
*Weak start and finish, all the flavor piled in the middle
MICHEL CLUIZEL: Mangaro
MICHEL CLUIZEL (France) - Plantation "Mangaro"
Madagascar, 1er Cru de Plantation 65%
"Located on the island of Madagascar at the heart of the Indian Ocean, in the rich valley of the river Sambirano, this plantation flourishes on the land of a former mango tree forest. The beans of these cocoa trees have enabled me to develop a highly flavoured chocolate, blending aromas of exotic fruits, delicious flavours of honey spice cake and acidulated hints of citrus fruit."
*Soft
*Grassy
*Touch of lemon
*Hard to nail down -- too much going on?
Madagascar, 1er Cru de Plantation 65%
"Located on the island of Madagascar at the heart of the Indian Ocean, in the rich valley of the river Sambirano, this plantation flourishes on the land of a former mango tree forest. The beans of these cocoa trees have enabled me to develop a highly flavoured chocolate, blending aromas of exotic fruits, delicious flavours of honey spice cake and acidulated hints of citrus fruit."
*Soft
*Grassy
*Touch of lemon
*Hard to nail down -- too much going on?
COPPENEUR: Ocumare
COPPENEUR (Germany) - Ocumare 61
Dunkle Chocolade, 72% Cacao Criollo
"On the coast of Venezuela lies the Ocumare de la Costa valley. This is the homeland of the Ocumare Criollo beans. From here, we seek out the rare and precious Ocumare 61 of select plantations. This cacao offers a marvelous interaction of different taste nuances. Soft flavor with more natural ?? and outstanding roundness. Mildly spicy, slight peaty aroma with flavor overtones of almonds and cherries."
*Burnt
*Dry, tannic
*Coffee grounds and dirt
Dunkle Chocolade, 72% Cacao Criollo
"On the coast of Venezuela lies the Ocumare de la Costa valley. This is the homeland of the Ocumare Criollo beans. From here, we seek out the rare and precious Ocumare 61 of select plantations. This cacao offers a marvelous interaction of different taste nuances. Soft flavor with more natural ?? and outstanding roundness. Mildly spicy, slight peaty aroma with flavor overtones of almonds and cherries."
*Burnt
*Dry, tannic
*Coffee grounds and dirt
VALRHONA: Palmira
Valhrona (France) - Chocolat Noir de Domaine Palmira
Venezuela, Fino Criollo 64%
"Close to lake Maracaibo, Valrhona has discovered an exceptional estate where the best Criollos cocoa beans from Venezuela are cultivated. From its legendary soil are born the characteristic notes of honey and nuts found in Palmira Chocolate."
*Juicy! (OJ)
*Starts creamy, then some tang
*Cinnamon-spice finish and aftertaste
Venezuela, Fino Criollo 64%
"Close to lake Maracaibo, Valrhona has discovered an exceptional estate where the best Criollos cocoa beans from Venezuela are cultivated. From its legendary soil are born the characteristic notes of honey and nuts found in Palmira Chocolate."
*Juicy! (OJ)
*Starts creamy, then some tang
*Cinnamon-spice finish and aftertaste
MICHEL CLUIZEL: Concepcion
MICHEL CLUIZEL (France) - Plantation "Concepcion"
Venezuela, 1er Cru de Plantation 66%
"I selected this plantation in the valley of Barlovento, to the east of Caracas, for the exceptional quality of its Caranero cocoa beans. In this chocolate, the beans, fermented, dried and polished according to the traditional method used since 1902, let you gradually discover hints of vanilla, honey spice cake and caramel in a remarkable lingering aroma with hints of mixed dried and black fruits."
*Lemon tea
*Juicy
*Earthy start (like milk chocolate) gets brighter and juicier as it goes (pow! pow! -- not subtle)
Venezuela, 1er Cru de Plantation 66%
"I selected this plantation in the valley of Barlovento, to the east of Caracas, for the exceptional quality of its Caranero cocoa beans. In this chocolate, the beans, fermented, dried and polished according to the traditional method used since 1902, let you gradually discover hints of vanilla, honey spice cake and caramel in a remarkable lingering aroma with hints of mixed dried and black fruits."
*Lemon tea
*Juicy
*Earthy start (like milk chocolate) gets brighter and juicier as it goes (pow! pow! -- not subtle)
5.21.2008
AMEDEI: Chuao
AMEDEI (Italy) - Chuao
Bitter Chocolate Extra 70%
"Cocoa as you've never tasted it before: the flavour of a legend. 'Chuao,' which takes its name from the Venezuelan peninsula where the seeds are produced, has an initial flavour of plums, red fruits and an aromatic and sumptuous roundness. For the first time this natural blend is produced in its pure state. A difficult task for Cecilia Tessieri to establish the correct strength of this chocolate which even improves after a 20-day refinement period."
*Bright bitterness
*Some lemon/lime
*Charred
*Red currants (not dried) or unripe plum
Bitter Chocolate Extra 70%
"Cocoa as you've never tasted it before: the flavour of a legend. 'Chuao,' which takes its name from the Venezuelan peninsula where the seeds are produced, has an initial flavour of plums, red fruits and an aromatic and sumptuous roundness. For the first time this natural blend is produced in its pure state. A difficult task for Cecilia Tessieri to establish the correct strength of this chocolate which even improves after a 20-day refinement period."
*Bright bitterness
*Some lemon/lime
*Charred
*Red currants (not dried) or unripe plum
5.09.2008
PATRIC: Madagascar
PATRIC (Missouri) - Madagascar
Sambirano Valley, Micro-Batch Dark Chocolate 67%
"Lively notes of plum preserves intermingle with fruits rouges and enticing hints of butter-hazelnut toffee."
*Bitterness
*Tart
*Dry
*Burnt
Sambirano Valley, Micro-Batch Dark Chocolate 67%
"Lively notes of plum preserves intermingle with fruits rouges and enticing hints of butter-hazelnut toffee."
*Bitterness
*Tart
*Dry
*Burnt
AMANO: Madagascar
AMANO (Utah) - Madagascar
Premium Dark Chocolate 70%
"Around the turn of the century, cacao trees were brought from Venezuela to Madagascar. This chocolate bar is made from bean from the children of those trees. The mild chocolate flavor, accented with citrus and highlighted by the particular flavorful Venezuelan bean, is unique to chocolate from Madagascar. The result is a truly unique chocolate you will love."
*Raisins
*Milky caramel
*Condensed milk
*The brightest of the Amanos
Premium Dark Chocolate 70%
"Around the turn of the century, cacao trees were brought from Venezuela to Madagascar. This chocolate bar is made from bean from the children of those trees. The mild chocolate flavor, accented with citrus and highlighted by the particular flavorful Venezuelan bean, is unique to chocolate from Madagascar. The result is a truly unique chocolate you will love."
*Raisins
*Milky caramel
*Condensed milk
*The brightest of the Amanos
MICHEL CLUIZEL: Maralumi
MICHEL CLUIZEL (France) - Plantation "Maralumi"
Papua New Guinea, 1er Cru de Plantation 64%
"The island of Papua - New Guinea, off the coast of Australia, is an unusual origin for cocoa. A superb Maralumi plantation lies close to the East coast producing refined beans that greatly appealed to me. They give this mellow chocolate slightly roasted and spicy flavours, fresh notes of green bananas and acidulates flavours of red currants prolonged by charming aromas of Havana tobacco leaves."
*Bitter
*Lemon
*Bit of sourness
Papua New Guinea, 1er Cru de Plantation 64%
"The island of Papua - New Guinea, off the coast of Australia, is an unusual origin for cocoa. A superb Maralumi plantation lies close to the East coast producing refined beans that greatly appealed to me. They give this mellow chocolate slightly roasted and spicy flavours, fresh notes of green bananas and acidulates flavours of red currants prolonged by charming aromas of Havana tobacco leaves."
*Bitter
*Lemon
*Bit of sourness
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