Our first bar made with Kona cacao from Likao Kula farm where the rock star cacao grower Gini grows & ferments beautifully fruity & delicate cacao. The high altitude of this farm gives incredible creaminess and excellent gooseberry, marzipan, currant, peach, and Brazil nut notes to the chocolate.
Combines cacao in 3 of its forms: tangy cacao fruit pulp and rich roasted nibs in a flavorful dark chocolate made from organic, fair trade cacao beans.
Manufactured in a factory that handles nut, cereal and dairy ingredients.
85g (2.99oz.), 80x160mm (3.1x6.3")
Vic's rating = 9
Deb's rating = 9
Purchased in 2009 from Waitrose, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, ENG, United Kingdom
In Madagascar the expression "Mora Mora" means "there are those things over which you should take more time."
The Ramanandraibe family has crafted fine chocolate in Madagascar for 4 generations and the Mora Mora recipe has won widespread acclaim from leading chefs and chocolatiers.
Mora Mora is a fine chocolate - grown, produced and packaged in Madagascar. This ensures we capture the freshness of the cocoa beans, which gives our chocolate its lovely fruity basal notes. It also means that a greater proportion of the finished cost is returned to the people of Madagascar, to help them develop their beautiful island. This is teh Equitrade ethos, for more information go to: www.equitrade.org
variety = Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario origin = Madagascar
This full-bodied chocolate owes its spice and fruit notes to the Trinitario beans organically grown by farmers in the Cho Gao Co-op in the Mekong Delta.
We have brought all of our favorite beans from around the world to create our first house blend. A balanced chocolate with hints of red wine, tobacco and plum.
The Norandino Co-op in Peru unites small farmers with a common goal -- to preserve the Piura White Criollo Cacao and to improve the quality of life for their farming community.
Tasting notes: Honey, plum, caramel, shortbread finish.
This 'grué' is made from small fragments of cocoa beans specifically produced by the Island of Santo Domingo. After fermentation and drying, the beans are roasted, their shells removed, then ground and blended with the chocolate for a fine chocolate-cocoa harmony.
The birthplace of African cocoa in the 19th century, the island of São Tomé lies on the equator, of Central Africa. The cocoa beans grown on luxuriant, volcanic soil in a marine climate, are exclusively sun-dried. They make this highly aromatic chocolate, whose exceptionally long taste combines toasted, spicy and herbaceous notes.
For nearly 100 years, the world has gone without the amazing chocolate you hold in your hands. Thought to be extinct, today the tale of Pure Nacional cacao beans takes a delicious twist. Recently rediscovered in a remote canyon in Peru, hints of floral, fruity, nutty flavors live on in this bar of Fortunato No. 4 Dark Chocolate. Discover it for yourself.
Pleasure means having your cake and eating it too. Or shall we say chocolate. NewTree Pleasure is deliciously dark (73% cocoa) and naturally rich in minerals, vitamins and fiber. Great taste, good health, now that's Pleasure.
Hints of floral honey, apricot and jasmine tea are present in this shimmering chocolate. The taste leads to the wild cacao trees on Amazon forest islands, home to the vivid blue-throated macaw.
Notes of lemon, red berry and passionfruit sing out from this rarest among rare cacaos -- another fruit of Piura -- as dazzling as Peru's delicate butterflies it grows among.
Orquidea Chocolates are handmade with pure cacao in the San Martin Valleys in the jungles of the Peruvian Amazon. We value and support environmental conservation, cacao as a sustainable alternative crop, and fair trade practices as well as the careful selection of all natural ingredients.
Purchased in 2016 from Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA
In the summer 2014 Palette de Bine received an exceptional batch of wild Bolivian cacao. Small farmers from the Amazon in northern La Paz, in the municipalities of Guanay and Mapiri harvest this native cacao. The trees are more than 25 years old and grow along the Beni river, farmers reach them by boat. The pods are very small and inside them are tiny beans with tropical fruit flavors. After a complex transformation this chocolate has been aged for three months before producing this Palette de Bine with a pure expression. It is claimed to have flavors of lychee, banana and lucuma! Enjoy...
THE BEAN - The farmers of this Bolivian cacao are always evolving with their farming techniques. Their next step is to develop a centralized drying and fermentation facility which will enable a consistent cacao. By buying this chocolate you are able to take part in making this step a reality. This is a unique flavored origin and we believe you can truly taste the soul of Bolivia through this chocolate.
TASTING NOTES - Black Truffle, Umami, and Mild Oak Finish
THE BEAN - Cacao is a beautiful thing, especially when it helps the lives of many farmers. Öko Caribe is comprised of three different organizations consisting of 15-20 farmers each. All of these farmers practice the most up to date techniques from farming, fermentation, and drying, thus enabling us to make you the best possible bar of chocolate.
TASTING NOTES - Red Grapes, Prune, Honey, Hibiscus, and Pomegranate
Cacao is a valuable tradition that comes from our Mayan ancestors and has been passed down from generation to generation. Q'eqchi families from the eco-region of Lachua dedicate themselves to the cultivation of cacao to produce the highest quality product, the better the economy of our families and helping at the same time to preserve the environment for our future generations. -- Hector A. Ruiz Chub
Tasting notes: Young blackberry, Riesling, light cherry.
After a very strong recommendation, and then subsequent investigation into this bar, I decided to get some to try. That isn't as easy as I at first presumed. While the owner attends school, the brand is mostly on hiatus and the shop is closed for normal daily business. But, Patric has won multiple 'best in breed' sort of awards in the field so I dug a little harder to figure out how to get some.
As it turns out, obtaining some is reminiscent of the subplot from a William Gibson novel. Chocolate is only produced once a month, and only four bar types are produced each time. You sign up for a mailing list and when Patric is ready to produce, they send you an email detailing which four bars it will be this time and the link to a web site where, for only a brief time, they can be ordered. Only when you get to the link is the price revealed. I signed up to be notified of future production 12 days ago. The monthly announcement email arrived 2 days ago. Following the link to the site I found that the price to me this time was $12 per 2.3 oz bar. The minimum order is four bars. So, that's $48 for 4 candy bars - just to get a taste - albeit best of breed. In addition, there is also normally a substantial shipping and handling charge added on to that. However, my mailing list conformation email offered a (generous) first-timer free shipping code for my initial order - so I could skate on that.
So by then my curiosity had become, to a person of my means, very expensive to resolve. Still, after some consideration, and knowing I would likely have future reservations, I took the plunge and bought them. I received an almost immediate purchase confirmation email letting me know that orders were usually fulfilled the following Monday. But, this morning (a Friday and two days later) when I checked my email I discovered that, sometime after the last time I checked it yesterday, I had received an email from Patric letting me know that, due to a break in the warmer weather, a brief window of opportunity to ship chocolate that would never become warm waiting in a delivery truck or plane had occurred - and that was too good to pass up and worthwhile hurrying the shipment for. Therefore, my order would arrive sometime tomorrow - which, at the point I read it, was already today. And, sure enough, it did.
I had been looking forward to trying some of this exclusive dark chocolate for a couple of weeks. Did UPS arrive while I was downstairs? Is there a package sitting on my front stoop - getting, you know, older? Nope, nope - not yet. Finally it arrived. Considering the lengthy build up, it might be fair to say that it would have been very difficult for it to surpass my expectation. I really intended to be taken to a different dimension: the sort of experience that would cause me to conclude that until today I had been naive and missing out. A realization that my previous notion of the length and breadth of the chocolate taste universe had been fretfully sophomoric and inadequate until now.
But, that didn't happen.
Don't get me wrong - this is a very good bar of chocolate. Actually, two bars. I ate a second one shortly after the first (they're small...). I expected a big, powerful, taste from these Madagascar beans. And it really doesn't have that. It's smaller, and more subtle and refined. I chew each piece about 85% without swallowing and then let it melt the rest of the way on my tongue as I swish it around. There is no astringency at all. The consistency is silky-smooth. For me, at first there is 'chocolate', and then citrus wells up out of that - which resolves to something like mandarin orange. That balanced combination of chocolate and orange hangs on my tongue for 30 seconds or so before it begins to decline. The orange fades away into citrus first, then the citrus disappears, then, finally the more traditional chocolate flavor. I don't get the berries, red wine, or almond that the packaging suggests - but that could just be the limits of my palate.
I've been surprised, with other brands I have tried, at how much difference there is between one bar and the next. I bought multiple cases of one brand I like and I had presumed that, coming from the same case, the bars within it would taste the same. But, I was surprised to find that they did not. There are differences between one bar and the next within the same box. I liked some bars much more than others.
This was not the case with these two Patric bars. They were identical in every detail. Of course, these were produced within just the last few days, the beans hand-sorted, the bars hand-molded and packaged, and the shipping was timed to favor the conservation of all the flavor they had been designed to contain. Considering all the effort that has been made to give each bar the best chance at excellence it can possibly have: maybe it should not have been surprising to me that there was no difference between them after all.
Ultimately, though, in spite of how much I enjoyed them, these bars did not take me to any place chocolate has not taken me before. This experience was not the revelation I was hoping for. Clearly, Patric has no trouble selling what it produces in spite of the high price and inconvenience in acquiring it. In a way, the difficulty makes the journey to obtaining it more romantic too. There is a certain je ne sais quoi to it. Like standing in line, at a moments notice, for the opportunity to purchase a limited drop of exquisite designer denim: just you and a select group of others in the know, while the rest of the world passes by all unknowing. Except that, for me, as good as this was, it was similar enough to other past purchases to make the expense and trouble questionable.
These bars were eaten 03/27/15. The packaging suggests that it be enjoyed by 03/15/16. I give them a solid 8.
With flavor ranging from juicy citrus and berries to red wine and a hint of almond, the cacao that I source from Madagascar is among the most delightful in the world. Through precise roasting, careful refining and use of only three ingredients, I allow these qualities to shine.
This bar's passionate devotees have called it the espresso of Madagascar chocolate for its intensity, depth, and complexity of flavor, including citrus and wine notes. It is simply perfect enjoyed as an apéritif before dinner, or as a post-meal digestif. If you love dark chocolate, this bar is truly a must!
The combination of chocolate and mint is classic. Our goal was to work on balancing these two flavors until we had obtained a perfect blend of chocolaty, cookie-like notes and cool mint aroma. A refreshing bar that leaves you craving more, this is the chocolate that many of you have been waiting for, and with CRUNCH!
One of the great joys of being craft chocolate makers is that every year we can work on many exciting limited-edition chocolate bars. This chocolate is one such delicacy. Enjoy the results of precise roasting, careful refining and the judicious use of only a handful of fine ingredients, but don't enjoy them too slowly, as this limited-edition bar won't be around for long! Tasting notes: ruby grapefruit, toasted almonds, sun-dried wine grapes.
The cacao from the Paria Peninsular in Venezuela carries hints of walnut, green olive, dried apricot and cherry. This results in a chocolate that is every bit as complex and flavorful as any chocolate available, yet surprisingly unique -- my careful handcrafting and use of only three ingredients ensures it.
For my signature blend, I sourced several beautiful cacaos from diverse area of the world, all boasting their own unique tastes and aromas. I then blended these cacaos into a complex ensemble of flavor, including citrus and berry highlights, and notes of coffee and roasted nuts in the finish.
When tasting our Ghana chocolate don't expect any spice, fruit or floral aromas. What will strike you is its deep, rich, luscious and powerful chocolate aroma. This is the purest form of chocolate taste in our entire selection and it's beautiful. Spicy, deep cocoa notes, long lasting aromas.
Nestled in the lush green hills of Roxborough and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Tobago Cocoa Estate immerses the visitor in the unique farming and culinary cultures of Trinidad and Tobago, islands considered to be the "birthplace" of the Trinitario bean. The Estate combines a heritage park, which focuses on the history of cocoa in Tobago, with a working farm where traditional cultivation techniques have been adapted to preserve the bird and other wild life of this sensitive tropical environment in a responsible and sustainable way.
Trinidad...birth place of Trinitario bean a cross between Forastero and Criollo which marries the bet qualities of each bean type. This is a strong chocolate with aromas of spice, tobacco and dried herbs. Here you can taste the influence of the island's terroir. Persistent aroma, spices, dried herbs, hint of tobacco.
This bar is made from a rare criollo cocoa bean that is grown in the Sambirano valley of Madagascar - only 2 tonns per annum. Due to the unique fermentation and careful processing the mild character of the criollo is complemented by the sweet and sour taste of the fresh cocoa pulp.
The village of Chuao -- where Venezuela's finest beans are grown -- is nestled between the sea and the mountains in a secluded valley, and is possible to reach only by boat. Its unique soil and a micro-climate create perfect growing conditions for cocoa. The Empresa Campesina de Chuao cooperative consists of around 100 farmers who grow, harvest, sun-dry, and ferment the beans in the traditional way. This exceptional cocoa was used to create this bar which carries aromas of the cocoa fruit pulp and tonic water.
Porcelana is a rare type of cocoa bean. The flesh is completely white which during fermentation turns into a unique light brown colour that is so characteristic to this chocolate. The proportion and complexity of aromas create a feel of perfect simplicity. Mildly roasted and processed to preserve its natural qualities.
Tumbes is a northwest region on the coast of Peru. After days of driving through the hills and tasting 30 varieties of cacao, Tumbes became a clear favorite for its chocolaty goodness. Well-balanced, flavors of tobacco, raisin and a hint of cherry.
In this dark, velvety bar Michael Recchiuti uses milk as a medium to discover new flavor profiles in chocolate. This alchemy of milk with chocolate draws out mild cherry notes in the cacao, a creamy texture and a smooth lingering finish.
Ecuador is the homeland of the unique "Arriba" Cacao Beans. For centuries, the Plantations in Provincia El Oro, have produced this special variety that offers a natural sweetness with a mix of scented delicate flowers and fruits.
Purchased in 2012 from Chocolate Maya, Santa Barbara, CA
Made with organic, Costa Rican cacao from one of the world's best cacao farms. The richness of this chocolate makes it a favorite among dark chocolate lovers, yet its complexity attracts the true connoisseurs. The bold, earthy peaks and hints of blackberry and walnut found in this chocolate are a result of the volcanic-rich soil of Costa Rica and careful drying methods of the cacao.
In this inclusion bar we combine our fruit-forward Belize chocolate with our nutty Madagascar nibs for a tasting experience that is both smooth and crunchy. The added crunch introduces a new, chewable, way to enjoy the unique flavors for which we are known. We think you will enjoy the familiar flavor sensation of dried fruit and nuts - without the dried fruit and nuts.
Our single origin chocolate is made in Colorado using traditional, European methods with ethically-sourced cacao from around the world. We welcome you to take the time to taste the unique and balanced flavor of our chocolate, just as we have taken the time to create it.
For a year we have been working to bring in this very special cacao from an isolated population of trees in Northern Peru. We have finally managed to bring in a "nano-lot" of only four bags of cacao from Juan Tirado's 7.5 acre organic cacao farm in Morropon Province in Piura, Peru. This is the smallest micro-lot ever made into a bar. All four bags of this storied "white-bean" cacao come from a single fermentation and drying cycle, giving us the rare opportunity to create a chocolate that will give new meaning to the term "single origin." More importantly, Juan's farm produces the finest cacao that we have tasted. This is a result of genetics, but also of excellent post-harvest handling, leading to a distinct floral aroma with an extremely mild and buttery flavor of nuts, cocoa, and raspberries.
This bar is made with cacao from Rio Caribe. Rio Caribe is a select grade fully fermented Trinitario cacao from the area of the Paria Peninsula in Sucre State. The Paria Peninsula is located in far eastern Venezuela and nearly touches Trinidad. This incidentally is also the area where all of the regions oil operations are located. This particular lot is from a single estate, and one of the oldest family-owned cacao businesses in Venezuela. As a matter of fact, I have been told that this is more or less the only exporter that has not been ruined in recent years. I have been in direct contact with the owners for all of these months and am really glad to finally be working with them. We will be the first company in the US to put out a single origin Rio Caribe bar. To the best of my knowledge there is only one other company in the world doing a single origin of this variety (Domori).
The flavors of this cocoa are really fun! There are really forward cocoa and coffee flavors, then deep dairy and nut flavors, and hints oranges and spices.
In the southern reaches of the Amazon basin along Bolivia's Rio Beni grows a rare, wild cacao. Massive trees are found along the riverbanks, where their fruits are gathered by cacao "hunters" who travel by boat in search of this rarity. The pods of this unique genotype of cacao are very small, some not larger than a lemon. Hidden inside them, tiny cacao beans hold surprising flavors of plum, jasmine, banana, and nuts. Through much effort, we managed to procure a small lot of this coveted cacao silvestre, worthy of a limited edition release. As with all of our chocolate, this bar contains only two ingredients - cacao beans and cane sugar - delivering a pure, undiluted expression of this extraordinary cacao. We hope you enjoy the fruits of our labor. Silvestre: Plum, jasmine, banana.
Ten years ago, our chocolate first received national recognition. In celebration, we have created a bar that uses some of the most distinctive cacao beans we have encountered. Named Finisterratrade;, from the Latin for "land's end", it is representative of our search for the world's best cacao. We find it has citrus and berry notes, finishing with hints of cinnamon and black tea. A portion of this bar's proceeds will be donated to cacao non-profit organizations.
A single origin bar with a long finish and the deep chocolate flavors of Ghanaian cacao. Deep, rich chocolate with hints of wild cherry, citrus and spice.
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker finds the world's best cacao beans to give our chocolate its delicious natural flavors. Our 70% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate delivers complexity of flavor, bright fruitiness and a lasting finish.
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker finds the world's best cacao beans and carefully blends them to give our chocolate its natural flavors. The deep earthy tones and wild blackberry notes in this complex chocolate come from the old-growth cacao trees of Cuyagua, a small village on the coast west of Caracas.
Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker has prepared this limited edition chocolate bar expressly for Trinidad & Tobago in honor of the Soca Warriors' participation in World Cup 2006. Using vintage European equipment to roast and grind small batches of 100% high quality cocoa beans from selected estates in Trinidad & Tobago, Scharffen Berger has created a flavourful chocolate with fruity, floral notes and hints of coffee and vanilla.
Unrefined texture, lots of crunchies. After tasting about 400 different
bars of chocolate, Jamaica à l'ancienne remains my #1 favorite.
Jamaica á l'ancienne melds the rustic textures of stone-ground Jamaican cacao nibs and coarse cane sugar to the deep flavor of Scharffen Berger Unsweetened Chocolate. It evokes chocolate's Caribbean roots.
Trinidad, Jamaica and The Dominican Republic: a carefully selected blend.
This blend of Caribbean cacao beans offers sort citrus notes with hints of orange peel and a long smooth finish.
A single origin from deep within the Brazilian Amazon-unlike any cacao we have ever tasted. Notes of wild apple and pear with the finish of a fine dessert wine. Batch CMS-1/120 cases produced.