I'm bowled over by this chocolate bar - so much so that I'm going to take the time to review it. I'll begin by saying that I am not a chocolate expert. I haven't tried hundreds of different fine dark chocolates. More like - tens of different dark chocolates - and some of them, disappointingly, not fine. I do love dark chocolate though. And I eat it often. And when I do, I prefer to eat the best I can get my hands on at the time of purchase.
I chose this bar from the chocolate rack because it contained only cocoa and sugar. It was the only one available there that didn't have other ingredients. This bar was smaller (2.64 oz) than I usually buy and, in spite of that, it was also a little more expensive ($4.99 at Whole Foods in Kansas City). The outside wrapper has a little piece of husk or something tying it closed - as if a bucolic native fastening tradition had been preserved (although, within that, hermetically sealed plastic protects the bar itself). The packaging mentions the 'heirloom', 'peace corps', and 'fair' buzzwords. In my experience if you're supposed to be swayed to buy due to attributes besides taste - taste usually isn't it's best feature. Considering the expense, the size, and the kitschy new-age marketing, I was prepared to be terribly disappointed by the chocolate itself - and in myself for buying it anyway. But, my first bite changed all of that.
This chocolate bar was different than any other dark chocolate I've ever eaten. It had strong notes of citrus (almost fruity even) as well as more typical strong deep 'chocolaty' alkaline. Each bite ran through a spectrum of flavors as it quickly melted in my mouth. If I had to grade it down for anything, I would say that it is less smooth than I prefer - a tiny bit gritty. Also, I found that just holding the bar loosely in my hand, in it's inner plastic wrapper, while I ate it caused it to melt a little - which is unusual in my experience and I presume is due to a high cocoa butter content. But, I forgive the price, the size, the kitsch, the grit, and the meltiness for the unique flavor. It is as if delicate elements of the nibs that are normally lost in processing have somehow been preserved here - similarly to the way that you can sometimes taste the fruit in the bean within an especially good cup of coffee.
This bar was eaten 3/8/2015 and the outside wrapper says that it's best before 4/22/2016. The listed ingredients are: cocoa beans, sugar, and cocoa butter. The wrapper says it's made from 'heirloom Madagascar cocoa' in Madagascar (rather than the beans having been shipped elsewhere for processing) and it touts the economic benefit of that for the local population. It is quite a departure from what I have come to think of as quality dark chocolate. But I give it a 9 and I think it's my favorite bar ever.
--UPDATE --
I've eaten two more bars since my review. Neither were bad, but both were disappointing by comparison to the original bar. All three bars have identical dating data on their outer labels. My second bar had much less flavor overall than the first. It also did not melt as easily in my mouth as the first one did. My third bar was strong and 'melty', but the flavor was more bitter than the original bar (and not in a good way). This is, of course, a very small sample set, and there is a possibility that the second two bars were the outliers, rather than the first. But my limited results lead me to conclude that the factory that produces them may have consistency problems. Like a lot of restaurants, maybe they periodically accidentally produce a superior product - and maybe my first bar was one of those. As a result, I no longer feel the same previous desire to purchase more of these relatively small and expensive bars.
Madécasse is inspired by our Peace Corps experiences in Madagascar. We provide cocoa farmers with equipment and training and pay them above fair trade prices. Our chocolate is made in Madagascar from the top 1% of the world's cocoa. It's one of the only fine chocolates made in all of Africa! Making chocolate in Madagascar creates 4x more income than fair trade cocoa alone.
Despite the fact that our bar had a batch date of Jan. 09, 2013, our bar had severe blooming.
Delicate green tea leaves from Big Island, Hawai'i are lightly cured and complimented with aromatic bergamot in a velvety dark chocolate we grind from Hamakua coast cacao.
Working closely with the cacao farmer at Healani Orchards in Hawi, Big Island, we have selected the finest creamy sweet Criollo cacao beans they grow to make this limited edition chocolate bar for you to enjoy.
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.
Your purchase supports our melding of wild bird rescue and rehabilitation, habitat restoration and public awareness with healthy permaculture farming practices.
Calming aromatic & tangy passion fruit is blended with chocolate artisanally crafted from Hawai'i-grown cacao for a bar that lifts the mind and stimulates the palate.
Combines cacao in 3 of its forms: tangy cacao fruit pulp & rich roasted nibs in a delectable dark chocolate made from organic, ethically sourced cacao beans grown by organic coops in the DR.
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.
There is no labeling on the wrapper indicating weight or allergen information.
In this chocolate, we find a characteristic profile Cocoa Piura, those notes fruity citrus, accompanied by mild blows nutty, malt and brown sugar. The soil, climate and touches of sunshine, produce a chocolate able to charm with its pungent flavor and aroma.
There is no labeling on the wrapper indicating weight or allergen information, and the back of the box has 65%, while the front labeling indicates 72%. Also, it's clear that there are traces of dried cacao fruit, although the translated ingredients list does not include it. The name of the bar in Spanish clearly indicates it, however.
To create this chocolate, we searched for the least intense notes that will tantalise the senses. From the moment it touches your lips, the raw panela cane sugar, malt and herbal notes will enchant you.
Cocoa mass Tanzania, sugar, cocoa butter, natural flavour: vanilla.
May contain traces of milk proteins, nuts and almonds.
100g (3.53oz.), 75x160mm (3x6.3")
Vic's rating = 7
Deb's rating = 7
Purchased in 2009 from CocoaBella, San Francisco, CA
Who can resist sinking their teeth into this intense creamy rare chocolate, coming from the wonderful Tanzania and which melts in the mouth. When eaten, the fruity flavours, released as you bite into, linger in the mouth with all the raw strength, warmth and tanginess of slightly cocoa. Adventurous palates will find a rather daring chocolate, carrying a whiff of excitement...
In the luxuriant shade of the plantations, the Forastero of the Amenolado variety in Equador has given rise to a rare, aromatic and only slightly bitter cocoa: the Nacional. It will only grow on this land which, strangely, has given it an unique aroma of flowers and dried grasses...like the scent of an infusion.
In the luxuriant shade of the plantations, the Forastero of the Amenolado variety in Equador has given rise to a rare, aromatic and slightly bitter cocoa: the Nacional. It will only grow on this land which, strangely, has given it an [sic] unique aroma of flowers and dried grasses...like the scent of an infusion.
Discover the vinous flavour and the fruity, spicy, dense and powerful notes that this cocoa has drawn from a soil made to breed chocolate: naturally dark, rich and extraordinary inviting. This Spanish cocoa, born from the encounter between a Forastero and a Criollo, is exceptionally long on the palette.
variety = Criollo and Forastero origin = Santo Domingo
There is no labeling on our package for ingredients, allergens, or origins. We obtained this bar on site in St. Croix at the Little Lagrange location in Fredriksted in February 2020. Based on their website, there is no guarantee this cacao came from their own trees. It may have originated from Haiti or other nearby Northern Caribbean locations. The ingredients are most likely cacao, sugar, and perhaps some vanilla. The packaging is much larger than the bar inside, which measures only 93mm x 55mm. We also obtained a 60% Dark 2 ounce package, which contained two bars of one ounce each.
There is no labeling on our package for ingredients, allergens, or origins. However, there is a hand-written note indicating the cacao comes from "Our Trees", so the assumption is the origin for the cacao is St. Croix. We obtained this bar on site in St. Croix at the Little Lagrange location in Fredriksted in February 2020. Based on their website, the ingredients are most likely cacao, sugar, and perhaps some vanilla. The packaging is much larger than the bar inside, which measures only 94mm x 56mm.
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
Manufactured in a factory that handles nut, cereal and dairy ingredients.
85g (2.99oz.), 80x160mm (3.1x6.3")
Vic's rating = 8
Deb's rating = 8
Purchased in 2009 from Waitrose, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, ENG, United Kingdom
Sambirano Grand Cru is carefully crafted from this season's cocoa - we cultivate, select, ferment and dry the Criollo, Trinitario and Forastero cocoa beans in the beautiful forested plantations of the Sambirano Valley in north west Madagascar. The delicate flavours of the cocoa beans are dependent on the soil, sun, water and shade of the forest canopy, these vary from year to year.
Sambirano Grand Cru leaves notes of citrus, spice, wood and coffee lingering on your palette. [sic]
This bar is crafted by the Ramanandraibe family in Madagascar. This 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
Malagos 65% Dark Chocolate is made from single-origin, quality Trinitario beans -- a hybrid of Forastero and Criollo-grown in the foothills of Mt. Talomo, Davao in the southern Philippines.
Bean: Chuao, Criollo beans
Location: Hacienda Chuao, Venezuela
Vegetation: Plantation in natural forest
Elevation: 200-400 above sea level
Harvest: 2010
Coordinates: 10°31'07"N, 67°32'44"W
Soil/irrigation: Forest, ancient methods
Farm: Chuao Farm Workers Company
Fermentation: Above 85% fermentation
Drying: Traditional drying on village drying patio next to church
Our roast: Gentle roast in drum roaster to preserve flavors
Conche: Medium long conche at elevated temperature
Taste profile: We ave used 70% of Chuao beans mixed with 30% unrefined cane sugar and no additives. The result is a smooth chocolate with natural cocoa flavor and very little bitterness. The Chuao cocoa is fruity and with hints of raisins/dried fruit. Suits well with your favourite warm drink or on its own.
Our Cusco collection is made from the finest "Chuncho" variety of cacao beans, grown in the fertile valleys of Quillabamba. With this chocolate, we offer an intense, nutty flavor that will transport you to the magical land of the Incas.
Our Piura collection is made from the finest "Blanco" variety of cacao beans, grown in the fertile valleys of Alto Piura. This chocolate boasts a huge personality, offering an indescribable experience dominated by fruity citrus notes.
This rare and delicate chocolate is made in micro-batches from cocoa beans cultivated in hilly woodland at the edge of the Vietnamese Central Highlands between Madagui and Bao Loc.
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.
This full-bodied chocolate owes its spice and fruit notes to the Trinitario beans organically grown by farmers of the Chợ Gạo Co-op in the Mekong Delta. We craft all of our chocolate in Saigon using purely Vietnamese ingredients of the highest quality.
To create this preciously smooth 75% cacao dark chocolate we have selected the finest cacao beans grown on small family-owned farms on the remote island of Tan Phu Dong (Đào kho báu), stretching from the two northernmost arms of the Mekong Delta all the way into the sea.
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.
Go from bean to bar in one bite. Cocoa nibs are roasted, chopped and winnowed cocoa beans. A favorite amongst craft chocolate makers. Beautiful texture, authentically pure cacao.
Crown Maple Sugar is crafted from the sap of the majestic sugar and red maple trees in the Catskills. This pairing pioneers a new American craft chocolate.
Hand crafted locally with organic cacao from farms in the Dominican Republic. Roasted in small batches. Hand cracked. Refined using granite stone and aged.
This pioneering cooperative farms organic cacao in the northern highlands of the Dominican Republic. Notes of sweet pipe tobacco, cherries and cabernet sauvignon.
Hand crafted in Brooklyn in small batches, we roast, crack, winnow, refine using granite stone and age our chocolate. Tasting notes: Cinnamon, nuts, spice.
Our chocolate is hand crafted in small batches from the bean to the finished bar in our shop at historic Findlay Market in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Norandino Co-op in Morropón, 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: Sweet nutty aroma with ripe red berry flavors.
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.
There is nothing to hide behind when you use only two pure ingredients -- organic cocoa beans and organic cane sugar. The purity and simplicity allow the unique and evolving flavors of each batch to shine.
Tasting notes: Mild sweetness with cinnamon and cocoa.
I met Susan Bassett, owner of Mauna Kea Cacao, while judging raw beans at the Big Island Chocolate Festival in Hawaii. She produced some of the highest scoring cacao. After visiting her farm I ordered enough beans to make 400 bars that quickly sold out. Here's to continuing our partnership with Mauna Kea Cacao! Please enjoy this single estate, grown in America, 70% dark chocolate.
A dark chocolate sweetened with measure, just enough to release the deep cocoa flavour, and clear notes of red fruits and citrus. An intense, elegant and bright chocolate with a long, rich and subtle acidic finish.
This cocoa is grown by Kenny Patovaki on the small island of Paspaskato. He grows, ferments and sun dries the cocoa himself and was the winner of the Solomon Islands chocolate week in 2017.
This cocoa is grown by small farms in the Tenaru region outside of Honiara in the Solomon Islands. The cocoa is then fermented and sun dried in Honiara.
MIA single origin chocolate is crafted bean-to-bar in Africa to create uniquely premium bars like the one you're holding now. Strong in cocoa content, this 75% dark chocolate has a gentle, buttery melt that releases milk yet pleasantly lasting notes of pure Madagascan cocoa.
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.