Valrhona - Guanaja 70%

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Guanaja 70% Cocoa
Main ingredients are cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier: sunflower lecithin, natural vanilla extract.
Cocoa content: minimum 70% cocoa solids

Manufacturer

Valrhona, 26600 Tain l'Hermitage, France

Packaging

The 70g chocolate bar is wrapped and sealed in aluminium wrap and a cardboard envelope.

Look

The chocolate has a very dark black-ish brown colour. It has some red hues at the edges if held in the light.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear snap sound.

Smell

The smell is initially sugary with a cocoa body hinting at an intense cocoa. However, cold sugar aromas dominate.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate melts cleanly into a very fine liquid without developing a soft or sticky edge.

Taste

The initial taste is sugar. Darker, slightly roasty cocoa notes develop on the tongue. The cocoa notes and sweetness switch forth and back in dominance. The sweetness is clearly noticeable throughout. Hints of warmer, nutty flavours develop at the rear of the mouth.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste on the tongue and especially at the rear of the mouth is more of a physical sensation than a flavour. Only a weak aftertaste remains on the palate.

Summary

This chocolate is very well conched and fine. It has intense cocoa flavours that are framed by the sugar without showing bitter or sour notes.

Verdict

The well conched chcocolate has delicate cocoa flavours without being stingy or bitter. Only the aftertaste hints at the actual intensity of the cocoa. 4 Stars.

Dates

Lot number: LP752135, best before 02/2023, tasted 16/06/2022 & 10/07/2022 & 17/07/2022

Valrhona - Gran Couva Trinidad Noir 64%

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Chocolate de Domaine Gran Couva, Trinidad - 64%
Main ingredients are cocoa beans, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla extract.
Cocoa content: minimum 64% cocoa

Manufacturer

Valrhona, 26600 Tain L'Hermintage, France

Packaging

The 70g chocolate bar is sealed in aluminium foil and wrapped in cardboard.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown and appears almost black with a light red hue. The edges of the broken chocolate pieces have red and white hues.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear snap sound.

Smell

The chocolate has aromas of ripe melon and guava and molasses. The intense cocoa aromas add a dark-ish twist to the smell.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate melts into a very fine liquid. During process, its surface and edges remain almost perfectly solid and even.

Taste

The initial flavour is a light sweetness. Fruity flavours of guava and melon unfold quickly towards middle and front of the tongue. Light spices such as clove, cardamom, Moroccan mint and tonka combine with the cocoa flavour at the middle and rear of the tongue.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste alight cocoa taste at the rear of the mouth with a very little astringency and bitterness.

Summary

This is a dark chocolate with very light and complex flavours of fruit and spices.

Verdict

Astringency, bitterness and sourness are (almost) completely absent in this dark chocolate. Instead it shows the very fruity and spicy notes of the cocoa. The dancing complexity of its flavour is exceptional. 5 Stars.

Dates

Lot number: LP7516239, best before 01/2018, tasted 24/09&21/10/&12/11/2017&07/01/2018

Valrhona - Noir Araguani

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Valrhona - Noir Araguani (dark chocolat)
Main ingredients are cocoa beans, brown sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, vanilla.
Cocoa content: minimum 72% cocoa

Manufacturer

Valrhona, 26600 Tain L'Hermitage, France

Packaging

The 70g chocolate bar is sealed in aluminium foil and wrapped in a cardboard envelope.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown. Its edges have a red hint in sunlight.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear snap sound.

Smell

The smells is of cocoa, a very light bitterness and sugar.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate has a very smooth surface and melts slowly and evenly into a very fine and smooth liquid.

Taste

The initial flavour is a light sweetness but cocoa flavours evolve quickly. The cocoa has a dark hint of roast and a bitterness as in coffee and bark. But the cocoa is framed by a surprisingly intense sweetness.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is mainly sweetness at the front of the mouth and some notes of cocoa and bitterness towards the rear and sides of the mouth.

Summary

This is dark chocolate with a very smooth texture that melts evenly into a fine liquid. The cocoa has some notes of bitterness and is framed by sugary sweetness.

Verdict

The chocolate has a very smooth structure. But its flavours are dominated by sweetness that almost hides the interesting richness of the cocoa. 4 Stars.

Dates

Lot number: LP7515281, best before 02/2017, tasted 22&23/01&12/02/2017