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

Grenada Chocolate Company - 100% Dark Chocolate

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

100% Dark Chocolate
Main ingredients are cocoa beans.
Cocoa content: minimum 100% cocoa solids

Manufacturer

The Grenada Chocolate Company Ltd, Hermitage, St Patrick, Grenada, The Caribbean

Packaging

The 85g chocolate bar is wrapped in aluminium paper and a paper sleeve.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown with a distinct red hue on the surface and at the edges.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear snap sound.

Smell

The chocolate has light smell but this comes with intense cocoa aromas and dark bitterness. There also some fruity notes reminiscent of honeydew melons.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate is initially very tough and solid. It slowly melts into an dispersing find liquid while its melting surfaces become slightly rough.

Taste

The initial taste is an intense bitterness with some tobacco-ish notes in the front and almost charred flavours at the rear of the mouth. The bitterness remains but fruity flavours of melon develop next to a very intense cocoa flavour. There is no sourness and only a very mild astringency despite the intense bitterness.

Aftertaste

The chocolate almost remains present on the tongue. Its aftertaste is dominated by the slowly fading bitterness. Intense cocoa are at the rear of the mouth at the palate.

Summary

This is a very intense and dark chocolate with flavours of tobacco. This emphasises the dark flavours of the cocoa. The flavours remain clear without any warm flavours of nuts or roast. It has no sourness and a very mild astringency.

Verdict

The chocolate brings out the dark, tobacco like flavours of the cocoa. It is very intense and bitter without showing sourness. It is very well crafted with a very good melt. 5 Stars.

Dates

Lot number: 837, best before 11/01/2020, tasted 14&28/07/2019

Bonnat Chocolatier - Selva Maya

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Selva Maya
Main ingredients are cocoa, cocoa butter, sugar.
Cocoa content: minimum 75% cocoa.

Manufacturer

Bonnat Chocolatier, BP 48, 8 cours Sénozon, 38502 Voiron Cedex, France

Packaging

The 100g chocolate bar is covered in aluminium paper and a paper envelope.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown with a red hue at its edges.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear snap sound.

Smell

The smell is clear and light cocoa aroma with some ripe fruit and sugar. As the chocolate gets warmer, the cocoa becomes more intense.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate feels very hard initially. It melts into a very fine liquid almost without becoming sticky or soft or transition.

Taste

The initial flavour is comparably bitter. Intense dark cocoa flavours with noticeable astringency develop as the chocolate melts. These are accompanied by a little fruity sourness. The slightly toasty and woody cocoa flavours are mainly in the centre and rear of the mouth. Some sour berry fruits are noticeable on the top the front of the mouth. The flavours are intense but contained and delicate. Astringency is very mild and only builds up over time.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is mainly cocoa flavour towards the rear of the mouth that develops into some fruity notes.

Summary

This has a very good melt and mouthfeel. It has delicate flavours that emphasise the darker chocolate flavours with some sweetness and sour-ish notes.

Verdict

This is a very well crafted dark chocolate with a very good melt. It comes with delicate yet intense cocoa flavours. 5 Stars.

Dates

Lot number: A, best before 04/2020, tasted 26/05&02&16/06/&07/07/2019

Artisan du Chocolat - Dark chocolate 100%

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Dark chocolat 100% cocoa
Main ingredients are cocoa beans.
Cocoa content: 100% cocoa solids

Manufacturer

Artisan du Chocolat, 89 Lower Sloane Street, London, SW1 8DA, United Kingdom

Packaging

The 45g chocolate bar is sealed in transparent plastic wrap and wrapped in a cardboard.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown with a red hue.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear 'click' sound.

Smell

The chocolate has only a little smell. The aromas are reminiscent of the roast of nuts or oak wood and have hints of fermented tea and metal. As the chocolate warms in the hand, it releases warming, intense cocoa aromas.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate initially feels cold with a solid, smooth surface. The surface of the chocolate becomes softer and creamy as it slowly dissolves. It melts into a very fine, velvety and creamy liquid.

Taste

The initial flavour is a slightly astringent bitterness. As the chocolate melts slowly, it unfolds very dark cocoa flavours with an edge of nuts and roast. They are accompanied by an intense but mild bitterness. Despite its intensity, the chocolate has little astringency, almost no acidity and the warm flavour of dark roasted nuts.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste lasts very long and is mainly a central flavours of cocoa and roast. A mild bitterness lingers in the mouth.

Summary

This chocolate is as intense as get it gets. It has a mild bitterness, rich flavour of cocoa and dark roast nuts. The flavours are very intense, the melt is very fine and creamy without being sticky. However, this is not for the faint-hearted, there is no sweetness, milk or dairy creaminess about it.

Verdict

This chocolate is well crafted. It has intense cocoa flavours, an intense but yet mild bitterness and a dark-ish roasty edge. 5 Stars.

Dates

Lot number: 36728, best before 12/2019, tasted 09/12/2018&22/04/2019

R Chocolate - House Dark 70%

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

House Dark 70%
Main ingredients are cocoa kernel, cane sugar, and cocoa butter.
Cocoa content: minimum 70% cocoa

Manufacturer

R Chocolate, 198 Ebury St, Belgravia, London, SW1W 8UN, United Kingdom

Packaging

The chocolate is wrapped in aluminium foil and a red paper sleeve.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown with a black-ish hint. The edges appear with a white shimmer. The bar has some moulding air bubbles on the surface.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear snap sound.

Smell

Opening the package releases an immediate cold-ish cocoa and fruity cane sugar aroma.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate melts slowly into a very fine liquid. The edges remain almost solid before melting into a liquid.

Taste

There is a brief bitter punch and an initial sweet flavour until the two mix and a more bitter, earthy flavour develops. As the chocolate melts, the fine liquid releases very warming cocoa flavours with hints of deep roasted walnuts and fruity hints of dried cherry and raisins towards the rear of the mouth. The cane sugar balances the bitterness but it may leave the feeling of sourness of the tongue.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is a mixture of some sweetness in the centre of the mouth, cocoa flavours at the rear, a subtle bitterness of roasted walnuts that is almost in the throat.

Summary

This is a very well conched dark chocolate some flavours of roasted nuts, mild bitterness, very little astringency and a balanced sweetness. The is some sourness that may tickle the tongue.

Verdict

The chocolate melts abruptly from solid to liquid without any stickiness or softness. It has flavours of roasted nuts and the bitterness of walnuts and some hints of fruity notes. There are some subtle notes of sourness that may leave a tickling flavour on the tongue. 4 Stars.

Dates

Best before 22/11/2018, tasted 09&16&30/09/2018

Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé - Whole Ground Chocolate

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Whole Ground Chocolate
Main ingredients are cocoa beans with shell, cane sugar, cocoa butter.
Cocoa content: minimum 72% cocoa

Manufacturer

Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé Kft., Ringló út. 33, 1221 Budapest Budafok, Hungary

Packaging

The 70g chocolate bar is wrapped in quite strong parchment paper and a card board box.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown with red hue. Smaller bits appear red-brown.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a very clear and abrupt snap sound.

Smell

Opening the parchment paper releases aromas of cocoa, cane sugar and fruity notes of muskmelon.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate initially feels hard and almost sharp edged. It starts melting quickly and after a short-lived sticky stage, it melts into a very fine and creamy liquid.

Taste

The initial contact has a fruity melon like flavour. As the chocolate starts melting, intense and rich but light cocoa flavours develop. The cocoa has a very mild bitterness that slowly turns into flavours of roasted nuts and caramelised, ripe fruit on top of the rich cocoa flavours.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is a fruity cocoa flavour with tiny hints of a fruity sourness.

Summary

This chocolate is dark and it has very a rich, fruit and cocoa feel. Its flavours are more fruity and light and emphasising the cocoa in the product.

Verdict

The whole ground chocolate provides a fine, rich almost creamy melt. The cocoa flavours have a distinct tropical, melon edge with notes of caramel. The chocolate emphasises a full, rich cocoa body. 5 Stars.

Dates

Lot number: MT4404WG, best before 30/01/2020, tasted 24/06&22&29/07/2018

Honest Chocolate - Dark Chocolate 80%

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Dark Chocolate 80%
Main ingredients are cocoa beans, unrefined cane sugar.
Cocoa content: minimum 80% cocoa solids

Manufacturer

Honest Chocolate, The Woodstock Exchange, 66 Albert Road, Woodstock, Cape Town,7925, South Africa

Packaging

The 60g chocolate bar is wrapped in aluminium paper and a card board sleeve.

Look

The chocolate is dark red-brown with a very shiny surface.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear snap sound.

Smell

Opening the package releases intensive fruity cocoa aromas with hints of coffee, roasted nuts and sweetness.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate melts into a very fine liquid. Its surfaces become slightly rougher and soft when melting.

Taste

The initial flavour is sweet. As soon as the chocolate starts melting, a full cocoa body unfolds. A fruity sourness builds up that is framed by roasted nuts and a mild astringency. Later, the flavour of unripe red fruit emerges. Its sourness increases up to an almost tingling sensation. Hints of roasted nuts and bitterness develop next to the full bodied yet light, fruity and sour cocoa.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is a light fruity sourness in the centre of the mouth that is slightly tingling. There is also a mildly astringent cocoa flavours at the rear of the mouth.

Summary

This dark chocolate has a fruity and sour flavour with flavours of roasted nuts. The full bodied cocoa flavour emphasises the fruity sourness and lighter flavours of its cocoa. The astringency and bitterness are very mild making this chocolate a comparable 'light' dark chocolate.

Verdict

The chocolate is very well manufactured and melts nicely. It emphasises the cocoa's fruity flavours and showcases its complexity as each components develops one by one. 5 Stars.

Dates

Lot number: 180530-1, best before 30/05/2019, tasted 15&22&28&29/07/2018

Paul A. Young - 100% Dark Chocolate Bar

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

100% Dark Chocolate Bar
Main ingredients are 100% Guittard dark chocolate.
Cocoa content: minimum 44% cocoa solids

Manufacturer

paul.a.young fine chocolates, 143 Wardour St, SOHO, London, W1F 8WA, United Kingdom

Packaging

The chocolate is wrapped and sealed in transparent plastic wrap.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown with a reddish hue at its edges.

Sound

The chocolate is hard to break but when it does, it breaks clearly in one snap.

Smell

There intensive cocoa aromas and fruity aromas of raisins.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate feels solid initially but becomes softer quickly. It feels slightly creamy and soft to touch before melting into a very fine liquid.

Taste

The chocolate requires a bit of time before it unfolds its flavours. It starts with dark cocoa flavours and a mild bitterness and astringency that are building up gradually. There is a subliminal sourness  that comes to the foreground when swallowed or moving and leaves a little sore sensation.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is mainly astringency and the hint of sourness.

Summary

This has deep and dark-ish flavours of cocoa that are very intensive. Its flavours are dominated by dark cocoa, bitterness and hints of sourness.

Verdict

The chocolate is very well conched and melts very smoothly. It emphasises the dark cocoa notes of the cocoa. However, as the astringency and bitterness are building up, they have a tendency to entirely dominate the flavour. Thus, the cocoa and possibly fruity notes are hard to detect. Also, there is a little sour note in the chocolate that leaves a sore sensation on the tongue. 4 Stars.

Dates

Lot number: S14129, best before 01/09/2018, tasted 29/04&05&27/05/2018

Pâtisserie Chocolaterie Pralus - 100% Criollo

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

100% Criollo
Main ingredients are cocoa beans from Madagascar, pure cocoa butter, soy lecithin.
Cocoa content: 100% cocoa

Manufacturer

Pâtisserie Chocolaterie Pralus S.A.S., 34 Rue General Giraud, 42300 Roanne, France

Packaging

The 100g chocolate bar is wrapped in aluminium foil and a paper sleeve.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown. Its surface is very shiny and its edges have light red hue.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a very clear snap sound.

Smell

The smell is light after opening the package and slowly makes it to the nose. The chocolate has clear cocoa aromas with hints of dark roast.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate feels almost buttery at the fingers and in the mouth. But it is solid and melts into a very fine liquid. The melting edges are even with only little softness before turning into a liquid.

Taste

The initial flavour is cocoa but this is quickly replaced by sourness and astringency. Fruity, almost sweet flavours of sour cherry, red berries and fig unfold. Slowly, bitter and intense cocoa flavours with hints of coffee-ish flavours unfold.

Aftertaste

After the last bit of chocolate is gone, a sensation of astringency lingers on the middle centre of the tongue. A mild bitterness emerges at the gums and the astringency fades out slowly. This is replaced by flavours of cocoa and roasted nuts.

Summary

This is a complex dark chocolate with intense cocoa flavours, astringency and very fruity notes. The fruity flavours give the chocolate light almost sweet edge.

Verdict

The chocolate is a very well conched chocolate with intense and complex flavours that unfold step by step. It emphasises the red berry notes of the pure cocoa. 5 Stars.

Dates

Best before 11/10/2019, tasted 10&11/03&10/04/2018

Pâtisserie Chocolaterie Pralus - Tobago Estate Chocolate W.I., Roxborough

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Tobago Estate Chocolate W.I., Roxborough
Main ingredients are cocoa, sugar, pure cocoa butter, soy lecithin.
Cocoa content: minimum 70% cocoa

Manufacturer

Pâtisserie Chocolaterie Pralus S.A.S., 34 Rue General Giraud, 42300 Roanne, France

Packaging

The 100g chocolate bar is wrapped in aluminium foil and a paper sleeve.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown with a distinct red shimmer on all surfaces.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a very clear snap sound.

Smell

There are a lot of cocoa aromas with notes of agave and cream, as well as hints of nuts.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate initially feels very hard and solid. It melts slowly into a very fine liquid. While melting the body remains solid with clear edges between solid and liquid chocolate.

Taste

The chocolate starts with brief sweet note and a lasting more astringent coffee flavour. Dark roasted nuts and intense dark cocoa flavours develop. Lighter, more acidic flavours evolve after some time and leave hint of some sour fruity notes. The sweetness is noticeable more as a sensation than a flavour and counters the sour notes.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is mainly cocoa flavour in the middle of the mouth, with some sourness at the sides and roasted nut flavours at the rear of the mouth

Summary

This is a dark chocolate with rich and intense flavours of dark roasted nuts, coffee as well as fruity and sour notes.

Verdict

This is a very well made chocolate with very good melt. It preserves the flavours of its original cocoa and show-cases them. 5 Stars.

Dates

Best before 23/07/2018, tasted 14/01&18/02&10/03/2018

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

Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé - Trincheras 95%

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Trincheras 95%
Main ingredients are Trincheras cocoa beans, cocoa butter, cane sugar. No vanilla.
Cocoa content: minimum 95% cocoa

Manufacturer

Rózsavölgyi Csokoládé Kft., Ringló út. 33, 1221 Budapest Budafok, Hungary

Packaging

The 25g chocolate bar is wrapped in quite strong parchment paper and little card board box.

Look

The chocolate is very dark red-brown with a lighter red-brown hue at the edges.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear and edgy snap sound.

Smell

The chocolate has a rich and warm cocoa smell with hints of hazel and grass. As chocolate warms in the hand, some darker notes of oak unfold. The grass aromas slowly develop into a more flowery note of dried fruit.

Mouthfeel

The thin chocolate bar melts quickly into a very fine liquid. The solid part becomes softer.

Taste

The chocolate unfolds a dark-ish and intense cocoa flavour. Its astringency and bitterness are mild and almost tickle the tongue. Flavours of smoke and roast build up. The last bit ends in an almost fruity sweet kick of dried fruit.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is cocoa flavour with notes of roasted nuts and wood. It lingers at the front of the mouth and on the tongue. After a few minutes, the aftertaste moves slowly towards the rear of the mouth, has few more fruity hints and slowly fades out.

Summary

This is a very dark chocolate with intense cocoa flavours, notes of wood, smoked and roasted nuts and a noticeable but mild astringency and bitterness. It ends in a little kick of dried fruit. Small pieces of chocolate are very intense already.

Verdict

This is a very well made chocolate with intense and complex flavours that unfold over time and remain present for several minutes even with tiny pieces of chocolate. The cocoa has an interesting astringency and bitterness. 5 Stars.

Dates

Lot number: T4229, best before 30/04/2018, tasted 17/09&08&15/10/2017

Chocolaterie Beluga - Belu Chocolate Bar 70

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Belu Chocolate Bar 70
Main ingredients are cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, natural vanilla flavouring.
Cocoa content: minimum 70.1% cocoa

Manufacturer

Chocolaterie Beluga, Viktualienmarkt 6, 80331 München, Germany

Packaging

The square 60g chocolate bar is wrapped and sealed in transparent plastic wrap.

Look

The chocolate is dark-brown with a light hue of red-brown at some edges whereas other edges have white shimmer.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear snap sound (and is actually quite hard to break).

Smell

The smell is sweetness, light hints of coffee aroma, and cocoa. The warmer the chocolates becomes in the hands, the stronger the cocoa aroma unfolds.

Mouthfeel

First, the chocolate is very solid but until it melts into a fine liquid. It maintains an even structure but feels more softly. The rice pops add a bit of crunchy texture but also seduce to chew the chocolate rather than letting it melt

Taste

The flavour unfolds once the chocolate has started melting. Its initial flavour is an earthy, coffee-ish cocoa flavour. A mild bitterness unfolds that is slowly countered by a balanced sweetness. The sweet note becomes slightly too strong over time compared to the bitterness.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is dominated by the cocoa's bitterness and the chocolate's sweetness. It is mainly present in the upper part/palate. A more cocoa-like flavour develops in the rear of the mouth.

Summary

This dark chocolate is slightly dark, earthy and coffee-like in flavour. It has a balanced sweetness that counters the cocoa's bitterness and astringency.

Verdict

This chocolate is well conched and emphasises the more earthy notes. However, the rice pops do not contribute to its flavour but rather seduce you to bite the chocolate. Thereby, the chocolate gets eaten faster and its flavours cannot unfold but are reduced to mild bitterness and sugar. 3 Stars.

Dates

Best before 19/01/2018, tasted 15&19&27/08/2017

Chocolaterie Beluga - Belu Chocolate Bar 60

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Belu Chocolate Bar 60
Main ingredients are cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, natural vanilla flavouring.
Cocoa content: minimum 60% cocoa

Manufacturer

Chocolaterie Beluga, Viktualienmarkt 6, 80331 München, Germany

Packaging

The square 60g chocolate bar is wrapped and sealed in transparent plastic wrap.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown with hints of black. The edges have white and light brown shimmer.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear snap sound.

Smell

The smells is mainly of vanilla, sugar, some cocoa, and a few coffee aromas.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate melts slowly into a very fine liquid and remains very smooth.

Taste

Once it has started to melt, the chocolate has an initial flavour of sweetness. Cocoa and nutty wood flavours unfold before they are replaced by coffee and sugar flavours. The sweetness is very central in the mouth on the tongue and the coffee unfolds slightly behind that. However, only little flavour is perceivable elsewhere.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is mainly of coffee and sugar. There are only hints of a mild cocoa towards the rear of the mouth.

Summary

This is very smooth dark chocolate. Initially it feels very solid but melts evenly and slowly into a very fine liquid. It has a mild sweetness and coffee flavours.

Verdict

This chocolate is very well conched, melts slowly on the tongue and maintains an even surface. Its main flavours are sugar and coffee. The cocoa flavours are present but are overpowered by the sweetness and the coffee flavours. 3 Stars.

Dates

Best before 14/12/2017, tasted 13/06&08/07&13/08/2017

Original Beans - Piura Porcelana cocoa nibs

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Piura Porcelana cocoa nibs (Peru)
Main ingredients are cocoa beans.
Cocoa content: minimum 100% cocoa solids.

Manufacturer

Original Beans, Keizergracht 452, 1016 GD Amsterdam, Netherlands
But the packaging indicates that the product was actually made in Switzerland.

Packaging

The 150g cocoa nibs are wrapped in a paper bag with an inner lining from transparent plastic.

Look

The cocoa nibs are dark brown from the outside. The edges are very light brown and almost appear white-ish.

Sound

The nibs break with clear crackly sounds.

Smell

The cocoa nibs have an intense cocoa smell with aromas of nuts, roast, wood and light floral notes.

Mouthfeel

The nibs have an even surface feeling that initially feels cold. The nibs are brittle and crunchy.

Taste

The nibs have a nutty cocoa flavour with roast, dry wood and hints of roasted walnuts. A little astringency and bitterness unfold over time.

Aftertaste

The aftertaste is dominated by the cocoa's darker flavours of roast, dry wood and a little bitterness.

Summary

These cocoa nibs have an intense cocoa smell. The flavour is mainly cocoa, wood and roasted nuts. Their astringency and bitterness are very mild. Their flavour is not heavy and dark. It comes with finer and lighter flavours.

Verdict

The cocoa nibs have an intense smell of cocoa with dry wood and nuts that is lifted with floral notes. Their flavours are dominated by cocoa, dry wood and roasted. The nibs have no acidity and very mild bitterness and astringency. Thus, finer flavours can shine through and make the nibs lighter and more subtle than other products. 5 Stars.

Dates

Best before 11/11/2018, tasted 25/05&03&13/06/2017

Confiserie Obermeier - Zartbitterschokolade (Dark chocolate)

The tasting notes reflect my personal opinion.

Name

Zartbitterschokolade (Dark chocolate)
Main ingredients are sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, soya lecithin, natural vanilla.
Cocoa content: minimum 60% cocoa

Manufacturer

Confiserie Josef Obermeier, Lengmoos 5, 83536 Gars am Inn, Germany
Münchner SchokoLaden, Viktualienmarkt 3, Abteilung III, Stand 18/19, 80331 München, Germany

Packaging

The 100g chocolate bar is wrapped in a transparent plastic sleeve.

Look

The chocolate is very dark brown with a noticeable red hue that is particularly noticeable at the edges.

Sound

The chocolate breaks with a clear 'snap' sound.

Smell

The smells of sugar, vanilla, cocoa and roasted nuts.

Mouthfeel

The chocolate melts quickly and smoothly into a very fine liquid.

Taste

The chocolate flavour is initially dominated by sweetness. The chocolate quickly releases cocoa flavours with notes of coffee and roasted nuts. The sweetness is balanced but it tends to overwhelm the more exciting cocoa flavours after a while.

Aftertaste

The aftertastes are cocoa with a mild bitterness and sweetness.

Summary

This chocolate has an intense cocoa flavour with roasted nuts and coffee flavours. It is also sweetened and melts smoothly.

Verdict

The chocolate melts very evenly into a very fine chocolate while maintaining an even surface. However, its sweetness tends to overwhelm the nicely warming coffee and roasted nuts flavours of the cocoa. 4 Stars.

Dates

Tasted 10&14&20/05/2017