Moonstruck 68% Cacao Dark Chocolate

Flavor: As a 68% content chocolate, this is a sweet (for a dark chocolate) bar. But the chocolate flavor comes through very nicely, and it provides a nice flavor profile with fruity notes and a nice vanilla finish.

Texture: A bit crunchy, meaning firm. For relatively low cocoa content, it could be smoother. But overall, it has a silky finish and leaves your mouth craving for more. 

My rating: 9,  on the scale of 1-10, scores above 5 meaning 'would get again' and below 5 meaning 'don't bother with this again'. Surprisingly good, though I am not sure why I am surprised. Perhaps I liked it because I liked that it was sweet. I think what clinched it for me was the silky finish and pleasant aftertaste that makes me wish I remembered where I bought it.

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"Babaevsky" Extra Dark Chocolate Bar 75%

Flavor:  This interesting dark chocolate runs sweet but with rich coffee overtones. These are not subtle notes, and I had to double check that in fact there is no coffee added; there isn't. The bar provides a full flavored experience that's pleasant.

Texture: While this bar would be better if it were smoother, and while I hate to just use the adjective "waxy" as the only description of where chocolate bar texture falls short. That's the word, though "not that waxy." The texture could be better, but overall, the flavor more than compensates. 

My rating: 8.9,  on the scale of 1-10, scores above 5 meaning 'would get again' and below 5 meaning 'don't bother with this again'. I liked this chocolate because it's different. The flavor is fuller than most chocolates you'll find, and though it runs a bit sweet and it's slightly hard, it's overall a great bar.

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Sharffen Berger 72% Rich Dark Chocolate

Flavor: This is your basic good chocolate. It's not super-great, in that the flavor profile is just chocolate. You don't get some of the kind of developing flavors or earthy richness that some chocolates offer. But the flavor is solid and pleasant. I find the bar a tad sweet, but that's to be expected from  72% cocoa content.

Texture: Like the flavor, this is basic good texture. It's easy to find 72% chocolate that's waxy or brittle, and this bar is neither. If anything, it's really quite nice on the creamy side.


My rating: 8.5,  on the scale of 1-10, scores above 5 meaning 'would get again' and below 5 meaning 'don't bother with this again'. This is a great "go to" chocolate for every-day snacking. I'd get this again. And again. And again. No complaints. The worst you can say about it is that it's not mind-blowing.

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Marou Bentre 78% Vietnamese Chocolate

Flavor: The flavor of this chocolate is somewhat underwhelming. While pleasant and reasonably full flavored, the overall summary is a disheartening "kinda bland." It's not that it's bad. Because it's not. It's just that it doesn't stand out. There's little in the way of broad flavors, aroma, after taste.  

Texture: This chocolate is a bit waxy. Often, high cocoa content chocolate is waxy, and this bar falls into the "often bucket." That makes is not that distinguishable, in spite of being a boutique hand-crafted brand.

My rating: 7,  on the scale of 1-10, scores above 5 meaning 'would get again' and below 5 meaning 'don't bother with this again'. Sadly, the somewhat waxy texture and the lack of a broad flavor profile left me a bit cold.

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L'Amourette Single Origin Columbian 85% Dark Chocolate

Flavor: This is a full flavored dark blend, slightly on the burnt side but very satisfying. It doesn't have the fruity notes you find in some chocolate, but the solid chocolatey goodness comes though and the flavor is full and delicious.  

Texture: This chocolate has an excellent texture, especially for such high coco content. Where others are waxy and brittle, this bar is smooth and

On the scale of 1-10, scores above 5 meaning 'would get again' and below 5 meaning 'don't bother with this again', I'd give this a solid 9. Its combination of solid chocolate flavor and excellent texture make this a great chocolate experience.

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