Majani 75% Fondente

About: Majani is an Italian chocolate with origins going back to 1796. Other Italian chocolate manufacturers with long histories seem to have survived without exceptional quality, and I think this chocolate falls roughly in line with that tradition. The production has remained in the family all these years, and they take pride in starting from beans. I suppose that must have been a differentiation historically, but these days there are so many boutique bean-to-bar manufacturers that I don't see it as a big deal.

Majani makes a range of confections, past just chocolates, but while they offer seasonal chocolate collections, they don't seem to make a very broad range of bars -  just 11 when I looked. I will say this, the flavor is somewhat different, and it's worth tasting, even if it's not mind shattering.

Flavor: While the flavor is not too aromatic, it's smooth and rich, with a slightly sour after taste. I found it to be different in a way that's difficult to describe. Earthy, I suppose.

Texture: Slightly brittle, but very smooth follow-through, and pleasant. 

My rating:  Solid 6. Worth eating, though not overwhelming.

Rating Value	Meaning
1	Really bad chocolate. There's something just really really wrong here in almost every imaginable respect.
2	A bar with this rating has at least two drawbacks.
3	A bar where something is starting to get seriously wrong.... for example, really weak flavor with an otherwise acceptable texture.
4	This bar is below average, but just slightly. Mostly it's not worth eating again. Something isn't quite up to par, for example a poor texture but fine flavor.
5	This is an average good bar that's worth eating. There's nothing really wrong with it, but also nothing particularly spectacular. Or, perhaps it has a good characteristic that's evenly counter-weighted by something weak.
6	A solidly good bar with one characteristic that's above par, for example a great texture.
7	An solidly good chocolate that has two above par characteristics, but nothing mind-blowing. Good, above average flavor, but nothing to die for.
8	An excellent bar with no weaknesses and at least one characteristic that's super.
9	An awesome bar to die for with amazing texture and flavor.
10	You have been touched by God.

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Venchi 60% Cocoa Con Flor di sale, lavanda ed orancia (salt, lavender, and orange)

About: Venchi is an Italian manufacturer with some history (dating back to 1878), but chocolate that thus far has not impressed me. They have a broad line of chocolates, powder, and chocolate-related confections, and their long history should have a basis in quality. Go figure that they've underwhelmed me. Shrug.

Flavor: Nothing really special. The lavender combines nicely with the orange, which is real orange. There's peel appeal for sure. But the orange is underwhelming, and the bits of salt are lost.

Texture: Because this chocolate has peel in it, the texture is inherently rough. The chocolate itself is smooth enough, though maybe with a very fine grit.

My rating:  5 . Enough said.

Rating Value	Meaning
1	Really bad chocolate. There's something just really really wrong here in almost every imaginable respect.
2	A bar with this rating has at least two drawbacks.
3	A bar where something is starting to get seriously wrong.... for example, really weak flavor with an otherwise acceptable texture.
4	This bar is below average, but just slightly. Mostly it's not worth eating again. Something isn't quite up to par, for example a poor texture but fine flavor.
5	This is an average good bar that's worth eating. There's nothing really wrong with it, but also nothing particularly spectacular. Or, perhaps it has a good characteristic that's evenly counter-weighted by something weak.
6	A solidly good bar with one characteristic that's above par, for example a great texture.
7	An solidly good chocolate that has two above par characteristics, but nothing mind-blowing. Good, above average flavor, but nothing to die for.
8	An excellent bar with no weaknesses and at least one characteristic that's super.
9	An awesome bar to die for with amazing texture and flavor.
10	You have been touched by God.

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Ghirardelli 72% Cacao Intense Dark

About: Ghirardelli is a San Francisco chocolate maker with a broad line of chocolate products ranging from baking and drinking to bars and filled chocolates. They have strong distribution in the US and can be found in many places. In general, I find their chocolate to be bitter and over roasted, but this bar was actually surprisingly fine.

Flavor: The vanilla comes through a bit strongly, but the chocolate is earthy and not - as I expected - burned and bitter. (By the way, the reason I expected a B and B experience is because I've had numerous B and B experiences with G chocolates. Lots.) 

In this bar, notes of raisin, nice follow-through. Really pretty good +1.

Texture: Fine. Initially a bit brittle but with a smooth follow-through with a tiny weeny bit of very fine grain grit.

My rating:  Pleasant. Solid 7 for flavor, but not that exciting on the texture. Almost a 6, but my rants about B and B guilted me into a 7. 

Rating Value	Meaning
1	Really bad chocolate. There's something just really really wrong here in almost every imaginable respect.
2	A bar with this rating has at least two drawbacks.
3	A bar where something is starting to get seriously wrong.... for example, really weak flavor with an otherwise acceptable texture.
4	This bar is below average, but just slightly. Mostly it's not worth eating again. Something isn't quite up to par, for example a poor texture but fine flavor.
5	This is an average good bar that's worth eating. There's nothing really wrong with it, but also nothing particularly spectacular. Or, perhaps it has a good characteristic that's evenly counter-weighted by something weak.
6	A solidly good bar with one characteristic that's above par, for example a great texture.
7	An solidly good chocolate that has two above par characteristics, but nothing mind-blowing. Good, above average flavor, but nothing to die for.
8	An excellent bar with no weaknesses and at least one characteristic that's super.
9	An awesome bar to die for with amazing texture and flavor.
10	You have been touched by God.

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Jean-Marie Auboine 70% Sano Domingo Bean to Bar

About: Auboine is a Las Vegas based chocolatier that sells chocolate there and in San Francisco airport. This bar is marketed as bean-to-bar with stamped conching times (wow 28 hours!). The conching is supposed to help the texture and flavor by "release of volatiles." I don't doubt that conching improves flavor - that's empirical. I'm not sure people really know about release of voletiles, but whatever.

For a bean-to-bar chocolate, the ingredient are slightly mysterious, listing cocoa mass and cocoa butter separately. I'd normally think of bean-to-bar being just beans and sugar. 

Auboine makes many (like 10s) of different types of flavors and is proud of serving the high-end Las Vegas casinos. That, like the bar, sounds just slightly better than it is.

Flavor: Solidly good. Fruity with a great long lasting earthy full flavor. So.. nice, though not mindbogglingly so.

Texture: Creamy, but ever so slightly grainy. It's got a very fine little crunch as you eat it, and that's suboptimal to my taste.

My rating:  Pleasant. Solid 6 for flavor, but not that exciting on the texture.

Rating Value	Meaning
1	Really bad chocolate. There's something just really really wrong here in almost every imaginable respect.
2	A bar with this rating has at least two drawbacks.
3	A bar where something is starting to get seriously wrong.... for example, really weak flavor with an otherwise acceptable texture.
4	This bar is below average, but just slightly. Mostly it's not worth eating again. Something isn't quite up to par, for example a poor texture but fine flavor.
5	This is an average good bar that's worth eating. There's nothing really wrong with it, but also nothing particularly spectacular. Or, perhaps it has a good characteristic that's evenly counter-weighted by something weak.
6	A solidly good bar with one characteristic that's above par, for example a great texture.
7	An solidly good chocolate that has two above par characteristics, but nothing mind-blowing. Good, above average flavor, but nothing to die for.
8	An excellent bar with no weaknesses and at least one characteristic that's super.
9	An awesome bar to die for with amazing texture and flavor.
10	You have been touched by God.

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Milkboy Extra Dark 85% Cocoa

About:Milkboy is a Swiss brand that markets the wholesomeness of milking cows in the alps. I just kept thinking, "I don't like Milk Chocolate, so stop with the milky goodness." It's not just Swiss... it's Alpine AND Swiss.  They make a small line of chocolate bars, all "exceptional because of the Alpine milk." I liked the 19th century paper cut-out graphics, which shouldn't matter, but there it is.

Sometimes, chocolate makers are so passionate about chocolate that you can feel it on their website. The excitement and desire to tell the world, 'I MADE CHOCOLATE! and this is what chocolate really is!' just comes through. Not here. I can't tell if they are a small, local manufacturer or a conglomerate product with carefully packaged branding. But... read on about the chocolate.

Flavor: Very nice, indeed. While there are hints of bitterness and sourness, it's not burned, and it is fruity and pleasant.


Texture: Excellent and creamy, especially for such a high content bar.On revisiting this bar, I really think the texture is excellent. I said that before, but it's worth repeating.


My rating:  Pleasant. Solid 7  for solidly good flavor and good texture.You almost want to give it an 8 for that texture. Almost.

Rating Value	Meaning
1	Really bad chocolate. There's something just really really wrong here in almost every imaginable respect.
2	A bar with this rating has at least two drawbacks.
3	A bar where something is starting to get seriously wrong.... for example, really weak flavor with an otherwise acceptable texture.
4	This bar is below average, but just slightly. Mostly it's not worth eating again. Something isn't quite up to par, for example a poor texture but fine flavor.
5	This is an average good bar that's worth eating. There's nothing really wrong with it, but also nothing particularly spectacular. Or, perhaps it has a good characteristic that's evenly counter-weighted by something weak.
6	A solidly good bar with one characteristic that's above par, for example a great texture.
7	An solidly good chocolate that has two above par characteristics, but nothing mind-blowing. Good, above average flavor, but nothing to die for.
8	An excellent bar with no weaknesses and at least one characteristic that's super.
9	An awesome bar to die for with amazing texture and flavor.
10	You have been touched by God.

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Wawel 90% Cocoa Dark Chocolate

About: Wawel is a Polish made chocolate which claims a legacy going back to the 19th century, and references to mixing Swiss and Polish chocolate traditions. They make chocolate-related products, such as powder, various bars, minds, and filled chocolates. But they seem to be branching out into other confections, such as, shudder, jellies. I had low expectations, and pleasant findings here.

Flavor: This bar is 90%, so one must set ones expectations correctly. One must also grit one's teeth and perhaps clench the buttocks in anticipation of this chocolatey onslaught. Indeed, the inclination to bite and chew is punished with a bitter attack on the senses. But the more patient and careful tasters who let the chocolate melt on the tongue - don't chew, for eff's sake - are rewarded with a full, rich flavor the comes on slowly and doesn't assault with bitterness. It's a solidly rich, earthy, if not too fruity, flavor with a long follow-through and satisfying, engulfing flavors.


Texture: Such high cocoa content bars tend to be brittle, and this bar is no exception. It's perhaps not as brittle as some, so ... you know... good on them.


My rating:  Pleasant. Solid 6 for solidly good flavor and acceptable texture.

Rating Value	Meaning
1	Really bad chocolate. There's something just really really wrong here in almost every imaginable respect.
2	A bar with this rating has at least two drawbacks.
3	A bar where something is starting to get seriously wrong.... for example, really weak flavor with an otherwise acceptable texture.
4	This bar is below average, but just slightly. Mostly it's not worth eating again. Something isn't quite up to par, for example a poor texture but fine flavor.
5	This is an average good bar that's worth eating. There's nothing really wrong with it, but also nothing particularly spectacular. Or, perhaps it has a good characteristic that's evenly counter-weighted by something weak.
6	A solidly good bar with one characteristic that's above par, for example a great texture.
7	An solidly good chocolate that has two above par characteristics, but nothing mind-blowing. Good, above average flavor, but nothing to die for.
8	An excellent bar with no weaknesses and at least one characteristic that's super.
9	An awesome bar to die for with amazing texture and flavor.
10	You have been touched by God.

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Jean Marie Auboine Ebony 72% Dark Chocolate

About: Auboine is a Las Vegas based chocolatier that sells chocolate there and in San Francisco airport. Maybe as you read this, kind gentle reader, they've opened up other retail facilities, in which case you should visit them. Their chocolate is good, and they seem proud to serve the local Las Vegas upscale casinos. I wouldn't be. Those casinos are filled with cretins, but I digress. 

The company is named after the founder, and they make a good number of bean to bar and other flavored chocolates and chocolate related products, like spreads, and other confections.

Flavor: Really good. Fruity. Earthy. Full flavored. +1

Texture: Nice and smooth. Nothing wrong here. + 1

My rating:  Pleasant. Solid 7 for solidly good flavor and nice texture.

Rating Value	Meaning
1	Really bad chocolate. There's something just really really wrong here in almost every imaginable respect.
2	A bar with this rating has at least two drawbacks.
3	A bar where something is starting to get seriously wrong.... for example, really weak flavor with an otherwise acceptable texture.
4	This bar is below average, but just slightly. Mostly it's not worth eating again. Something isn't quite up to par, for example a poor texture but fine flavor.
5	This is an average good bar that's worth eating. There's nothing really wrong with it, but also nothing particularly spectacular. Or, perhaps it has a good characteristic that's evenly counter-weighted by something weak.
6	A solidly good bar with one characteristic that's above par, for example a great texture.
7	An solidly good chocolate that has two above par characteristics, but nothing mind-blowing. Good, above average flavor, but nothing to die for.
8	An excellent bar with no weaknesses and at least one characteristic that's super.
9	An awesome bar to die for with amazing texture and flavor.
10	You have been touched by God.

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Elysia NOIR 70% Orange Chocolate

About:  The Belgians colonized the Congo and brought chocolate, which came from South America, to grow there. But they brought multiple varieties of chocolate, and (so goes the lore) supposedly developed more flavors because of that. Traditionally (goes the lore), the Belgians also conched their chocolate in multiple steps, using both a "dry" and "wet" conching step, which removes some of the bitterness.

And this chocolate - from Belgium, if you haven't figure that out from the context, dum dum - is indeed very smooth and not at all bitter or sour. If anything, it's mysteriously smooth and creamy, but more about that below.

This chocolate is made by Elysberg, which now seems to be making chocolates under the Emoti brand, which started in the early 2000s. Still, somehow the packaging claims they've been making chocolate since 1895. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of company history to be found online. Shrug.

Flavor: Well, I want to like it. But the orange flavoring is flavoring. It's a bit tang-like (if you know the breakfast drink of astronauts). I'd have liked it better with some real orange peel in there. But, honestly, it's not bad. It's only the pretentious gourmand in me that likes to pretend orange flavoring isn't as good. And the chocolate itself is completely good.

Texture: This chocolate is creamy beyond all reason. I don't know what process makes it so smooth, but whatever it is- wow.

My rating:  Pleasant. Solid 6 for solidly fine flavor and excellent texture.

Rating Value	Meaning
1	Really bad chocolate. There's something just really really wrong here in almost every imaginable respect.
2	A bar with this rating has at least two drawbacks.
3	A bar where something is starting to get seriously wrong.... for example, really weak flavor with an otherwise acceptable texture.
4	This bar is below average, but just slightly. Mostly it's not worth eating again. Something isn't quite up to par, for example a poor texture but fine flavor.
5	This is an average good bar that's worth eating. There's nothing really wrong with it, but also nothing particularly spectacular. Or, perhaps it has a good characteristic that's evenly counter-weighted by something weak.
6	A solidly good bar with one characteristic that's above par, for example a great texture.
7	An solidly good chocolate that has two above par characteristics, but nothing mind-blowing. Good, above average flavor, but nothing to die for.
8	An excellent bar with no weaknesses and at least one characteristic that's super.
9	An awesome bar to die for with amazing texture and flavor.
10	You have been touched by God.

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Michel Cluizel Dark Chocolate Orange Peels 63% Cacao

About:  Michel Cluizel is a 3rd generation chocolate maker in Damville, Normandy (that's in France, dum dum). Third generation sounds better than "since 1948," no? I think so. That's when they started. They claim to ferment their chocolate beans themselves (which, to my understanding, is a bit unusual -- these are often fermented right after being picked). They sell a variety of chocolate confections, including a range of  about 30 different bars with different flavors and cocoa content.

Flavor: Pretty awesome. The orange flavor is strong and the aromas fill the senses and mixed wonderfully with the chocolate. The 63% content means this is a relatively sweet bar - I think the orange peel is crystallized with sugar also. The chocolate itself is fruity and has no trace of bitterness or sourness.

Texture: Nice and creamy, with (do I really need to say?) real orange peels giving a bit of chewiness.

My rating:  Very pleasant. Solid 7. It would be an 8, if I didn't mind the somewhat overly sweet flavor.

Rating Value	Meaning
1	Really bad chocolate. There's something just really really wrong here in almost every imaginable respect.
2	A bar with this rating has at least two drawbacks.
3	A bar where something is starting to get seriously wrong.... for example, really weak flavor with an otherwise acceptable texture.
4	This bar is below average, but just slightly. Mostly it's not worth eating again. Something isn't quite up to par, for example a poor texture but fine flavor.
5	This is an average good bar that's worth eating. There's nothing really wrong with it, but also nothing particularly spectacular. Or, perhaps it has a good characteristic that's evenly counter-weighted by something weak.
6	A solidly good bar with one characteristic that's above par, for example a great texture.
7	An solidly good chocolate that has two above par characteristics, but nothing mind-blowing. Good, above average flavor, but nothing to die for.
8	An excellent bar with no weaknesses and at least one characteristic that's super.
9	An awesome bar to die for with amazing texture and flavor.
10	You have been touched by God.

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