Venchi Cioccolato extra fondente 80% con flor de sale e nibs

About: Venchi Chocolate is an Italian manufacturer, proudly making chocolate since 1878 - evidently worn as a sign of accomplishment- which it is. You can't be super-sucky and survive over 100-some years. Starting in Turin, Mr. Venchi started as a chocolatier's apprentice at age 16, went on to found his own shop, and the rest is history (except that I hadn't heard of Venchi chocolate until I stumbled on it accidentally somewhere in Barcelona). The company manufactures a broad array of dark chocolates, as well as, you know, stuff you wouldn't eat. They also make cooking chocolate, chocolate cigars, spreads, powders, and (duh, Italy) Chocolate Pasta. Given the broad array of products, it's a manufacturer worth looking at.


Flavor: I'm not a big fan of Venchi chocolate, but this is probably their best bar. In fact, I usually find their flavor to be lackluster, but this bar falls on the actually-pretty-good side. It's a high cocoa content bar with a slow onset of flavor that is deep and earthy, if not overly fruity. The flavor profile lasts a long time and resolves pleasantly without overly bitter flavors.

Texture: The nibs are fine and provide more of a crispy crunch than any sort of sandy detritus you have to crunch through after the chocolate is gone. Overall, I found this nibby chocolate better than many nibbed for eating pleasure bars. The chocolate itself is smooth enough.


My rating:  Pretty much 6 or maybe 7, for flavor and texture bordering on better than average.

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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