Artisana Venezuelan Chocolate Caco Criollo Dark 85%

 























About: I've written about the 75% version of this bar. It is a Swiss-made chocolate, made from Venezuelan beans. I can't quite figure out if Artisana is a marketing organization for someone elses chocolate manufacturing, or if they really make it themselves. They sell nut butters also, and I do believe they manufacture those, because their FAQ is all about that. Nevertheless, the chocolate is fine, and the emphasis on organic and health and whatever is not over the top.

Flavor:This is a full flavored bar with a complex flavor profile that has a bitter finish. It's not as fruity as I'd like from a bean to bar chocolate, but perhaps just just the age. This poor chocolate has been around the world and back.

Texture: Perhaps slightly brittle, but with a very creamy finish.

My rating:  Pretty much 6 for okay flavor and texture that's not mind blowing.

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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Poco Dolce Hazelnet 68% Cacao

 























About: Poco Dolce is (yet another) San Francisco chocolatier. They started in 2003 as a baking company, and now they make confections. They use chocolate made by Guittard, a San Francisco chocolate maker.

Flavor: The hazelnut is pleasant, though my bar had a slight bitter after-taste. The chocolate is full flavored and, to be honest, better than I remembered Guittard chocolate being.

Texture: Silky smooth.

My rating:  Pretty much 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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Casa De Chocolates Fuerte 72% Cacao with Roasted Quinoa, Pepitas, Almonds, ...

 




















About: Casa De Chocolates is made in Berkeley, Califnornia, and between the slew of "superfoods" included in this bar and their claim to make Latin American chocolates, I was deeply skeptical. Too much posturing. Too gluten free. Too politically correct, somehow. But wait! This chocolate is pretty good.

They make a handful of bars (some going as low as 41%, sigh), and a slew of boxes chocolates.  But they don't make their own chocolate, as far as I can tell. They claim to buy it from chocolate makers (that only deal with fair trade chocolate). And the chocolate is the best part of the deal here. The Quinoa and all that other stuff is fine, but not really the star of the show.

If I was good, I'd know who made this chocolate. My guess is that it's a French chocolate. But that's a guess. 

Flavor: The chocolate is very mellow, not burned, not bitter, and lightly fruity. The bits and pieces which you can see stuck to the bar are fine. They won't hurt you, and they certainly don't dominate the flavor here. I'd say they're pleasant and completely okay. But I like the chocolate best for the chocolate.

Texture: Very nicely smooth texture with lightly crunchy bits from the stuff stuck on the bar. Nice.


My rating: I was going to give them an 8. It's an enjoyable bar that I enjoyed. But since they don't make their own chocolate, someone else should get that 8. Oh well.. 8 it is.

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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