Bars
Theo
Surprisingly olive-y. (Olives meet chocolate? Is there anything better?) Irresistibly smooth, both in flavour and in the feel.
Cinnamon, pepper, raisin, prune, balsamic. Surprisingly smooth for such a dark bar, yet with a drier “mouthfeel.”
The perfect percentage, in my mind.
Lindt
Ecuador 75%: “Noir Intense” as they call it, and it sure is. It’s got a bit of the acidity of lemons and limes, but still has that heavy dark chocolate essence we know and love!
65% Madagascar:
Capers, green olives, cedar, oak, juniper berries, almost musty like an old sweater. M gets Mango-citrus. A little too light for moi.
Chili:
This one is great, a nice robust dark chocolate with quite a powerful red chili “finish.” I can’t wait to try making hot chocolate with it!
Vosges
Naga (sweet Indian curry powder, coconut flakes, milk chocolate): nice subtle flavours, but I’m still not a big milk chocolate girl.
Black Pearl (ginger, wasabi, black sesame seeds, dark chocolate): for a flavoured bar, this one is nice. The ginger doesn’t overpower, and goes well with the dark chocolate. A little overly “floral,” however.
Creole (New Orleans style chicory coffee, Sao Thome bittersweet chocolate and cocoa nibs): One of my favourites of these flavoured bars.
Woolloomooloo (roasted macadamias, Indonesian coconut, hemp seeds, milk chocolate): the hemp is nice and nutty, but there’s that milk chocolate problem again. Also, I’m not a big “nuts in my chocolate” person. However, for those of you who are, this is a must-try.
Macha (Japanese macha green tea, milk chocolate): This is one instance where milk chocolate is a-ok. For some reason, the creamyness of the green tea, the grassy, bamboo notes, work well with the lighter chocolate.
Gianduja (almonds, caramelized hazelnuts, milk chocolate): Nice and crunchy.
Barcelona (hickory smoked almonds, grey sea salt, milk chocolate): This one also passes the “milk chocolate” test. I loved the smoke and the salt together.
Oaxaca: (guajillo and pasilla chillies, Tanzanian bittesweet chocolate): I like this one better than the Red Fire. It’s not as vegetal tasting, but with just the right amount of heat.
Red Fire: (Mexican ancho and chipotle chillies, Ceylon cinnamon, dark chocolate): Goood, but the cinnamon overpowers. I prefer the Oaxaca if I want heat and chocolate together. But still worth a try.
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