Manufacturer: Amedei
Cocoa Content: 70%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A+

It's not often I taste something for a review that is so far ahead of everything in its class that I want to make a new rating score above "A+". This is one of those times. Simply put, this is the best chocolate I have ever tasted bar-none.

The chocolate I am referring to is "Chuao" by Tuscan chocolate maker Amedei. Chuao is a peninsula on the coast of Venezuela whose plantation has been lauded as producing some of the finest cocoa in the world dating as far back as the colonization of the New World. Amedei makes their chocolate bar using beans solely from this plantation.

It's apparent immediately that this is a special chocolate bar as the packaging is rather unique. Breaking the seal allows you to unfold the heavy cardstock outer packaging. This reveals the foil-wrapped bar inside. The Chuao bar itself is a deep ruby-brown color. It breaks with a pleasing solid snap.

Once the Amedei Chuao hits the palate there is an instant rich chocolate flavor. This is followed by a tangy acidity. Both bitter and roasted notes are present in balance. There is a wealth of fruitiness with notes of sour cherries, plums, tart blackberries and a citrus note akin to fresh squeezed orange juice. There are also notes of bread, salt and almond. Chewing the Chuao bar brings forward coffee and earthiness followed by a squirt of lemonade. The finish lingers for a long while, and the various flavors present still develop for some time. The finish has a fruity acidic undertone along with cocoa, espresso and peanut butter. The mouthfeel is thick and smooth, with a touch of juiciness.

The Amedei Chuao is in a class by itself as far as dark chocolate bars go. It is big, bold and has an incredible flavor. Although chocolate makers have been making single source chocolates using cocoa from a specific region, chocolates sourced from a single plantation are showing excellent promise. To me, the Amedei Chuao is the Chateau d'Yquem of the chocolate world. While there is a premium on the price tag ($13 American for one standard-size bar when I bought mine), it is well worth it. This is a must-have for chocolate fans.

Manufacturer: Pralus
Cocoa Content: 75%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B+

Up for review today is "Papouasie" from the French chocolatier Pralus. This is a 75% cocoa chocolate bar made exclusively from Trinitario cacao beans from Papua New Guinea.

The Papouasie is a reddish mahogany in color. The flavor leads with a bitter kick along with a nice chocolate flavor. Acidity slowly builds to a moderate level that reminds me a bit of the tart bite of a New York-style cheesecake. There are citrus and plum notes as well. There are nutty notes of almond, marzipan and a hint of hazelnut. A sweet caramel note is also detectable.

Chewing the bar brings forward fruity notes of cherries and plums, as well as an acidic black coffee note. The finish has acidity and nuts and is fairly long and chocolatey. The Papouasie does have a slightly course texture, but it does smooth a bit as it melts.

The Papouasie has a pretty nice flavor profile, but it seems like something is missing that I can't put my finger on. The texture is a bit off as well. This bar seems like it's just on the edge of being great, but in its current form it's just "pretty good".

Manufacturer: Michel Cluizel
Cocoa Content: 65%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A-

Up for review today is a chocolate from French chocolatier Michel Cluizel. The Mangaro Noir is from the Mangaro plantation on Madagascar. The 1er Cru de Plantation line is a somewhat rare practice in chocolate making. While many artisan chocolatiers have been using cocoa from a single country or growing region, this line of chocolates is using beans from an individual plantation. With wines, this generally translates to an increase in quality. The question here is how this translates to chocolate.

The Mangaro Noir is mahogany in color with a hint of yellow-orange undertones. This bar has a rich chocolate flavor. There is a prominent maraschino cherry flavor of note. There are some mild nutty notes along with some peanut butter. A wide array of fruity flavors present themselves along with a moderate level of acidity. Citrus, berry and plantain notes are all present on the palate. Chewing the bar opens up sweeter fruit notes of apples and pears. The finish has cocoa with blackberries. The Mangaro Noir has a creamy, slightly thin texture along with a slight cooling sensation from the acidity.

Overall, I was quite impressed with the Mangaro Noir. There are a wealth of fruity undertones that are highlighted by just the right amount of acidity. While I don't know whether single plantation chocolate will begin to command as much attention as a Chateau Lafite Rothschild, it does seem to produce some quality results. I am looking forward to trying some more chocolates in the 1er Cru de Plantation line.

Manufacturer: Valrhona
Cocoa Content: 70%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B+

I recently stocked up my chocolate supply with a selection of artisan chocolates from Chocosphere. The good folks from Chocosphere were kind enough to include a sample from the French chocolatier Valhrona of their Grand Cru Guanaja dark chocolate (Guanaja is one of the Bay Islands off the north coast of Honduras).

The Valrhona Guanaja is ebony in color with a purplish hue. It has a rich chocolate flavor with nutty notes and a mild acidity. The bitterness builds with time and takes on an espresso-like quality. There is a subdued sweetness with notes of marshmallow. Fruitiness and acidity build with notes of cherry, citrus and plum. Chewing the chocolate brings forward hot cocoa, cherry and faint herbal notes. The finish is mellow and balanced between fruity and bitter notes.

The Valrhona Guanaja is well-balanced and is loaded with complex flavors. In fact, it seems almost too balanced, and it's hard to put a finger on any one defining characteristic. The flavor did seem a bit subdued for my tastes as well. I can see why the Valrhona Guanaja is such a renowned chocolate, but I'm looking for flavor that is a bit bigger than what this bar has to offer.

Manufacturer: Godiva
Cocoa Content: 85%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A-

Next up from Godiva is a single-source chocolate bar from Santo Domingo. This 85% Extra Dark chocolate is ebony in color. The bar has a bitter kick up front, but the bitterness is not too overpowering. There is a moderate, well-balanced amount of acidity. This bar has a rich chocolate flavor with a wealth of complex undertones. Notes of hazelnuts, peanuts and espresso are present. There are earthy notes of tobacco, ash and leather. In addition, there are fruity notes of cherry and blackberry as well as a faint citrus note. Chewing the bar enphasizes the fruitiness with powerful notes of cherries and raspberries. The finish has lingering bitterness with peanut butter and espresso notes. The Godiva 85% Santo Domingo has a smooth, thick, mouth-coating texture.

The 85% Extra Dark Santo Domingo from Godiva has some deep chocolate flavor with some nice complexity. Although I still prefer chocolates in the 70% cocoa range, I have developed a significant appreciation for the complexity that opens up at the 85% level. Godiva has a real winner on their hands with this 85% cocoa bar. This one is highly recommended to my fellow dark chocoholics.

Manufacturer: Godiva Chocolatier
Cocoa Content: 72%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B

Up for review today is a 72% Cocoa Dark Chocolate bar from Godiva. This is a thin bar that is dark purplish-brown in color. The pieces break off with a crisp snap. The bar has a rich, chocolate flavor. It seems rather sweet for a 72% cocoa bar. There is only a faint acidity and minimal bitterness. There are notes of peanuts, honey and lemonade. Chewing the bar brings forward notes of vanilla, cocoa and almonds. The finish is remiscent of hot cocoa. The Godiva 72% bar has a smooth, mouth-coating texture.

The Godiva 72% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar has a powerful chocolate flavor and seems more sweet than bitter for a chocolate at 72% cocoa. The flavor is pretty straightforward, but it is quite enjoyable nonetheless. It would make a great beginner dark chocolate for someone who isn't into the bitterness of very dark chocolate.

Manufacturer: Kilwin's
Cocoa Content: 65%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: C+

Up next from Kilwin's Authentic Origin Collection is their 65% cocoa chocolate bar from Ecuador. This bar is dark brown in color with a hint of purple-red. On the palate the dominant flavor is sweet cocoa. There are notes of cherries, graham cracker, and hazelnuts. Chewing the chocolate brings forward stronger hazelnut flavors along with cherries and almonds. The mouthfeel is smooth, but rather thin and slightly waxy.

Unfortunately, this is strike two for Kilwin's in my book. While there is some flavor complexity present, I still find this chocolate to be thin, watered-down and just overall "blah" tasting much like the 70% Tanzanian bar from Kilwin's that I tasted recently. I was really tempted to buy one of each of their bars when I first saw them, and now I am rather happy that I didn't.