Manufacturer: Ghirardelli
Cocoa Content: 86%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B-

Today's tasting is Ghirardelli's dark chocolate bar with the highest percentage cocoa, the Midnight Reverie. The Midnight Reverie is deep ebony in color with some reddish-orange highlights. The initial flavor impression is unsweetened cocoa. There is notable espresso-like bitterness. Acidity starts out mild and builds to a moderate level with notes of orange, sour cherry, blackberry and citrusy hop flowers. There are some herbal and earthy undertones as well.

Chewing the Midnight Reverie brings out notes of citrus along with faint spice and earthy notes. The Ghirardelli Midnight Reverie has a smooth, creamy mouthfeel that is slightly drying. The finish has espresso, citrus and herbal notes.

The Ghirardelli Midnight Reverie is a decent chocolate with some nice flavor. It is somewhat lacking in the complexity department, and it is missing the powerful chocolate flavor I would expect from a chocolate in the 80%+ cocoa range.

Manufacturer: Pralus
Cocoa Content: 75%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A-

Today's tasting is the Pralus Madagascar dark chocolate bar. The chocolate is deep ebony in color with red undertones. On the palate there is a rich cocoa flavor up front. A lively acidity highlights red fruit notes and fresh bing cherries. There is a sweet herbal note of fresh mint and a faint roasted peanut undertone.

Chewing the Pralus Madagascar gives vanilla, mint, sweet cherries and tobacco flavors. The Madagascar has a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. The finish fades with cocoa and maraschino cherries. This is another great chocolate from Pralus's "Pyramide des Tropiques" collection. The acid and fruit notes plays very well with the sweet minty undertones in this chocolate.

Manufacturer: Equal Exchange
Cocoa Content: 80%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A

After a bit of a hiatus, we should be back on track with a bit more regularity in our postings here. We're kicking things off with a fantastic chocolate from Equal Exchange. This is an 80% dark chocolate bar from Panama. The bar is a deep ebony in color with ruby highlights.

The Equal Exchange bar leads with a rich, deep cocoa note, followed by a pleasant bitter kick. The acidity slowly builds to a moderate level with currant and blackberry notes. There is a touch of sea salt and roasted peanuts along with floral highlights and a black pepper spice. The finish has espresso with spice and light roasted undertones. Chewing the chocolate opens up flavors of vanilla, bell pepper, tobacco and a flavor that reminds me of strawberry-flavored licorice. The texture is thick and mostly smooth with some barely perceptable coarseness.

Equal exchange has a great thing going here with this 80% chocolate bar. There is a rich chocolate flavor with plenty of complexity and a nice spice note. This is by far one of the most "snackable" dark chocolates up in the 80% cacao range I've ever had. Highly recommended.