Manufacturer: Michel Cluizel
Cocoa Content: 65%
Location: Sao Tome
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B

Today's tasting is the "Vila Gracinda" 67% dark chocolate bar from Michel Cluizel's 1er Cru de Plantation line of single-source chocolates. The Vila Gracinda is ebony-purple in color. It hits the palate with a rich chocolate/cocoa flavor. Smoky, roasted coffee notes are here. A bitter nuttiness of hazelnuts and chestnuts are here as well. The acidity level is fairly light but does lend itself to a bit of an orange peel flavor. Woody/earthy notes and some vanilla are also detectable.

Chewing the Vila Gracinda brings forward sweet notes of vanilla, honey, bourbon and toffee. As is typical for Cluizel's fare, the mouthfeel is perfectly smooth and creamy. The finish has cream & sugar coffee with nutty and earthy undertones.

While this is a good chocolate, the Vila Gracinda doesn't quite meet the high mark set by some of the other chocolates in Michel Cluizel's 1er Cru de Plantation line. While tasty, I did find this bar to be relatively straightforward. It seems like it could use a bit more acidity to open up. If you try the Vila Gracinda, pop a piece in your mouth and give it a good chew. The sweet flavors that open up are what I enjoyed the most about this chocolate bar.

Manufacturer: Amano
Cocoa Content:70%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A

Up for tasting today is the Dos Rios, a 70% dark chocolate bar of Dominican origin by American chocolate maker Amano. The chocolate bar is mahogany in color with a reddish-orange tint. Snapping off a piece of the bar releases a distinctive citrus aroma that is the first hint that there is something unique with this chocolate. The palate first detects this distinct citrus character (reminiscent of Earl Grey tea), which is followed by woody notes and clove. The Dos Rios has a moderate, balanced acidity which leads to notes of bing cherry and pomegranate. Undertones of caramel and black pepper play a complimentary role as well.

Chewing the Amano Dos Rios bar brings forward notes of orange peel, vanilla and sweet cherries. The Dos Rios has a thick, creamy mouthfeel with just the faintest amount of grittiness. The finish is dominated by fruit with a touch of bitter and roasted notes, akin to peach cobbler chased with a shot of espresso. The powerful citrus note seems to linger forever on the palate as the finish fades.

Amano has a real standout chocolate here with their Dos Rios dark chocolate bar. The distinct citrus note is supported by a nice woody spice. Amano has really nailed the level of acidity on this one as well. Any more and the fruit would be overpowering; any less and it would be flat. I've had other chocolates with notably distinct flavors, but none have had the balance and complexity that the Dos Rios has. The flavors here are just crying out to have Granny Smith apple slices dipped in it. Too bad this bar won't last long enough for me to try that out...

Manufacturer: Green & Black's Chocolate Limited
Cocoa Content: 85%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A-

Up for tasting today is the 85% dark chocolate bar from Green & Black's. The chocolate bar itself is a ruddy mahogany color. The chocolate hits the palate with a deep chocolate note. Roasted espresso notes are prominant, but the show is soon stolen by a tangy, lively acidity. Fruity notes of citrus and tart cherries, along with a big helping of plums, shine through. In the background sit hints of earth, toffee, and smoke along with some nutty undertones of peanuts and cashews.

Chewing the Green & Black's 85% dark chocolate brings forward notes of earth, tobacco and marshmallow along with more plums. The mouthfeel is thick and creamy with a slight hint of grit. The finish has lingering fruity and roast coffee notes along with a hint of peanuts.

Green & Black's has a real winner on their hands here with their 85% Dark chocolate bar. This bar has big flavor. The roast is bold and cuts through the big plummy fruit notes to create a full, balanced flavor. To me, this is what I like to see in a bar in the 85%+ range - big flavors can really pop in a high-cacao chocolate. I'd love to see some of the great single-estate chocolate makers step out and start making some chocolates in the 85%-90% range, because bars like the Green & Black's really show the potential that extra dark chocolates offer.

Manufacturer: Guittard Chocolate Company
Cocoa Content: 65%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B

On the tasting block today is the "Chucuri" from E. Guittard. The Chucuri is a 65% cocoa dark chocolate bar of Columbian origin. The Chucuri is on the lighter side of mahogany in color with light-brown highlights. Up front on the palate is a rich flavor of semi-sweet chocolate chips. There is a mild bitter bite and very little acidity. Sweet flavors of banana and caramel are present. Almonds, coffee and a faint black pepper note are here as well.

Chewing the Chucuri highlights notes of vanilla nad honey. The chocolate has a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. The finish has notes if hot cocoa and marshmallow with black pepper undertones. This is another decent chocolate bar from Guittard, but something just seems missing to me. The flavor seems a bit flat, like either the bitterness and/or the acidity needs to be bumped up to make it a bit more lively.

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

Today we wrap up our tastings from Pralus's "Pyramide des Tropiques" with the Equateur. This Ecuadorean 75% cocoa dark chocolate bar is deep brown in color with ruby highlights. The Equateur hits the palate with a bitter cocoa/espresso note up front that has a nice bitter kick. Acidity builds leading to notes of lemon and raisins. Some buttery notes are here as well as some caramel. Peanut butter nuttiness and black pepper spice are present as well.

Chewing the Equateur brings forward notes of vanilla, caramel and honey. The mouthfeel is pleasantly smooth and creamy. On the finish the bitterness fades leaving a flavor akin to peanut butter and jelly with some lingering spiciness. This is another great bar from Pralus. It has a well-rounded flavor balanced between a bitter kick and acid undertones. There is some nice complexity that develops in this dark chocolate bar.

If you're looking for a sampler of high-end chocolate, then the Pralus Pyramide is a great choice. You can really see the regional differences between various chocolates. All of the chocolates are very good, with a few real gems like the Ghana that really stand out.

Manufacturer: Hägeland
Cocoa Content: 71%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B

Hägeland is a line of Belgian-made chocolates that have been exclusively developed for Wal-Mart. Today's tasting is a single-source bar made from Costa Rican trinitario beans. The Hägeland Costa Rica is deep brown in color with purplish-red notes. There is a deep chocolate flavor up front. Nutty undertones develop, along with some roasted, espresso-like flavors. The acidity level here is very faint. There is a distinct marshmallow note present, along with spice, peanuts and hazelnuts.

Chewing the Hägeland Costa Rica bar bring forward vanilla along with notes of hazelnuts and cherries. The finish has cocoa and marshmallow along with nutty and spicy notes in the background.

I must admit, this is a pretty good showing for a chocolate made for Wal-Mart, a mass-market retailer usually associated with budget pricing instead of high-quality. I would like to see the acidity bumped up a notch or two, and I think there is a bit too much vanilla going on, but overall this is a decent chocolate bar that's worth a taste the next time you find yourself at Wally World.

Manufacturer: Dagoba
Cocoa Content: 73%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B+

Today's tasting is the Conacado 73% cocoa dark chocolate bar from Dagoba. Dagoba is part of Hershey's Artisan Confection brand, joining Sharffen Berger and Joseph Schmidt in 2006. The Conacado bar breaks with a crisp snap revealing crimson/ruby streaks over the deep mahogany colored bar.

On the palate the Conacado bar has a rich chocolate/cocoa note up front. Acidity builds to a moderate level with flavors of blackberries and oranges. Faint flavors of hazelnut and black pepper sit in the background with a light roasted note. Chewing the Dagoba Conacado opens up notes of vanilla, strawberry, marshmallow and lemonade. The Conacado has a creamy, thick texture that coats the tongue well. The finish has black pepper and roasted notes with a acid note that fades leaving a faint bitter note and spice.

The Dagoba Conacado doesn't have the biggest diversity of complex flavors here. Despite that, this is a very enjoyable bar that is a good dark chocolate for snacking.

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

Today's tasting is a Columbian dark chocolate bar from Pralus's "Pyramide des Tropiques". The chocolate is deep mahogany in color with ruby highlights. The initial flavor up front is bitter chocolate with some roasted notes. There is a moderate amount of acidity present with some blackberry. Espresso, hazelnuts and bitter herbs are also here on the palate.

Chewing the Pralus Columbie brings forward a spice note along with a mushroom/earthy flavor. The chocolate has a smooth mouthfeel with an almost buttery richness. The finish has a bitter herbal note with fruit jam. The Pralus Columbie is well balanced between bitter notes and acidity. Unfortunately, there isn't enough cocoa richness to carry the bitterness, which becomes a bit too vegetal in character for my tastes. Overall this is a decent chocolate, but I've had much better from Pralus recently.