20°N & 20°S

Camille Bloch ~ Three Flavors

 

The other half of my Swiss chocolate collection brought back to me from my husband after a stop over in Geneva. The first two reviews were of Villars, another large named, good reputation Swiss chocolate company.

I don't have a grade scale set up for flavored chocolates like this. Each one will get a grade based on what I think it should get. 

From the Karger Gazette:

From Bern to Courtelary: on the winding road to success

Camille Bloch, the firm’s founder, moved his small enterprise into an empty paper factory in Courtelary in 1935. He had become a chocolate manufacturer in 1929 when, after selling chocolate for Tobler, he bought up machinery from A.W. Lindt in Bern, who were closing down. But rents in Bern were high, and so, with his son Rolf – the future director – in the back seat, he drove up into the countryside looking for new premises. His choice also fell on Courtelary because the Swiss watch industry, which is largely based in the canton Jura, had been strongly hit by the Depression, and many of the region’s inhabitants were out of work. A chocolate factory was a welcome, if not quite usual, source of employment.
In 1935, the firm had a turnover of about CHF 0.5 million. Seventy-five years later, the annual turnover is CHF 50 million (USD 40 million). The company today employs 150 people and annually produces 2700 tonnes of chocolate.

Read more about Camile Bloch from the Karger Gazette here.

Chocolat Mousse Noir 60%

Swiss dark chocolate with a chocolate mousse filling.

100g or 3.5oz.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, hazelnuts, vegetable fat, cocoa butter, almonds, soya flour, whole milk powder, low fat cocoa powder (2%), melted butter, skimmed milk powder, soy lecithin, vanilla, vanillin.

Shiny, soft chocolate pod squares filled with what is supposed to be a soft mousse filling. Instead it was dried up and powdery. It as a milky taste at first but the dark chocolate is rich, sweet, and lingers on the palate. Very European with the milky quality. 

The mousse filling has hazelnuts and almonds listed in the ingredients, but is no overwhelming in flavor. A beginning pop of hazelnuts, but the dark chocolate quickly covers it.

I like the dark chocolate, even if it is milky and sweeter then what I am used to, but the mousse filling was a real let down being completely dried out. Perhaps if I had this right from the factory it might be a different story. But who knows how long it takes to get powdery. It had an expiration date set for August, 2010. Maybe it leaves the factory that way.

score
D

Cognac Noir 60%

Swiss dark chocolate with cognac filling. 

100g or 3.5oz

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, glucose syrup, Cognac (10%), cocoa butter, dextrose, water, soy lecithin, vanilla, vanillin. 

 

The filling was disappointing. It tasted fantastic with rich chocolate and cognac flavors, a little ester-y heat from the cognac too. But the filling was weak as all of the pods were warped and poorly filled up.

The chocolate also has a very generic quality to it. Not as milky or creamy as the Mousse Noir, but this chocolate doesn't have the milk powders in the ingredients. Even if they had to use syrup to help sustain the liquor center, there should have been enough to have an ample filling. None of the pods were full. Again it makes me wonder, what were these like right from the production line?

score
D+

Ragusa Noir 60%

Dark Chocolate confectionery with truffle filling and whole hazelnuts.

100g or 3.5oz

Ingredients: Sugar, hazelnuts, cocoa mass, vegetable fat, whole milk powder, low fat cocoa powder, soya flour, cocoa butter, melted butter, soy lecithin, vanilla, vanillin.

Via their website:

Ragusa is the undisputed leader product from the house of Camille Bloch. A bar of the finest chocolate with praline filling and whole hazelnuts. Originally born from an emergency situation – the admixture of hazelnuts came about because of the shortage of raw materials in Switzerland during the Second World War – Ragusa is our supreme, classic product.

People just love Ragusa NOIR. With its unmistakable taste. And with its strong flavour of cocoa (60%) – Ragusa NOIR is manufactured according to the original recipe but contains 20% more cocoa beans than the classic Ragusa.

 

 

This is much better than the previous tasted chocolates. It's a kind of gianduja filling, or a hazelnut filling and it has a nice flavor. The filling would be bland without the hazelnuts. However, the actual hazelnuts are skimpy and sparse. They are more for decorating the sides than they are for actual texture in the chocolate.

The texture is soft and creamy and melts fabulously in your mouth. The texture and hazelnuts really save this from being dismal.

score
C+

One disappointment I have, is all the crap that gets put into mass produced chocolate. Unfortunately Camille Bloch is no different. Powdered milks, and vanilla flavorings. At least as far as these three go, they don't have added chemical emulsifiers aside from soy lecithin. Soy Lecithin runs the risk of being genetically modified, and some people may be allergic, but over all it is a harmless emulsifier.

It has fancy box packaging, but the product itself just doesn't do this company any favors. It would be interesting with the sort of history Camille Bloch, has to taste the old recipes before any chemical additives were invented.

I have to say that over all, these were not very good chocolates. Poor quality with the fillings, mass produced, generic tastes on the chocolate. Such a shame for a company with a long standing history and reputation. This is chocolate you would send to someone who doesn't know any better about chocolate.

Bear Chocolate RRRAWWWRRRRR

While at Grizzly's Gifts gift shop in Anchorage, Alaska, I found these two bars of chocolate. They looked cute and I decided to take them home with me.

These aren't the best chocolates for review. I am going to tag them with one general grade that I think they deserve but I am not going to give them the full treatment. They are just fun chocolate from a gift shop that have awesome packaging.

 

The Grizzly Bar

Milk Chocolate, 3oz or 85g

Ingredients: sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, whole milk powder, soya lecithin and Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate (emulsifiers), vanillin (artificial flavor.)

Big nose of hazelnuts and cream. Creamy and smooth texture, fast melt time, rich, milky taste. A little waxy tasting on the finish.

score
C-

The Black Bar

Dark Chocolate, 3oz or 85g

Ingredients: Sugar, cocoa mass, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, processed with alkali, soya lecithin, salt, vanilla extract.

Soft nose, little bit of tobacco,creamy and milky, nutty. Same nutty taste, sweet, cocoa, no bitterness or astringency. Just a fairly generic bar of dark chocolate. Kid stuff because it's so sweet, but I kind of liked the sweetness.

score
C-

Generic gift shop chocolate. Nothing to write home about, but then again I didn't buy these for the chocolate. I bought them for the packaging.

When Bad Things Happen To Good Chocolate

Saturday night I met with a bunch of BeerAdvocates for a staff meeting at The Publick House in Brookline. These are the fine folks who volunteer for me for the BeerAdvocate beer festivals thrown here in Boston. We have the Extreme Beer Festival happening this weekend and an I needed to go over some information and talk about what was to be expected for the festival.

I happened to bring with me samples of chocolate that have been sitting around and needed to be eaten. Some of it was already reviewed, but some of it was chocolate I couldn't review.

Some of the chocolate I had, was not reviewable, but still edible. Some of it had bloom, and one of them I dropped and broke into a million pieces. The conditions in my apartment haven't been to favorable for storing chocolate. It gets either way too cold or way too hot. Mostly it's too hot. Especially in the winter when the heat is turned on full which I have no control over. Or if the heat doesn't come on and I have left my windows open in the wintertime to combat the heat, the house is frozen. Needless to say this has wreaked havoc on some the chocolate I wanted to review. Luckily, I am getting them replaced to give them all a fair shot.

This is why I didn't review some of these chocolates. It's my fault or rather my apartment's fault that there is an unstable environment for storage. I felt it was unfair to review these chocolates in the state they were in despite still being perfectly fine to eat.

But having bloom on chocolate does not make the chocolate inedible. And chocolate also has a very long shelf life. I brought the chocolate to the meeting and let the staff have at it. I was able to talk to them about bloom and let them experience some real chocolate for a change.

I am currently sitting on 25 bars of chocolate up for review. With new ones that just came in from my husband for Valentine's day, a friend from England who has been on a mission in London rounding up chocolate from all over the city, and my good friend Shane Welch of Sixpoint Craft Ales, bringing me more Mast Brothers to review, you can see why I had to get rid of this chocolate. I already reviewed a lot of it, and I didn't want to see if just go to waste.

What we tasted:

Amano: Madagascar 70% (reviewed)
Amedei 9 (reviewed)
Amedei La Tavolette
Mast Brothers:
    Sea Salt + Pepper 75%
    Fleur de Sel 75% (reviewed)
    Dried cranberries 75%
    Sea Salt + Almonds 75%
    Cocoa Nibs 75%
Villars L'Ancienne (reviewed)
Villars Noir 72% (reviewed)
Chocolat Olivier Selection 85% (reviewed)
Pralus 100% Criollo
Chocolat Olivier Ghana 70% (reviewed)
Michel Cluizel Mangaro 65% (reviewed)
Michel Cluizel Maralumi 64% (reviewed)
Fine & Raw Mesquite Bar (reviewed)




 

We drank Brooklyn Cookie Jar Porter, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, and Great Divide's Yeti. The Cookie jar was fairly flat but still tasted excellent, the WWS was too sweet, and but the Yeti was just right for the more bitter chocolates.

It was a Saturday night at the Publick House. A lot of other people who were not part of the BA meeting were standing around curious about what we were doing. It looked like I was teaching a class on crack. Everyone had a major caffeine buzz going on and all of the sample were in plastic baggies.

The Cluizel went over well for texture. The Mast Brothers Salt and Pepper was voted best over all. And the very harsh Pralus was a bigger hit than I expected. Unsweetened 100% bitter chocolate.

 

Valentine's Day Haul

 

Yep, my husband knows what I like. I had been recommending L.A. Burdick's all week on Twitter as a great recommendation for others on Valentine's Day. My Husband followed my advice. I got a nice full package of goodies.

L.A. Burdick's makes handmade truffles and chocolates. They have three cafes with an actual restaurant located in Walpole, New Hampshire. The other two cafes are in the Flatiron district of New York City, and Harvard Sq. in Cambridge, Ma. At the Harvard Sq. location, you can get a beautiful cup of hot tea, coffee drinks, or one of their fabulous hot chocolates. They also have small pastries. The Harvard Sq. pastry comes highly recommended by me personally.

First thing I pulled out was a bag of chocolate intended for hot chocolate. It came with a whisk too. If anyone is familiar with L.A. Burdick's, they make simply the best cup of hot chocolate. It's so rich and delicious. So to have the ability to make my own at home is a great gift.

I pulled these out of the bag next. A collection of single origin dark chocolate bars Burdick's is making now. I am very happy to see these bars, but I am thinking about all the chocolate I have to review. Over 25 bars in the queue, with more on the way from London, England, and Brooklyn, New York.

Venezuela 72%
Grenada 75%
Madagascar 64%





  

An assortment of chocolates. The picky side of me wishes they came in the wooden box collection they have for truffles, but what I am going to do, complain that I got truffles anyway? Pfft.

These are Burdick's famous Mice and Penguin Truffles. Delicious and cute. They also have other specialty truffles they offer through out the holidays. Like ghosts for Halloween and bunnies for Easter.

And finally, one last little assortment of chocolates.

Now that Valentine's Day is over, that doesn't mean you can't still go over there and pick up a nice steaming hot chocolate. Don't miss their Lunar New Year collection as well. It's the Chinese New Year, Year of the Tiger. They ship for those not lucky enough to live close to one of their locations.

Burdick's also offers a 4 day, in-depth Chocolate Cooking School at their facilities in Walpole. 

Burdick Chocolate offers a four day, hands-on workshop teaching the basics of fine chocolate making. This is a rare opportunity to build a familiarity with the ins and outs of preparing chocolate bonbons and confections and to gain a basic command of this complex food. We cover the practical arts of cooking ganache fillings, tempering chocolate, hand-cutting and dipping of bonbons, truffle making, the creation of distinctive chocolate confections, and more. The workshop offers an all-round education into the connoisseurship of high quality chocolate – from its history, to the sourcing, preparation and preservation of it in the home kitchen.

Each participant will go home with a course handbook covering what they learned in the class; plus all of your “kitchen” results will be packed up at the end of the work week and shipped home for your family to enjoy!

Chocolats Olivier ~ Selection 85%

Chocolats Olivier ~ Selection

As I mentioned in a previous post about Chocolats Olivier ~Pure Origine Ghana, there is virtually no information about this company to discuss for this review. At least I am not finding it anywhere. I don't have any information about the company, or this particular bar of chocolate.

What I do know is that Chocolats Olivier is located in Toulouse, France.

The regions of the blended beans for this bar of chocolate; The Ivory Coast, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela.


 

The regions classic hallmarks reflect a lot of what was detected in the aroma of this bar. Taken from The Nibble:

Cote d’Ivoire

•Forastero •Bold, hearty •Noncomplex blending beans •Cocoa, tobacco, and leather

Bold and hearty cacao, Ivory Coast has long been a favorite supplier of bulk beans. It’s an excellent choice for blended chocolate because of its boldness and noncomplex flavor of cocoa, tobacco, and leather.

Trinidad

•Trinitario •Light tone, delicate character •Woody and spicy •Chocolate, grass, butter •Citrus & tropical fruits

Trinidad has about 21 distinct growing regions, but the most well-known is Gran Couva, the plantation popularized by Valrhona. Trinidad is regarded as the birthplace of Trinitario cacao, the hybrid of Criollo and Forastero that was created in the 1700s, after the island’s Criollo crop was largely wiped out by forces of nature. Forasteros were introduced to restore the island’s cacao crop but a unique hybridization with the few remaining Criollos resulted in the entirely new Trinitario species, with the delicate flavor of Criollo and the hardiness of Forastero. Trinidadian cacao can vary tremendously in flavor, so one might taste woodiness and spicy tartness in one chocolate, grass and butter tones in another, and slight citrus and tropical nuances in another—or perhaps a combination of all flavors in one chocolate. Generally, the body is medium and somewhat delicate in overall character and pleasingly chocolaty.

Venezuela

Venezuela has two distinct growing regions: Sur del Lago and the Andean. Many different subspecies of cacao are grown in both regions. The cacaos are further distinguished by names typically derived from shipping ports or villages where the cacao was grown. For example, Rio Caribe cacao is grown near Rio Caribe; and Carenero Superior refers to the Carenero port, which was once a high-traffic port for this type of cacao (“Superior” denotes the finer quality of the beans). The quality cacaos of Venezuela are:

Click The Nibble link to see the 8 different regions listed of Venezuelan cacao.

[Second set of pictures is to illustrate the possibility of sugar bloom. A light, dusty film coated the bars and you can see where I rubbed the chocolate.]


Selection 85%

Bean Varietal: Unknown Blend of beans from the Ivory Coast, Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela, regions known for Forastero.

Ingredients: Cocoa, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin.

Type: Bittersweet 85%



Appearance: Simple monogrammed molding. Slightly dusty in appearance, the beginning signs of sugar bloom. Smooth surface despite slight dusty, sugar bloom layer.

Score: 89

Snap: Nice audible snap sound, clean break lines.

Score: 96

Aroma: Big, robust cherries, almonds and oak. A smoky tobacco aroma appeared after it had been removed from the package for a bit, but then it settled down a bit and the almond and cherry notes were softer coupled with a spicy nose.

Score: 99

Taste: Roasted cocoa, Slight hints of flowers, very low acidity, extremely bitter but not sharp, tar, takes a very long time to open up but once it does, cherries and roasted cocoa are present but only briefly. Lingering hints of flowers.

Score: 88

Texture: Smooth but dry, hard, extremely slow melt time.

Score: 73

I wasn't thrilled with this bar. It was too hard, too bitter, and the cocoa flavors really struggled to present themselves. It reminded of drinking a big hoppy beer. Something with a very high bittering unit (IBU's). Smells fantastic with th huge hop aromas, but once you drink them, your palate is shot and you can't drink another beer after that and expect to get the full flavors of the beer. This is palate killing chocolate. Some people may indeed crave the severe bitterness of this chocolate, for me it wasn't the bitterness I didn't like, It was the hard texture.

The higher cocoa percentages also have higher caffeine amounts. A few bites of this chocolate and it's better than a cup of coffee. Maybe I should call it "Morning Chocolate."

But not all is lost for this chocolate. I believe that pairing it with beer, a big robust and bitter stout like Great Divide's Yeti or Old Viscosity from Port Brewing Co. What that would do is sort of cancel each other out and allow for the cocoa flavors a chance to present themselves. Fine intricacies wouldn't be detected but the raw cocoa flavors would come out more. In turn the chocolate would tone down the beer and make them more palatable and easier drinking. The roasted malts would interact with the roasted cocoa beans and probably make for a unique pairing.

*I will post an update to this post very soon to confirm whether or not this extremely bitter chocolate pairs well with a bigger stout. I am also wondering how a newer style on the scene called a Black IPA might hold up to his chocolate. It could be interesting to see how the bitterness of the hops and the bitterness of the chocolate take each other on leave the same effect of the roasted flavors left to mingle.

Final Score: 89

score
B

Chocolats Oliver ~ Pure Origine Ghana

Chocolates Olivier Pure Origine Ghana

I have virtually no information about this chocolatier. Their website contains no information about them except for a few products they are selling and the fact that they are located in Toulouse, France. The store that I bought it from in San Francisco called CocoaBella, also has no information about them on their website.

I love the packaging. It's eye popping. The darker hues of the first picture don't do it that much justice. The bright yellow against that turquois blue draws you in.

The only bit of information I found on Chocolat Olivier was from question someone asked over at seventypercent.com back in 2007 and answered from a moderator on the site named Masur.

Too me it looks like they are using single origin couverture from Barry Callebaut. I'm sure you're familiar with their chocolate.
A quote from Chocolats Olivier website:

quote:

---

Chocolats Olivier was purchased in April of 2005 by Franco-American brothers Alain and Alexander Beret and American business partner James Fairbanks. Since its purchase in 2005, Olivier has reached beyond its regional borders of Toulouse to expand its sales into the United States, Russia, United Arab Emirates and Europe.

---

Regrettably their price is too high in Sweden. 7.5 Euro for a bar is far too much I think. I'm sure the American business partner is in it for the money.

http://www.chocolatsolivier.com/

I have no idea where this person got their information from, because it is not on the Chocolats Olivier website. Maybe more information was posted was two years ago, but it's not there now. It's a bit presumptuous to call some out as only "in it for the money" without presenting all the facts.

I don't know what the prices were like for this chocolate two years ago. Today they are priced at €3.80 and not €7.50. I am not an expert on the Euro, taxes, or importing in Sweden, but to crassly blame the American as only being out for money without facts to back it up is tacky.

Back to the chocolate. Whether they use Callebaut chocolate or not, the beans are from Ghana. No indication on what type of beans they use, but most of the beans coming from Ghana are Forastero. The package claims 100% pure cocoa butter.

 


 

Pure Origine Ghana

Bean Varietal: Unknown, but mostly likely Forastero.

Ingredients: 70% cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, soya lecithin, natural vanilla.

Type: Bittersweet, though the packaging claims this is a mild semisweet.

Sample size: 100g or 3.5oz


Appearence: Deep rich color, smooth simple molding, shiny finish.

Score: 93

Snap: Excellent crisp snap. Not too loud, but clean break lines.

Score: 94

Aroma: Big hazelnuts as soon as I took it out of it's package. Big green tobacco leaves, soft and rich roasted cocoa aroma, a little smokey with a big berry aroma.

Score: 93

Taste: Initially it starts of green and a little woody, like the way wood smells when the tree has first been cut down or all the bark peeled back, mildly spicy once it begins to open, very low acidity and zero astringency, deep rich, and robust cocoa flavors, flowery tea flavors towards the end. Very clean finish. Lingering hints of leather on the back end.

Score: 95

Texture: Very soft, medium melt time, very smooth and creamy.

Score: 95

This was gorgeous chocolate. I just wish I had more information about them. The chocolate was fantastic. I especially love chocolates that have low acidity and astringency. This was very smooth, and very easy to eat. This particular bar would make for an excellent bar to start someone out with as a beginner or to give to someone who has very sensitive palate.

Final Score: 94

score
A-

Michel Cluizel ~ 1er Cru de Plantation "Mangaro"

Michel Cluizel 1er Cru de Plantation "Mangaro"

As part of a set I bought in San Francisco at CocoaBella in the SOMA district. CocoaBella had many interesting bars. My only regret is that I didn't buy more of a range from Cluizel. You can read about the first bar I reviewed as part of this set here: Maralumi.

Madagascar is my favorite region to date for cocoa beans. The beans carry main hallmarks of descriptive characteristics such as bright, citrus, Cedar wood, and clean. But each bar I have tried has had distinctly different characteristic which has set this region apart for me such as nuttiness, rubber or tar, mint, and melons. The most curious of all, are the bars that have the vodka characteristics. One bar I tried from Rogue Chocolatier even had a little bit of the esters or heat from the vodka notes. It was unbelievable. I simply find Magagascar beans to be the most interesting.

From the package:

Located on the island of Madagascar at the heart of the Indian Ocean, in the rich valley of the river Sambirano, this plantation flourishes on the land of a former mango tree forest. The beans of these cocoa trees have enabled me to develop a highly flavoured chocolate, blending aromas of exotic fruits, delicious flavours of honey spice cake and acidulated hints of citrus fruits.

1er Cru de Plantation "Mangaro"

Bean Varietal: Unknown, but possibly Trinitario.

Ingredients: Cocoa, cane sugar, cocoa butter, Bourbon vanilla pod.

Type: Bittersweet, 65%

Sample Size: 3.5oz or 100g

Appearance: Standard signature molding, smooth, slightly dulled appearance, but relatively shiny, deep dark brown color.

Score: 94

Snap: Dull snap, fairly audible, but not sharp.

Score: 87

Aroma: Immediately after opening, the aroma was nutty like macadamia nuts, and buttery. Lightly smokey, tobacco leaves, soft wood, reminded me of a dresser drawer or a wooden chest but soft and aged a few years. Very mild hints of jasmine, green mangoes, mild lemon-y citrus notes.

Score: 96

Taste: Soft flowery, lightly woody taste that opens into bright, tangy citrus flavors, acidic, astringent, more soft wood notes follow up and smooth out the astringent effects, nutty, little bit of interaction between soft mangoes and cherries. Cherries are present first, then soft mangoes round it out. Soft lingering bitterness.

Score: 95

Texture: Soft, smooth, creamy texture, with a clean, dry finish.

Score: 93

This was a fairly amazing experience in chocolate. Once again Madagascar beans have proven to be my favorite. This chocolate is all about soft and bold. Soft notes in the beginning, then big bold characteristics come forward, once again the softer more subtle notes come back to round everything out.

I must say though, this wasn't as smooth as I would have hoped for. The different contrasts in flavors on this bar went in succession leaving for an excellent taste experience, but the acidity was big and sharp which left the experience a bit uneven. The lovely aromas, beautiful wood and mango notes on the taste are responsible for a higher score.

Final Score: 93

score
A-

Michel Cluizel ~ 1er Cru de Plantation "Maralumi"

Michel Cluizel 1er Cru de Plantation "Maralumi."

I bought this in San Fransico at CocoaBella in the SOMA district. I was visiting San Francisco for a food conference and made it a point to pick up some chocolate before I left. Sadly, I didn't have time to do the chocolate tours of San Francisco and do tours of Sharffen Berger or Ghirardelli. But leaving with French chocolate I haven't had before, more than made up for it.

Michel Cluizel has been widely regarded as one of the world's finest chocolatiers. Hailing from the Normandy region of France, he opened his first shop in 1981 in Paris. He began his journey with chocolate in 1947 Normandy, France with his parents who were pastry chefs beginning their own chocolate creations. 

There is a Michel Cluizel: you can see him, with an ebullient smile, on his corporate website. In 1947 his parents, pastry chefs Marc and Marcelle Cluizel, decided to venture into the world of fine chocolate. Fascinated by the chocolate business, Michel became an apprentice and has been making fine chocolates—which soon became exceptional chocolates—since 1948. Today, assisted by his four adult children, the chocolate shop that began in a small town in Normandy is now a global enterprise. More than 6,000 chocolatiers and patissiers use his couverture* and sell his chocolates. Yet, while many shops sell Cluizel products, there are only two Cluizel stores: the original, on the Rue Saint Honoré in Paris, and, since a year ago, a store in New York City.

[Via: Gourmet Food - Michel Cluizel Chocolate - The World's Best Chocolate - Product Review - THE NIBBLE Gourmet Food Magazine  Karen Hochman and Peter Rot 2006]

Cluizel sets high standards for his products.

In 1999, after one and a half years of research, Michel Cluizel prohibited soya lecithin, a natural emulsifier, from all his chocolates. Soya lecithin was in fact introduced to chocolate manufacture in 1957 and is commonly used to facilitate the mixing of chocolate ingredients. As a known perfectionist, Michel Cluizel already used the purest ingredients in his chocolates, cane sugar (not beet sugar) and Bourbon vanilla bean (not extract or vanillin) so the aim to purify his chocolates further by not including this particular ingredient was a step closer to perfection. Real chocolate in its finest and purest form.

[Via: The Chocolate Traveller]

Purest form of chocolate and highest standards of production, but do not scoff or turn your nose away from those who do use soy lecithin. It's very common in chocolate making. The absence of soy lecithin is one way to guarantee no genetically modified ingredients and reduce the presence of added allergens.

Soy lecithin is used in conventional chocolate to replace all or part of the cocoa butter added, by acting as an emulsifier. An emulsifier links the molecules of the various ingredients together. Soy added to chocolate changes the texture with regard to fluidity and brittleness. Cocoa butter is the most expensive ingredient used to make chocolate, whereas soy lecithin is less expensive, and less of it is needed. Adding soy lecithin makes conching (stirring) much easier, and reduces considerably the time needed for this operation. Less electricity is needed when soy lecithin is added to chocolate, and chocolate makers can use regular equipment as opposed to high performance equipment.

           [Via: Soy Free Sales]

A single origin bar, more definitively, one specific plantation Maralumi from Papua New Guinea.

To better understand what this means specifically here is a great description of single origin terms from The Nibble.

• Single Origin Cacao, also known as origin cacao, pure origin cacao and monorigin cacao, refers to cacao beans grown in one particular area or region,or the chocolate made from these beans (which can be called called single origin chocolate).
• Grand Cru Cacao is is a marketing term referring to single origin chocolate, coined by Valrhona when the company launched the first single origin bar in 1986 (Guanaja 70%, a mixture of beans from South America.
• Premier Cru/Estate Grown Cacao is also a marketing term. What Michel Cluizel calls 1er [Premier] Cru chocolate, where the beans come from specific plantations, is called Estate Grown by Valrhona. To add to the confusion, in the wine industry, from which this terminology is taken, a Grand Cru wine is better-quality than a Premier Cru wine. But the reverse is true given these chocolate definitions: Cluizel’s 1er Cru chocolate, which is single estate, is of higher quality than Valrhona’s Grand Cru, which is only single origin—and that origin, e.g. “South America
  
  ,” can be extremely broad compared to a single estate on one island.

This is a single plantation, couverture* chocolate bar. This doesn't mean that the same rules of single origin tasting do not apply. You will taste distinctive trademarks of the beans from the regions they come from, but this just means one specific estate has a higher quality of beans from the specific region.

*Couverture    (COO-ver-tyoor)    is    professional-quality chocolate that is used for tempering and making bonbons, truffles and chocolate bars, or enrobing other confections.

[Via: Gourmet Food - Michel Cluizel Chocolate - The World's Best Chocolate - Product Review - THE NIBBLE Gourmet Food Magazine  Karen Hochman and Peter Rot 2006]

Papua New Guinea sits right below zero degrees on the equator. Optimal growing conditions for chocolate, as 20°N & 20°S of the equator are the borders in which the worlds best cocoa is produced. 

As described on the package:

The island of Papua - New Guinea, off the coast of Australia, is an unusual origin for cocoa. A superb Maralumi plantation lies close to the East coast producing refined beans that greatly appealed to me. They give this mellow chocolate slightly roasted and spicy flavours, fresh notes of green bananas and acidulates flavours of red currants prolonged by charming aromas of Havana tobacco leaves.

Try not to let the generic flavor profile influence your palate. Taste first and then evaluate whether your palate detected the same notes or not. Taste is subjective meaning your palate is unique and just because certain notes are detected from someone else it doesn't make them right and you wrong about what you're tasting. But be advised that there is usually a general consensus of what flavors are commonly found from each region.

I personally jump right in, smell the chocolate, evaluate it, taste it, and complete my own notes. Then I will research what is typical of the region or what others have noted about the particular chocolate to see where my palate is in conjunction with theirs. I am trying desperately not to remember anything more than the basic flavor profiles of certain regions as to not influence my palate.

1er Cru de Plantation "Maralumi."

Bean Varietal: Unknown, but most likely is Trinitario as that bean varietal is common for Papua New Guinea.

Ingredients: Cocoa, cane sugar, cocoa butter, bourbon vanilla pod.

Type: Bittersweet, 64%

Sample size: 3.5oz or 100g

Appearance: Soft, muted, but deep brown colors. Not very shiny, but smooth design and molding.

Score: 92

Snap: Clean break lines, but a dull, low thud sound.

Score: 79

Aroma: At first it was very soft and delicate nose nutty almost peanut-y. But then it opened up more with mild hints of tar, big fruit intermixed with a slight flowery perfume aroma, big tobacco leaves, roasted cocoa, and blueberries. Hints of spicy, cinnamon aroma was present as well.

Score: 94

Taste: Upfront, bright berry fruits, big honey notes, orange blossom, sharp and tangy but not too astringent, bitter with undefined edges (not rounded and comes in and out), wood, tiny hints of banana and orange blossom from retro-olfaction. Mild lingering astringent after taste that was slightly present in the initial tasting, but more so on the end of the taste.

Score: 97

Texture: Smooth and soft, quick melt time.

Score: 95

Although the flavor of this chocolate are straightforward and meet you immediately upon tasting, it's complicated chocolate. The bitterness is very apparent on this bar and comes out about midway through the melt. It doesn't jab you in the neck with it's presence, but very apparent and in your face.

The gorgeous honey notes were my favorite part of the tasting. I wrote orange blossom down twice because I detected it in the beginning, and then the bitterness berry flavors overtook the palate. Through retro-olfaction it was once again present with banana notes.

It's a shame about the snap quality which really drags the average down for this particular chocolate. Without knowing the percentage of cocoa butters used, it's hard to say if this was an intended effect or not. Reading about Cluizel, soft textures are a hallmark. The chocolate broke in clean lines, but again was a dull and low thud for a snap versus a decisive and direct snap sound.

Despite the score for this chocolate which may seem less that stellar for a such a world renowned chocolatier, it's only the snap that is indicating that score. This was fantastic over all and very much deserves the world class reputation it has. Once again a real thinking chocolate that demands respect.

Side Note:

I am quite sure the lower score of this particular chocolate will garnish a lot of either disagreement or mistrust in my reviews as the mass produced Villars Chocolat Noir 72%, received a higher score than this world renowned single origin producer. The fact of the matter is I rated one higher than the other and it was not based on the quality of bean. Clearly Cluizel, is much better in quality, but in subjective matters, I enjoyed eating the Villars a great deal and frankly, I was more surprised with it than I was with the Maralumi. I went into this knowing that the Cruizel would be world class, but the results of the Villars, were much more surprising than I had thought. It was a surprise factor in the end, and not a class factor. A minor technicality is the cause of a lower score for the Maralumi bar.

Final Score: 91.4

score
B+

Villars ~ Chocolat Noir 72%

 

Part two of my Villars chocolate experience. Brought to me by my husband Todd, after a trip to Germany and a stop over in Geneva. Read about Villars and the first part of my review with Villars Chocolat À L'Ancienne. 

Villars Chocolat Noir 72%

Bean Varietal: Unknown, but from the Ghana and Ecuador regions.

Ingredients: cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, emulsifier (Soya Lecithin), natural vanilla flavor.

Type: Bittersweet 72%

Sample size: 100g or 3.5oz

Appearance: Simple and pretty molding, shiny, smooth and deep dark brown color. Nice and simple.

Score: 93

Snap: Nice loud cracking snap. Excellent snap and clean lines.

Score: 96

Aroma: Wood, big coconut cream aroma, buttery, almonds, mild roasted cocoa, mild tobacco and smoke notes.

Score: 95

Taste: Soft edges, extremely low bitterness, slightly astringent, roasted cocoa in the very beginning, coconut, lightly floral, lightly woody, blueberries on the back end of the finish through retro-olfaction.

Score: 92

Texture: Soft, smooth, creamy texture, medium-length melt time.

Score: 94

It smells like an Almond Joy candy bar. I happen to love coconut and Almond Joy's. Beans are from Ecuador and Ghana. I don't have much experience with Ghana beans, but I am sure it's the Ecuador beans toning this bar down and making it more palatable. Once again a chocolate that doesn't have too many discernible hallmarks, but was a total pleasure to eat.

Eating chocolate, not thinking chocolate. This is the kind of chocolate that needs to be devoured when a sudden and serious chocolate craving comes on. You don't want to plow through the expensive, superior grade chocolates you use to savor, relax with, and let melt slowly on your tongue for moments like that. You would want this chocolate for moments like that. You want this chocolate for uncontrollable urges and you won't feel guilty about tearing through this bar. You also won't be put out by it's price if you plow through it.

I think a lot of reviewers take that for granted when reviewing. Looking for the biggest wow factor, rare qualities, and distinctive regional notes. Sometimes it's not about all of that, but simply about eating.

I thought this bar was fantastic. Again, I am keeping it all in perspective that this is not extraordinary chocolate. I wouldn't put this up against a single origin chocolate or a micro chocolate producer. This isn't a unique chocolate bar in anyway, as it's mass produced. But it tastes like great European quality. Milky, creamy, and smooth. I enjoyed eating this. I loved the coconut flavors and aromas the most.

Final Score: 94

score
A-

Villars ~ Chocolat À L'Ancienne Noir

Last year, my husband Todd, took a trip to Germany for Oktoberfest. I was pretty livid because I wasn't able to go with him. I have been to Germany twice now and love it. Since he was going to one of the biggest parties in the world and I was stuck at home, he was given a mission. Bring me back German chocolate!!

No, he didn't bring back anything German. Not even a liter stein from the Hofbräuhaus in Munich. Nope. Nothing.

But it wasn't a total loss for me. Todd had a layover in Geneva. Naturally Todd remembered his assignment and finally came though with some Swiss chocolate. Even if it was from the airport and commonly found around the States in such places like Trader Joe's, I am not too proud to turn away Swiss chocolate.

 

Villars is one of the oldest names in chocolate in Switzerland. Villars chocolate factory was built in Fribourg, Switzerland in 1901 by Wilhelm Kaiser. Villars is as recognizable as Lindt or Camile Bloch in Switzerland and to chocolate lovers around the world. Classic Swiss chocolate making traditions.

Key points in their history.

-1935

Villars acquires and installs a coffee roasting machine. In the same year, Mr. Kaiser invents the first chocolate bar filled with liqueur. Thus the creation of "Larmes de Kirsch" or "Kirsch drops"

-1969

Takeover and integration of Perrier SA, Chavannes. Villars acquires the famous « Tête au Choco » or « Chocolate Swiss Whips », a product leader in the Swiss market.

-1985

The Federation of Fribourg Dairy products and Cremo SA, takes the decision to rescue the chocolate factory from bankruptcy.

-2003

Opening of the Villars chocolate shop in October 2003. Situated at the heart of the chocolate factory, this café is placed in a warm and authentic setting.

-2004

Villars is awarded first prize for the "encouragement to the company most socially aware " in the category for companies with more than 20 employees. It is awarded by the Economic Network of Fribourg town and the Canton of Fribourg. This prize recognises formally and publically the fundamental role that the company plays in the region, not only in the economy but also in the social, environmental, and cultural arenas.

-2004

Swiss Specialities Collection. In 2004 , Villars launches the first metal box based on a poster created over 100 year ago. Four collectable metal boxes are sold from 2004 which are based on original "Chocolats Villars" posters.

Emile Cardinaux Poster Design 1904.

-2007

Introduction of two liqueur: The Damassine chocolate bar, a dark chocolate filled with the Swiss Juran plum brandy, and the Quince liqueur chocolate bar, a milk chocolate bar filles with Quince brandy.

-2009

Introduction of the New Swiss Drinking Chocolate.

Chocolat À L'Ancienne Noir

Bean Varietal: Unknown, most likely a blend.

Type: Dunkel, Dark, Noir, 64% Semisweet.

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, cocoa butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon.

Sample Size: 50g or 1.75oz

Appearance: Awesome molding of a Villars crest, but it was beginning to lose it's luster from blooming. Muted, not shiny and not as deep brown as I would have expected.

Score: 84

Snap: Good, crisp snap, clean break lines. Thin bar, but remarkable snap.

Score: 94

Aroma: Milky, soft aromas of tobacco, and roasted cocoa, slightly nutty, mild fruity notes.

Score: 92

Taste: Cherries, big tobacco, extremely low bitterness, a bit astringent, but not puckering. Big flavors at first, but finishes soft and muted. Lingering milk notes. Despite mentioning cinnamon in the ingredients, which I thought might influence my palate, I detect none of it.

Score: 96

Texture: Very smooth texture, medium length melt time, creamy finish.

Score: 95

Very European. Classic milky quality, smooth and creamy texture. I had read some reviews of this chocolate and though they gave the company high praise their scoring wasn't very high. It had me worried I might not like it as much. I actually really enjoyed this. It doesn't have the complexities of distinctive bean blends or single origin bars, but this eating chocolate, not thinking chocolate.

Final Score: 92.2

score
B+