Mast Brothers Madagascar Dark Chocolate + Cocoa Nibs
Type: Bittersweet, 72%
Bean Varietal: Unknown
Ingredients: Cocoa, cane sugar, cocoa nibs
Sample Size: 2.5 oz 71g
Appearance: Shiny and smooth top surface with simple non-monogrammed molding. Slight ashy and streaky underside with pretty Madagascar cocoa nibs sprinkled on top.
Score: 91
Snap: Firm snap, with slightly dull snap sound. Clean break lines.
Score: 93
Aroma: Big roasted cocoa, full rich aroma, tar, hints of rubber.
Score: 93
Taste: Sweet upfront, tar, cherries, citrus-y and acidic, tart, nuts and wood flavors from the cocoa nibs.
Score: 95
Texture: A little chalky texture on the chocolate, medium melt time, crunchy
Score: 93
This is a very tart and citric bar of chocolate. It starts of sweet and then opens up into classic Madagascar notes of tar and rubber. But then opens up into full bright tart cherries.
I haven't noticed the cherries or fruit characters as much on other Mast Brothers chocolate using Madagascar cocoa. I have been finding them a bit unbalanced with the acid contents. This bar on whole, is largely unbalanced too, but the bright cherries really come through and save it. They are much sweeter and flavorful than they are tart. There is a much better sweet character on this bar as well with sweet sugar notes right up front. The sugar content really helps balance out the tar and rubber flavors.
The cocoa nibs added a lovely woody character and nutty taste as well as a crunchy texture. They added a lot more depth to the flavor of the chocolate.
Final Score: 93
A-
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