Chapter Twenty-Five: Valrhona Abinao 85%

This week, we are tasting Valrhona's Noir Abinao 85% cacao, a bar from France which was gifted to us by Gaby's aunt who was recently traveling.  Not just excited because we scored another free bar, but also because we were amazed to read that this brand aided to reestablish a nearly extinct strain of cacao.  Their packing was sophisticated; a sealed tin box opens to individually wrapped, bite sized bars (we made each of our bars last several bites because we like tiny bites to really taste the flavor profile).  If you visit Valrhona's website, they advise tasting their bars with all your senses, in this way:

 

"Sight: First of all, look at the chocolate. Concentrate carefully on the polish, the shine, and especially the color. Colors can range from milky beiges, to pure mahoganies, to deep dark browns. It is an essential detail that reveals the varieties of cocoa beans used.

Smell: Next, smell the chocolate, breathe deeply and fill your mind and body with its aromas.

Hearing: Listen by breaking a square into fragments between your fingers, and listen to the snap it makes.

Taste: Start by biting into a quarter of a chocolate square, let it melt on the tongue to taste the initial flavors, aromas and consistency. Gently rub the tongue against the palate. This causes the temperature of the chocolate to slowly increase, resulting in the final release of its flavors and aromas. Close your eyes and focus only on the development of the aromatic notes of the chocolate in the mouth."

You can see more of their tasting advice on their website.  On to the tasting!

Tasting No. :23

Valrhona's Noir Abinao 85 Percent

Initial Impressions:
This was a very dark brown bar, the snap was firm, almost brittle.  The smell was mild, musky like wet earth, and spicy.  The base bar was almost cloyingly sweet in comparing both the smell and taste.

Flavor Profile:

Initial – mild, earthy

Middle – almond, acidic

After – soil, cinnamon

Texture:
This bar had one of most intriguing textures we have come across thus far; the snap and first bite led us to expect the bar to be dry and crumbly.  Surprisingly, the bar melted easily and the texture was smooth but ended on a dry note.

Overall:
This bar was reminiscent of baking chocolate; it had an intense cacao flavor, was not very sweet but was also dry.  We paired it with black tea and it brought out the flavor profile nicely.  This brand has a lot of variety: milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate with different flavors, baking chocolate, gift boxes, bourbon chocolate, and more.  We strongly encourage you to check out their website, there is a lot of educational material there about their chocolate making process, tasting tips, and their Clean Water Project which is inspiring.

Rating: 8 /10

*Notes:

Available on Valrhona's website
Price: $7.50

Next week, we're excited to start a a series for the colder weather: hot chocolate tasting!  We're gathering a few of our favorite brand's cocoa powders to sample during the month of November.  Be sure to check back next week for our first review, we can't wait!


For now savor: “Don't wreck a sublime chocolate experience by feeling guilty.  Chocolate isn't like premarital sex.  It will not make you pregnant.  And it always feels good." - Lora Brody

Chapter Twenty-Four: Marou Tien Giang 70% Single Origin Bar

This week's bar comes by way of a charming gent who made it his mission to gift us chocolate brands that we had yet to review. The Marou Tien Giang Dark Chocolate bar is our first tasting from Vietnam. The highlights of this bar are the high cacao content of 70% as well as the single origin. By what we could glean from the packaging and website, it is a fair trade and organic bar, although not certified. We were impressed to learn that the cacao is grown in a co-op and we hope that the company goes on to take the next steps to certify their product as fair trade.

Tasting No. :22

Marou Tien Giang 70% Single Origin Dark Chocolate

Initial Impressions:

This bar is a rich brown in comparison to the base bar which is more reddish brown. The aroma was spicy and earthy while the comprehensive flavor of the bar was light and fresh. The bite and snap of this bar were both firm. While we were tasting this bar, we were reminded of the TCHO bar we reviewed which was deep and fudgy in the backs of our mouths and throats. The tasting experience of this bar was completely different with its flavor explosion happening in the front of our mouths and upper taste regions. Yes, we laughed too when we re-read that last part, but remember chocolate tasting can be a sensual experience.
 

Flavor Profile:

Initial – floral

Middle – earthy, smoky, anise, cinnamon 

After – nutty, earthy, fudgy

Texture:

This bar was slightly gritty and then smooth, melting easily over our tongues.

Overall:
We both enjoyed this bar and think that it would make a lovely gift. The price point is affordable while the packaging and quality of the bar remain uncompromised. It is an impressive and unusual brand, which we believe would resonate as a thoughtful and indulgent treat.  We chose different drinks for our tasting; Gaby had a mug of hot English tea with milk and honey while Laura had a full-bodied red wine - both paired deliciously.

Rating: 8 /10

(Our utmost apologies for the not-so-perfect chocolate bar in this photo, we simply couldn't resist a nibble before the photo!)

*Notes:

Available at Central Market

Price range under $10

Next week we'll be trying another gift; this one brought to us all the way from France! Join us.


For now savor: “When we don't have the words chocolate can speak volumes." - Joan Bauer

Chapter Twenty-Three: Chocolate Amatller Ghana 85%

This week's bar is a Spanish brand from Barcelona: Chocolate Amatller Single Origin Ghana 85%.  We chose this bar because it was a new brand which we had not yet sampled.  We like that it has a high percentage of cacao with the added bonus of being single origin; however, it was not fair trade or organic.

Tasting No. :21

Chocolate Amatller Single Origin Ghana 85%

Initial Impressions:

This bar is quite brown in comparison to the base bar.  The aroma is particularly earthy with notes of coconut.  Both the bite and the snap are much firmer than the base bar.

Flavor Profile:

Initial – Mild vanilla

Middle – Walnut, Straw

After – Truffle, Walnut

Texture:

This bar's texture reminded us of Laura's all-time favorite: the Russian bar.  It was not acidic at all.

Overall:
This bar is true in cacao flavor, lacking sweetness.  The base bar is much sweeter; so much so that the base bar almost tastes like a Hershey's bar in comparison. However, as much as this bar is dry and does not easily melt in your mouth it is also dense and quite satisfying. Like the Trader Joe's bar we tried last week, it only had three ingredients but this bar was much more satiating.

Rating: 8.5 /10

*Notes:

Purchased at World Market

Price range under $5

Next week we’ll be sampling our first Vietnamese single origin bar.  Don’t forget to check in to see what we have to say!

For now savor: “Chocolate is cheaper than therapy and you don't need an appointment.” - Catherine Aitken

Chapter Twenty-Two: Trader Joe's 72% Belgian Dark

This is yet another bar from our Trader Joe’s shopping spree; we promise we’re almost finished with the tastings!  Trader Joe’s 72% Cacao Belgian Dark Chocolate Bar is fair trade and organic, but not single origin.  It is made in Belgium.  The first thing that drew us to this bar was the fact that it only had three ingredients (all organic): cocoa mass, cane sugar, and cocoa butter.

Tasting No. :20 

Trader Joe’s 72% Cacao Belgian Dark Chocolate

Initial Impressions:

This bar has a much stronger scent than the base bar and reminds us of burnt coffee.  It is also much darker brown in color.  The snap is soft in comparison; the bite is even softer.

Flavor Profile:

Initial – Coffee, Smoke

Middle – Walnut

After – Cooked vegetation

Texture:

Smooth, velvety texture

Overall:

This bar was quite acidic and intense, while the base bar is much drier.  We like that it only has three ingredients and is far better than other Trader Joe's bars we have tried, however, we wouldn’t buy it for ourselves again.  We agree that it tastes like a quality bar but we don’t necessarily care for the flavors or high acidity.

Rating: 5/10

*Notes:

Purchased at Trader Joe’s

Price range under $3

Join us next week for our review on a Ghana single origin bar.

For now savor: "As with most fine things, chocolate has its season. There is a simple memory aid that you can use to determine whether it is the correct time to order chocolate dishes: any month whose name contains the letter A, E, or U is the proper time for chocolate." - Sandra Boynton

Remember, fairly traded chocolate is a responsible way to support farmers by ensuring that the chocolate that you consume has been bought for a fair price.  By choosing to purchase fair trade chocolate, you can honor the cocoa tree growers and support their way of life which in turn leads to better chocolate.