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.