Scharffen Berger 68% Cacao Dark Milk Chocolate

Manufacturer: Scharffen Berger
Cocoa Content: 68%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B-

Today's tasting is something fairly unique. The Scharffen Berger 68% Cacao Dark Milk Chocolate bar is a high-cocoa content milk chocolate containing ground cacao nibs. This is an interesting combination, and the question is whether this a dark chocolate bar with some milk chocolate qualities, a milk chocolate bar with some dark chocolate flavor, or some magical perfect marriage of milk and dark chocolate? Let's find out...

The Scharffen Berger 68% Dark Milk Chocolate is deep reddish-brown in color. It has a crisp snap, but it does seem a bit softer that a dark chocolate with a similar cocoa percentage. On the palate, sweet cream and caramel flavors come to the forefront. There is a mild acidity as well. Coffee and earthy tones are present in the background. Vanilla and caramel flavors come forward as the chocolate is chewed. The Scharffen Berger Dark Milk Chocolate has a creamy mouthfeel with a bit of crunch from the fine ground cacao in the bar. The finish is fairly short with a caramel latte flavor that is accentuated by a touch of lingering bitterness.

The Scharffen Berger 68% Dark Milk Chocolate is quite unique. It is definitely a milk chocolate bar first, both from a flavor and a texture standpoint. The higher cocoa content definitely adds a richer chocolate flavor, but the added bitterness and cacao pieces tend to counter some of the desireable qualities in a milk chocolate. This is a good chocolate, but I find the marriage of milk and dark chocolate to be a bit of a clash where neither side gets to show its finest qualities to the fullest.