Manufacturer: Guittard Chocolate Company
Cocoa Content: 91%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B+
Today's tasting is Guittard's Extra Dark chocolate bar, their 91% cacao Nocturne. The Nocturne is deep brown in color, bordering on ebony, with merlot undertones. The nose is predominantly cocoa with hints of vanilla and mint.
On the palate there is an initial kick of bitter coffee grounds with some green notes. The acidity starts to roll in and brings some juiciness with notes of blackberries, currants and some apricot as well. Sweet spice notes of cinnamon and mint are here, along with some cedar. There are also notes of toasted oats and nutty notes of chestnuts and macadamia. Chewing the Nocturne brings forward a strong chocolate note along with raspberry, blueberry and mint. The melt is excellent and uniformly smooth. there is some astringency on the mouthfeel as well. The finish is quite long with a nutty, coffee ground note.
E. Guittard has done a nice job with their extra dark Nocturne. While the balance leans strongly toward the bitter/coffee ground flavors that often come with the territory at this high of a cocoa percentage, there is a nice supporting note of mint along with some hints of fruit to help round things out a little. The Nocturne is worth seeking out if you like dark chocolate in the 90%-plus range.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
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