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.
Showing posts with label Guittard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guittard. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Monday, January 3, 2011
Waialua Estate 70% Dark Chocolate
Keywords:
Dark Chocolate,
Guittard,
Hawaii,
Waialua Estate
Today, The Dark Chocolate Blog starts the new year off right with the first A+ rated chocolate we've reviewed since the Amedei Chuao.
Manufacturer: Waialua Estate
Cocoa Content: 70%
Location: Oahu, Hawaii, USA
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A+
Up for review today is the Waialua Estate dark chocolate bar. The Waialua Estate has the unique distinction of being 100% American from bean to bar. The beans are grown at the Dole plantation in Hawaii, and the bars are being made by Guittard. The bar itself is mahogany in color with reddish-purple highlights.
On the palate there are smoky, roasted chocolate notes up front. What starts out as a moderate acidity builds to a lively level, revealing pineapple, citrus, red berries and green bananas. Some mint and floral aromatic flavors are here. Espresso, sea salt, black pepper and creamy notes are all present as well as some earthiness in the background. Chewing the Waialua Estate opens up spearmint, green bananas and a rosy floral note. The bar melts perfectly on the tongue. It is smooth, creamy and leaves a slight cooling sensation. The finish has floral notes, fruit, and coffee (along with a faint espresso bitterness). All notes seem to fade in perfect unison.
The Waialua Estate bar is a true masterpiece. It is perfectly crafted, has great complexity and a very distinct flavor. This is a perfect example of terroir as it relates to chocolate. The Hawaiian volcanic soil leads to a one-of-a-kind flavor that this bar captures perfectly. While my previous experiences with Guittard have been hit-or-miss, this bar is truly one of the elite.
Share your thoughts on this post at The Dark Chocolate Blog
Manufacturer: Waialua Estate
Cocoa Content: 70%
Location: Oahu, Hawaii, USA
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A+
Up for review today is the Waialua Estate dark chocolate bar. The Waialua Estate has the unique distinction of being 100% American from bean to bar. The beans are grown at the Dole plantation in Hawaii, and the bars are being made by Guittard. The bar itself is mahogany in color with reddish-purple highlights.
On the palate there are smoky, roasted chocolate notes up front. What starts out as a moderate acidity builds to a lively level, revealing pineapple, citrus, red berries and green bananas. Some mint and floral aromatic flavors are here. Espresso, sea salt, black pepper and creamy notes are all present as well as some earthiness in the background. Chewing the Waialua Estate opens up spearmint, green bananas and a rosy floral note. The bar melts perfectly on the tongue. It is smooth, creamy and leaves a slight cooling sensation. The finish has floral notes, fruit, and coffee (along with a faint espresso bitterness). All notes seem to fade in perfect unison.
The Waialua Estate bar is a true masterpiece. It is perfectly crafted, has great complexity and a very distinct flavor. This is a perfect example of terroir as it relates to chocolate. The Hawaiian volcanic soil leads to a one-of-a-kind flavor that this bar captures perfectly. While my previous experiences with Guittard have been hit-or-miss, this bar is truly one of the elite.
Share your thoughts on this post at The Dark Chocolate Blog
Friday, October 15, 2010
E. Guittard Chucuri Bittersweet
Keywords:
Columbia,
Dark Chocolate,
Guittard
Manufacturer: Guittard Chocolate Company
Cocoa Content: 65%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B
On the tasting block today is the "Chucuri" from E. Guittard. The Chucuri is a 65% cocoa dark chocolate bar of Columbian origin. The Chucuri is on the lighter side of mahogany in color with light-brown highlights. Up front on the palate is a rich flavor of semi-sweet chocolate chips. There is a mild bitter bite and very little acidity. Sweet flavors of banana and caramel are present. Almonds, coffee and a faint black pepper note are here as well.
Chewing the Chucuri highlights notes of vanilla nad honey. The chocolate has a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. The finish has notes if hot cocoa and marshmallow with black pepper undertones. This is another decent chocolate bar from Guittard, but something just seems missing to me. The flavor seems a bit flat, like either the bitterness and/or the acidity needs to be bumped up to make it a bit more lively.
Cocoa Content: 65%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B
On the tasting block today is the "Chucuri" from E. Guittard. The Chucuri is a 65% cocoa dark chocolate bar of Columbian origin. The Chucuri is on the lighter side of mahogany in color with light-brown highlights. Up front on the palate is a rich flavor of semi-sweet chocolate chips. There is a mild bitter bite and very little acidity. Sweet flavors of banana and caramel are present. Almonds, coffee and a faint black pepper note are here as well.
Chewing the Chucuri highlights notes of vanilla nad honey. The chocolate has a smooth, creamy mouthfeel. The finish has notes if hot cocoa and marshmallow with black pepper undertones. This is another decent chocolate bar from Guittard, but something just seems missing to me. The flavor seems a bit flat, like either the bitterness and/or the acidity needs to be bumped up to make it a bit more lively.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
E. Guittard Ambanja 65% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate
Keywords:
Dark Chocolate,
Guittard,
Madagascar
Manufacturer: Guittard Chocolate Company
Cocoa Content: 65%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B
Up for review today is the Ambanja dark chocolate from E. Guittard. The Ambanja is made from Criollo cocoa beans from the Sambirano Valley in Madagascar. The bar is rather light brown in color for a 65% cacao chocolate, along with some orange/red/yellow highlights. The Ambanja leads with a rich chocolate flavor on the palate that has notable, yet balanced, sweetness. Acidity slowly builds to a moderate level. Red fruit notes of pomegranate and cherry are present, along with a banana/plantain note. Some floral and herbal flavors are present as well.
Chewing the Ambanja opens up sweet aromatics of vanilla and caramel, along with some floral notes. The finish has cherries over a faint bitter note. The mouthfeel has some barely noticable grit, but is otherwise thick and creamy. While the Ambanja leaves a nice initial impression, I find that the floral notes clash a bit with the bitterness and acidity in a way that ends up leaving a bit of a medicinal aftertaste. A decent chocolate, but has some room for improvement.
Cocoa Content: 65%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B
Up for review today is the Ambanja dark chocolate from E. Guittard. The Ambanja is made from Criollo cocoa beans from the Sambirano Valley in Madagascar. The bar is rather light brown in color for a 65% cacao chocolate, along with some orange/red/yellow highlights. The Ambanja leads with a rich chocolate flavor on the palate that has notable, yet balanced, sweetness. Acidity slowly builds to a moderate level. Red fruit notes of pomegranate and cherry are present, along with a banana/plantain note. Some floral and herbal flavors are present as well.
Chewing the Ambanja opens up sweet aromatics of vanilla and caramel, along with some floral notes. The finish has cherries over a faint bitter note. The mouthfeel has some barely noticable grit, but is otherwise thick and creamy. While the Ambanja leaves a nice initial impression, I find that the floral notes clash a bit with the bitterness and acidity in a way that ends up leaving a bit of a medicinal aftertaste. A decent chocolate, but has some room for improvement.
Monday, May 3, 2010
E. Guittard Quevedo 65% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate
Keywords:
Dark Chocolate,
Ecuador,
Guittard
Manufacturer: Guittard Chocolate Company
Cocoa Content: 65%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B
Today's tasting is the "Quevedo" from US chocolate maker Guittard. The Quevedo is a 65% cacao chocolate bar whose beans originate from Ecuador. The bar is deep mahogany in color with orange highlights.
The bar has a distinct herbal/floral chocolate flavor. There are notes of hazelnut, marshmallow and earth along with a touch of spice. There is a slight acidity that builds as the chocolate melts on the tongue. Chewing the chocolate brings forward more herbal and floral notes along with leather, plantains and a hint of cucumber. The finish has cocoa, banana, bitter herbs and an earthy note. The Quevedo has a smooth, slightly thin mouthfeel.
The Quevedo chocolate bar has a unique flavor, which is characteristic of Ecuadorean "Nacional" cocoa beans. In this case I did find that the floral/herbal notes combined with the bitter chocolate flavors to leave a faint "medicine" taste that seemed a bit off. Despite that, this is a pretty good chocolate with a very distinct flavor.
Cocoa Content: 65%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B
Today's tasting is the "Quevedo" from US chocolate maker Guittard. The Quevedo is a 65% cacao chocolate bar whose beans originate from Ecuador. The bar is deep mahogany in color with orange highlights.
The bar has a distinct herbal/floral chocolate flavor. There are notes of hazelnut, marshmallow and earth along with a touch of spice. There is a slight acidity that builds as the chocolate melts on the tongue. Chewing the chocolate brings forward more herbal and floral notes along with leather, plantains and a hint of cucumber. The finish has cocoa, banana, bitter herbs and an earthy note. The Quevedo has a smooth, slightly thin mouthfeel.
The Quevedo chocolate bar has a unique flavor, which is characteristic of Ecuadorean "Nacional" cocoa beans. In this case I did find that the floral/herbal notes combined with the bitter chocolate flavors to leave a faint "medicine" taste that seemed a bit off. Despite that, this is a pretty good chocolate with a very distinct flavor.
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