Michel Cluizel Noir Infini 99% Dark Chocolate

The Dark Chocolate Blog goes big with Michel Cluizel's 99% dark chocolate bar, the Noir Infini:

Manufacturer: Michel Cluizel
Cocoa Content: 99%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A

Up for review today is the Michel Cluizel Noir Infini 99% dark chocolate bar. The small 30 gram bar is impeccably made. The face of the bar is 2-textured, with the lower right half covered with very fine stippling. The stippling is flawless, and I am really amazed at the level of fine detail here. The Noir Infini bar is deep ebony in color with highlights of purple and red. The nose detects a rich dark chocolate aroma along with vanilla beans and caramel.

On the palate there is a deep, rich chocolate flavor as the dominant note. There is only a moderate amount of acidity here revealing some lemon peel citrus. The impression of sweetness is really much higher than I would expect from a 99% cacao dark chocolate, with notes of caramel and honey. Bitterness leads to a deep roasted espresso note. Notes of oak, leather and tobacco are here as well, along with a hint of ginger. The Noir Infini has a rather soft, yielding bite to it. Chewing the bar reveals ginger, vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon, orange juice and earthy notes. The melt is perfectly smooth, thick and creamy. The finish has deep espresso highlighted by oak and cinnamon.

Every aspect of the Noir Infini shows the supreme level of dedication that Michel Cluizel puts into producing ultra-premium chocolate. The construction is immaculate and flavor is astounding. The Noir Infini has the richest chocolate flavor of any of the ultra-dark chocolates I've tried. I did find the flavor to be slightly subdued because of the lower level of acidity. I think that increasing the acidity a bit would likely increase the complexity a bit, as it seems like there is some fruit that is hidden under the dominant spice/earth/wood flavors. But in its current incarnantion the chocolate flavor is phenominal. If you like ultra-dark chocolate, then you owe it to yourself to get your hands on the 99% cacao Noir Infini. It is truly an incredible taste experience.

Michel Cluizel 1er Cru de Plantation Hacienda "Vila Gracinda"

Manufacturer: Michel Cluizel
Cocoa Content: 65%
Location: Sao Tome
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B

Today's tasting is the "Vila Gracinda" 67% dark chocolate bar from Michel Cluizel's 1er Cru de Plantation line of single-source chocolates. The Vila Gracinda is ebony-purple in color. It hits the palate with a rich chocolate/cocoa flavor. Smoky, roasted coffee notes are here. A bitter nuttiness of hazelnuts and chestnuts are here as well. The acidity level is fairly light but does lend itself to a bit of an orange peel flavor. Woody/earthy notes and some vanilla are also detectable.

Chewing the Vila Gracinda brings forward sweet notes of vanilla, honey, bourbon and toffee. As is typical for Cluizel's fare, the mouthfeel is perfectly smooth and creamy. The finish has cream & sugar coffee with nutty and earthy undertones.

While this is a good chocolate, the Vila Gracinda doesn't quite meet the high mark set by some of the other chocolates in Michel Cluizel's 1er Cru de Plantation line. While tasty, I did find this bar to be relatively straightforward. It seems like it could use a bit more acidity to open up. If you try the Vila Gracinda, pop a piece in your mouth and give it a good chew. The sweet flavors that open up are what I enjoyed the most about this chocolate bar.

Michel Cluizel 1er Cru de Plantation Hacienda "Concepcion"

Manufacturer: Michel Cluizel
Cocoa Content: 66%
Location: Venezuela
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B+

Our next review from Michel Cluizel's 1ier Cru de Plantation line is the "Concepcion" from Venezuela. The Concepcion bar is deep brown in color with faint purple hues. On the palate, the Concepcion has a nuttiness with peanut and walnut notes. There is a moderate acidity that brings out citrus, blackberry and dark cherries. Vanilla, roasted notes and "grilled" notes are also detectable.

Chewing the chocolate opens up notes of grilled vegetables, earthy/mushroom flavors and sweet lemonade citrus notes. The finish has a nuttiness along with a bitter note that combine to leave the impression of hazelnuts. The Concepcion's mouthfeel is smooth and creamy.

While the Concepcion didn't quite "wow" me the way the other chocolates from the 1er Cru de Plantation line have, this is still quite a tasty chocolate. Michel Cluizel's chocolates always seem to have just the right texture, along with balanced acidity and complex flavor. What more can you ask for?

Michel Cluizel 1er Cru de Plantation Hacienda "Los Anconès"

Manufacturer: Michel Cluizel
Cocoa Content: 67%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A-

Today we have another chocolate from Michel Cluizel's "Premier Cru de Hacienda" line of single-estate chocolates. The "Los Anconès" is dark brown (bordering on ebony) in color with a hint of red. Immediately present on the palate is a rich dark chocolate flavor. There is a nice bitter kick. There are roasted notes, and a nutty peanut flavor. The Los Ancones has a moderate acidity which highlights fruity notes of blackberries and sour cherries.

Chewing the Michel Cluizel Los Anconès brings out notes of hazelnuts, tobacco and cherries. The mouthfeel of this chocolate bar is smooth, thick and creamy. The finish has peanut butter and berry notes. The Los Ancones is another winner from the fantastic 1er Cru de Hacienda line from Michel Cluizel. It is well-balanced with a nice nuttiness and a great chocolate flavor.

Michel Cluizel 1er Cru de Plantation Hacienda "Maralumi"

Manufacturer: Michel Cluizel
Cocoa Content: 64%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A

Our next review is another single plantation chocolate from Michel Cluizel. This chocolate is made from beans from the Maralumi plantation near the east coast of Papua New Guinea. This chocolate is deep brown in color with a reddish orange tint. The Maralumi has a deep chocolate flavor up front. There is a tartness that builds to a moderate level. The tartness highlights flavors of blackberries and blueberries. Smoky and roasted notes sit in the background. Under the acidity there are nutty notes of walnut and pecan. Woody and earthy notes are also present on the palate.

The Maralumi has a creamy mouthfeel along with a squirt of juiciness. Chewing the chocolate highlights more earthy and woody notes. The finish continues with the acid and fruit notes that are most notable in this bar. As the acid fades, the earthy undertones shine through while the finish tails off.

Michel Cluizel has another winner with the Maralumi single plantation dark chocolate bar. This is a rich chocolate with great fruity notes, but there is a nice earthiness that shines through and really rounds out the flavor. Complex and flavorful, what more can you ask for?

Michel Cluizel 1er Cru de Plantation Hacienda "Mangaro Noir"

Manufacturer: Michel Cluizel
Cocoa Content: 65%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A-

Up for review today is a chocolate from French chocolatier Michel Cluizel. The Mangaro Noir is from the Mangaro plantation on Madagascar. The 1er Cru de Plantation line is a somewhat rare practice in chocolate making. While many artisan chocolatiers have been using cocoa from a single country or growing region, this line of chocolates is using beans from an individual plantation. With wines, this generally translates to an increase in quality. The question here is how this translates to chocolate.

The Mangaro Noir is mahogany in color with a hint of yellow-orange undertones. This bar has a rich chocolate flavor. There is a prominent maraschino cherry flavor of note. There are some mild nutty notes along with some peanut butter. A wide array of fruity flavors present themselves along with a moderate level of acidity. Citrus, berry and plantain notes are all present on the palate. Chewing the bar opens up sweeter fruit notes of apples and pears. The finish has cocoa with blackberries. The Mangaro Noir has a creamy, slightly thin texture along with a slight cooling sensation from the acidity.

Overall, I was quite impressed with the Mangaro Noir. There are a wealth of fruity undertones that are highlighted by just the right amount of acidity. While I don't know whether single plantation chocolate will begin to command as much attention as a Chateau Lafite Rothschild, it does seem to produce some quality results. I am looking forward to trying some more chocolates in the 1er Cru de Plantation line.