the low-key showdown

today's conditions: pretty hungry. semi-cloudy. slight allergies to something. kinda tired.
it's a battle of the low-intensity chocolates. i only realized that now. at least the low-key chocolates anyways.


bonnat chuao
look - nicely red-tinted. very smooth, no bubbling 9.5
smell - tart/sharp vegetative, slightly smoky woody, light minty berries, touch of cinnamon-like spice, soft slightly savory cocoa, peach pie, very slight pizza (oregano) smell, 9
taste - cocoa comes up first, slight pleasant bitter, smoky (somewhat like the theo), sweet desserty flavor (arg, caramel?), berries (blue), smoked salmon (more the smoky part, less the fishy), roasty flavor, sweet but backed up by weight, slight citrus zest, herbal cocoa, sharp tartness at finish, a bit smoky finish. coffee lingers in along with slight bitter. length very pleasant cocoa. quite long. 9
balance - very nice. a bit on the sweet side, with acid playing a very backstage role. base is very solid though, and is accentuated by some bitterness. 9
texture - very good. a slight powdery sensation 8.5

interpretation - a very mild, low key chocolate that really explores the range of what vanilla-free chocolates can taste like. while being subtle, still brings in a very wide range of flavors, makes it quite exciting to eat. a good chocolate when looking for a challenge (in terms of exploration). i like. 9 (maybe 9.5 on a good day)
summary - subtle, expressive, wide variety of smells.
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domori - sur del lago
look - earthy ashen brown. slight tiny bubbling. 9
smell - fresh, green, cedary, burnt wood, creme brulee, a high-toned sweet with low fruitiness (probably best described as a spice, maybe clove?), a crusty pie, slight chalky smell, blue cheese ketone, fragrant flowery soap, fresh bright sweet cocoa, nuttyness, 9
taste - nice glue-smelling cocoa, dry high peppery, creamy light, richer nutty taste coming in, sweet, low to no acid, slight fruitiness peeking in (cherry), creamy light, toasty, very light coffee, bitter comes in at finish, caramel, bready sensations, long somewhat smoky cocoa finish/length. 9
balance - a bit on the sweet side. there was definitely plenty of creamy "base" to back it up, but the complete lack of acid made it appear sweet. pleasant in its own way.
texture - very nice. creamy, smooth. (might have been a random nib chunk) 9

interpretation - a light, fresh and creamy chocolate. no vanilla means very easy to pick out the "high, sweet" smells that are sometimes obscured by vanilla. very interesting in that it was not very fruity. in some sense, i kinda feel like this is a very "one sided chocolate". i have this image in my mind of something all built up on one side with th other side open, but it's done very well. all light, creamy and sweet. the lack of acid sort of works to pronounce this. really interesting. 9
summary - light, creamy, sweet, low acid.
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pralus papousie
look - dark brown with slight red tints. fairly smooth, but some ugly bubbling 8
smell - somewhat pineapple, somewhat peanut, soft cocoa, slight brown butter, kind of a raspberry powder, other faint fruits, vanilla, extraordinarily faint. 8.5
taste - buttery sensations, slight roasty almond, cocoa, fish pan fried with butter, rich sensations, bright tropical sensation, really ultra riche and creamy, great acid level, slight fruity cocoa, senbei, slight bitterness creeping in, fruity cocoa and roast nuts finish it off. a sharper cocoa sensation on the length, slight burnt grain flavor, length evolving into cocoa. 9
balance - near perfect. everything was aligned to my preference. all elements present (sweet, acid, in equally strength, with a touch of bitter here and there. 9.5
texture - really nice. if it wasn't for slight astringency at end, my memory of the texture would be more positive. but it's very rich and creamy. 9

interpretation - true cocoa flavor only slightly accented by vanilla, but the real excitement with this chocolate is the balance. the balance and texture. it's just so well aligned. not necessarily a very expressive chocolate, but a very very tasty "eating chocolate". no need to think, only feel. a winner in that sense. 9~9.5
summary - cocoa, great balance/texture, rich
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pralus tanzanie
look - a dirty tea brown. some ugly white chunks, odd surface. 8
smell - plasticy, herbal, toasted english muffin, cocoa, fresh cut wood of some sort, slightly fruity, 8~8.5
taste - like uncooked pasta, astringency jumps in, berry sensation, kind of a gluey-cocoa, sweet, vanilla emerges then disappears, woody flavors, tartness emerges, tea?, bitter cocoa, some slight plasticy, powdery sensation, astringent cocoa finish, length is of roasty cocoa. 8
balance - decent. i felt some acid this time, but in general somewhat lacking in a "fullness" sense. 8
texture - ok, but astringency gives a more powdery sensation than expected. 8

interpretation - the uncooked pasta sensation is really quite interesting. in general a bit of a strange choco, with non-standard semi-savory elements. makes for a fun ride, but astringency makes it less than perfect. 8
summary - pasta, berries, astringent, herbal.
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it's a wonderful life

cleaning house

a little bit sleepy, nice and sunny, good temperature. getting hungry but not incredibly so.


guittard - ambanja
look - very vibrant orange brown. smooth and no bubbles. 9
smell - soft cocoa, bacon (1st impression), sweet spice (nutmeg? clove?), like sharp wood, durian, white/black pepper mix, toasty, vanilla, (jasmine rice). 9
taste - soft cocoa, vanilla, sweet spice, chestnut paste?, slight acid, somewhat sickly sweet, slightly off bitterness, perfumy woody, vanilla, slight coffee, wood-like length. 8.5
balance - on the sweet side. acid was present but not very strong. odd bitterness detracted from overall taste. 8
texture - very nice. very smooth, rich. 9

interpretation - an interesting woody and spice (and vanilla) centered chocolate. very soft, great texture. would have been up there with the greats if it wasn't so sweet and it didn't have teh slightly off bitter taste in teh middle. other than taht, enjoyable as a relaxing chocolate. 8
summary - wood/spice, vanilla, soft, great texture, odd bitterness
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guittard - chuchuri
look - fairly dark brown with polished-woody colored tints. smooth, almost no bubbling 9
smell - bright poppyseed paste, sharp candied lemon, vanilla, toasted bread crust, nutmeg (bright somewhat painful sweet spice),plant-like sharpness, cocoa. (these are all exciting to see in chocolate, just way too sharp and somewhat unpleasant). fresh apples. 8
taste - interesting. bright mustard to open, sharp poppyseed smell, very odd bitter, very sweet, soft, whoa bitter getting stronger, the taste of a sandwich with poppyseed, slight fruitiness appears and tehn hides (fresh apple), creamy-sweet-vanilla-poppyseed, bitter. length also bitter.astringency appears. 7
balance - sweet. low acid provides for little backbone, base is present but sweet is overpowering. bitter present from midway on, seems to get stronger. 7.5
texture - very nice. smooth and rich. 9

interpretation - a wacky chocolate. bitter running thru most of it is very unpleasant. but the sea of fresh and bright aromas really expands the possibilities of chocolate. sweetness is overbearing. a very unforgettable chocolate, but in a somewhat regrettable way... 7~7.5
summary - bitter, poppyseed/nutmeg, sweet (and just plain crazy)
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pralus - tanzanie
look - deep brown with black sense to it. bubbling, swirling, chunkiness. 8
smell - very roasty, slightly lumber woody, dark berry jam, kind of a heavier spice, a soapiness, dried red chinese date skin, 8.5
taste - heavy cocoa, berry jam sweetness, pleasant bitter, fried japanese potato croquette, a bit of a glue-like sell, coffee's bitterness, slight twiggy smell, savory sell, some roast, finish of bitter and astringent coffee/vanilla/roasty wood. 8
balance - very good weight to it, a bit sweet feeling at times, acid seems present, just a bit of a lack of harmony. the astringency at the finish really makes it feel a bit discombobulated. the bitterness is pleasant, but the astringency is not. 8
texture - despite appearance, very nice. perhaps a slight powdery sensation due to astringency. 8.5

interpretation - dark and deep, with a fairly simplistic cocoa feel to it. at times interesing flavors dip in (spice, dried dates, even fried foods), but in general a dark roaster. astringency at finish makes this a lot less exciting than it could have been. with just the bitterness, it's a pleasant dark experience. astringency kills it. 7.5~8
summary - dark roast, astringent finish, bitter, heavy, some fruit jam
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theo - ivory coast
look - a dull ashy brown. slight bubbling. 8.5
smell - spice (clove), fresh peppery, slight sesame, wood, slightly toasty, green bright fruit, 8.5
taste - sweet, clear (not much base or acid), toasty cocoa, odd bitter emerging, spice, more spice on roasty cocoa, continuation of prev flavors, powdery, smoky, astringent and clovey finish. 7.5
balance - sweet. not a lot of base to back it up so it ends up feeling kinda watery and hollow. acid is also almost nonexistant. astringency to boot. not so pleasant. 7.5
texture - a bit powdery. slight crunches at times. 7.5

interpretation - a cleaned up version of very basic chocolate. it'd be a lot nicer without some astringent elements (and a "strange bitter") which i perceive as fault(s). otherwise it's a great exploration of spice oriented forastero cocoa. high sweet notes, woodyness. enjoyable in that sense. i'd say it's a work in progress... 7.5
summary - watery-sweet, bright sweet spice, woody, astringent
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i guess you could call this tasting "house cleaning". i don't have a very good impression of any of these chocolates, and sometimes i just feel like "getting rid" of ones i'm not that fond of. so today was one of those days. i did good. there's a lot of excitement and promise in the guittards, i just think they need to get a handle on the astringent aspects as well as toning down some of the more headache-producing aromas. but i feel like some really good chocolate COULD be made from what they've already accomplished.

saturdays make good tastings

conditions: a little rainy, not too cold. dark. hungry.


domori sur del lago
look - a dull dark brown. some tiny bubbling. 9
smell - mild cocoa, mild soil, slight fruit (maybe strawberry), coffee touch, some "creamy" smell, very very faint meaty smell, 8.5
taste - opening of dry dirt, fresh tropical note hiding, fresh wasabi smell, nuts clean light cocoa, slight fresh pepper, good texture, fair acid, a bit woody, high "creamy" taste, possibly a "dry" trop fruit,finish of cocoa, hidden candied lemon peel, 9
balance - good. base is supportive all the way, sweet never really seems to overpower. acid seems slightly lacking, but it gives it a "dryness" that goes very well with the "creamy" high notes. 9
texture - very nice. has this "micropowder" feel to it. 9

interpretation - a fresh, light and clean choco. doesn't really dip down into the typical darker chocolate flavors, making it very interesting to coast thru those high notes (without vanilla to get in the way). 8.5~9
summary - light, fresh, "creamy"
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amedei ecuador
look - a deep brown with very slight hints of redness. some tiny bubbling 9
smell - a bit of wine, some balsamic, rather acidic, slightly fermentacious, dried fig, blackberry, woody/honey at tail, tart fruit impression, slight wax, spicy wood - like a live plant u might find in a garden, [cracked in half] this herb... rosemary but softer (maybe actally eucalyptus), blueberry, (something slightly off too like rotting fruit) 8.5~9
taste - cocoa and soft vanil opening, sweet at first, move to the herby, posibly eucaluptus, slight fermentacious, wet wood, some fruit and vanilla, amedei smell (kinda boquet like), slight acid, quick whiff of mustard, soft cake-like smells, more of the woody, amedei like finish, slight ly caramelized, a touch of coffee, add a nutty element for a long finish. 8.5~9
balance - i liked it. good acid to back up sweetness (which was a little strong at first). base is present to support. 9
texture - very nice, no noticeable problems, possibly a tiny bit powdery if i think hard about it. 9

interpretation - a very "interesting" chocolate. not 100% in my "like zone" in terms of flavors. some fermentaciousness, herbal characters show that this choco is willing to deviate from the ultra-flowery/vanilla standard of amedei. kind of untamed in a sense. still, those are put in their place by firm wood, dark red fruit and vanilla flavors. kind of a battle between the two. 8.5~9
summary - dark fruit, woody, fermentacious. (long finish)
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(orange)
michel cluizel - conception (venezuela)
look - a softer brown, with very slight orange tints. slight bubbling on surface. 9
smell - piney, caramelly, sweet fruit, mexican food, mint, slight reminder of bacon at tail, potpurri, cinnamon, [crack open] soap, some szechwan spice, slight acid, some vanilla 9
taste - cocoa, sweetness, acid all open, cruise into a rich nutty flavor, some dry cocoa, vanilla, caramel popcorn, milky sweetness, sight wood amongst caramel, vanilla creeps back in, some smoky now appears, nutty (like pecan maybe) slight touch of coffee as nearing end, sweet/tart/base clean finish. coffee and slight planty smell linger on finish. 9
balance - a bit on the sweet side (66%), but base almost manages to hold it up. almost. acid present is very pleasant. 8.5
texture - very very smooth and rich. 9~9.5

interpretation - not as complex or explosive as i would have expected from the smells. really an enjoyable journey thru all that caramelized action, fruit, cocoa and vanilla. acid is really appropriate. makes for a very "full" experience. that's the feeling i often get from cluizel. a very full, well rounded experience. this one in particular had a nice acid edge that expressed itself in the flavors as well. 9
summary - acid, caramelly, cocoa, rich, rounded.
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valrhona - manjari
look - a "chalky" brown. i guess it has some white tone to it. some very tiny bubbling. 9
smell - chocolate, slight berry, vanilla, sweet metallic smell, raspberry?, croissant, orange liquer, faint incense, waxy 8.5
taste - nice acidity, a bit of some sharp smoky cocoa, settles into a sharp caramel with possibly orange peel influence, frosting-like orange liquer, minty interjection, round, red fruit (from acid), vanilla too, tart cocoa powder, more sharp caramel, then coffee, a dry toasty cocoa length. ever so slightly astringent at finish. (addendum - some "potato" tastes, goes together with smoky) 8.5
balance - nice. despite low cocoa content does not seem to be all that sweet, possibly due to acid, but possibly due to slight bitterness. 9
texture - good. slight powdery feel at times. 8.5

interpretation - acidic, from the start, really expresses fruit and cocoa well. caramelly things drift in and out thru the whole thing. orange and red fruit kind of go back and forth. has a lot of character for a choco produced at this scale. a bit rought in the smoky/slightly bitter aspects, but can be overlooked. feels very "smoothed" the same way a river pebble is smooth. maybe not any particularly astounding or "new" elements, but what's there is balanced and pleasant. 8.5~9
summary - polished, fruity, acidic, slight smokyness.
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pralus tanzanie
look - dark brown, black tints. some ugly bubbling, chunkiness. 8
smell - berries (jam),light coffee, something herbal..., possibly pickled ginger,
taste - bitter, the pasta taste, dry cocoa smell, herbal, slight slight charred almon, plain cocoa powder, lighter minty herbal smell, kinda green planty, more cocoa and planty smells, richness to texture, blance decent a bit astringent, woody, more of the woody pasta, a kind of offensively simple cocoa, continues on for astringent finish. 8
balance - not so hot. a bit sweet, a bit bitter. sort of like it has two very strong poles, but not much in the middle. 8
texture - pretty good minus the astringency. also there was some random distracting chunk of something in there. 8

interpretation - astringent, roasty and fairly plain choco. simple in a sense. kind of herbal/plant-like in it's cocoa smell. not the soft sweet stuff of the domori, or the fruitiness of the cluizel. wish it wasn't so astringent. 7.5~8
summary - roasty, herbal cocoa, astringent.
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that was a very enlightening tasting. i found a way that helps me focus my sense of smell. sensitivity is slowly increasing, and that makes enjoyable chocolates all the more enjoyable. if i were to give a favorite for this tasting, it'd prob be the cluizel. it was fiery to the smell but performed solidly on the taste. i would usually lean towards an amedei, but ecuador is particularly fermenty and medicinal, and i wasn't exactly happy with that. domori would be up there too (possibly #2), i just think it's a bit too soft and a bit too gentle to make a strong enough impression to beat out cluizel. but a fresh and clean vanilla-free chocolate is always welcome.... i was also surprised at manjari's quality for the price level. a good, enjoyable eating chocolate.

simple variety

conditions: hungry. nice and cool, sunny morning. a little bit rushed, had some difficulty concentrating

pralus tanzanie
look - dark roasty brown. bubbling and chunkiness. 8
smell - chocolate wafer cookie, slight berry, some light coffee, more berry, slight mintiness, fruit tea
taste - cocoa and some sharp bitter tastes at opening, roasted pleasant smells, vanilla creep in, richer tastes, pasta like smell, slight tobacco for a moment, reminds of a pumpkin custard, acidity kicking in, dry astringent roast takes over at finish,length of that and cocoa, a bit of peaty whisky. 8.5
balance - reasonable, but astringency throws things off. it's as though all the proper elements are present (acid, sweet, base) but the astringency and occasional bitterness kind of throw everything out of whack and make it imbalanced. 7.5
texture - decent, but a bit grainy. 8

interpretation - a very roast centered pralus. astringency can be considered interesting, but ends up just seeming like a flaw, esp when it distracts and throws things out of balance. 8
summary - roasty, astringent, dark berries on nose only.
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pralus papousie
look - brown with slight orange tint. lots of ugly bubbling/swirling/lumpiness 8
smell - vegetative - kabocha with skin, tea, vanil, some musky flower, roasted seed, very cocoa-y. roast, buttery, cocoa, sweet kabocha smell.
taste - slight sweet, good base, cocoa, vanila, tiny bit ofmushromy, cocoa, some kabocha with skin, buttery, rich, some roast nut (maybe pecan), onderfully rich and balanced, not over-buttery, long enjoyable cocoa, extraordinarily clean and focused. 9
balance - near perfect. weight really sells this choco. almost like eating nothing at all. 9.5~.... 10??
texture - very nice. rich and smooth with a lightness not present in venezuela

interpretation - a very simple choco. very simple. mostly just cocoa for aromas. but the balance and the "stability" of it a are really remarkable. eating it is a long drawn-out experience in straight chocolate with no interference. very interesting (in the way it has no variety or development!). 9
summary - balanced, smooth, cocoa. pure.
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pralus java (couverture)
look - rich dark brown, swirling, tiny bubbles 8.5
smell - slightly woody, meaty, some mint, touch of cumin?, buttery choco,
taste - coffee like, roasted twigs, blendy, very even acid, some fruit notes pop up (dark, pruney kind of), metallic butter pralusroast, butter pastry, end of roasted burnt popcorn, slight sweet. mild coffee with mostly roasty blend on finish. 9
balance - nice. sliggghtly sweet. other than that, very balanced. 9
texture - very smooth, felt somewhat rich. 9

interpretation - somewhat lacking in intensity and character, but some very nice balance and texture. a good, easy chocolate. 9
summary - simple, blendy, roast.
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theo ivory coast
look - chalky brick brown. fine looking, some tiny bubbling 9
smell - beans, sharp smell, chalk, slight roasty, dry smell, light with some fruit elements, maybe a bit of blue cheese element,
taste - sweet, bpowdery, chalky, indian spice, roasty, vegetative, bitter, somewhat like a deodorant, some more spice, something starchy. 7.5~8
balance - not so great, acidity not found, base is low, astringent and bitter quite noticeable. also a bit sweet. 7.5
texture - so so. a bit powdery 8

interpretation - feels "real" in some sense, but just no finesse or balance. a lot of dry sensations, a bit strong in certain spice or vegetal smells. not so great. 7.5~8
summary - dry, imbalance, spice
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domori sur del lago
look - tree-bark brown. lots of tiny bubbling, no major surface probs tho 9
smell - roasted sunflower seed, mild cocoa, slight woodyness, dry smell, creamy (coconut?) smell, bread crust, slight soil, 8.5~9
taste - light creamy aromas, cocoa nibs, fruit - maybe pineapple, rich cooa, back to light and creamy, blue cheese, creamy texture, good balance with slight acid, feels light, possibly a tiny bit dry in some sense, (not unpleasant), very light touch of coffee, mild/clean cocoa, slight soilyness at end, more creamy sensations/aromas. not properly identifyingthem, but very light and pleasant 9
balance - nice. a bit on the sweet side, possibly lacking some base. acid plays nice background role, but not quite up to the sweetness level 8.5
texture - very smooth. in an odd way, a bit "dry" preventing it from having the "richness" of the pralus (esp venez/papousie) 9

interpretation - very pleasant, creamy and light experience. any cocoa present was very clean. a tiny bit of soil-factor adds interest to the cocoa. all in all, very light and slightly fresh. a bit lacking in "roundness", but very nice considering just cocoa and sugar. 9
summary - light, creamy, fresh
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i'm finding the pralus papousie very impressive in that it's so simple, yet so well executed. i'm also becoming a big fan of the domori. if it was only a little rounder. although, maybe that's what makes it so attractive -- that it has its own unique personality

two new chocolates!

slightly cloudy, fairly hungry. hopefully not so hungry as to interfere with tasting
two new chocolates!! this should be exciting...

pralus tanzanie
look - (same as usu) brown brown, bubbling, a bit of chunkiness 8
smell - berries, slight cocoa, nice berry jam, peach pie, slight vanil?, toasty leaves, (seem to be picking up a lot of the sweet, fruity aromas) 8.5
taste - biter, plain cocoa powder, fruity jam on choco pancakes, brownies, evolves to lighter and softer berries with cocoa, coffee emerges, roasty leaves, vanilla touch, coffee and bitter astringency continue, dark bread, finish mostly of cocoa and dried leaves, length is decent, but nothing new (same as tastes). a bit more astringency lingering at back of throat 8
balance - reasonable. astringency kind of throws things off, brings out sweet and bitter-astringent elements, hiding acidity. body is also somewhat subdued. feels a bit out of balance. 8
texture - seemed decent, a slight "powdery" sensation may have been due to astringency

interpretation - a decent chocolate with strong cocoa feeling. it's just that the astringency tends to throw things off. kind of feels incomplete in the sense that there are some nice powerful cocoa flavors, but the finnesse of a good finish is lacking 8
summary - roasty, cocoa, berry jam, astringency
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pralus papousie
look - dark brown, fine looking inside but backside has tons of ugly bubbling and swirling. 7.5
smell - faint flower, faint mint. somewhat of a doughy essence (very faint smell), strawberry?, reminds me of a tea cafe, very mild, a touch of cocoa, like a raspberry tea? 8~8.5 (too mild to really get any enjoyment)
taste - light vanil opening, cocoa, some bitter, tea flavors, fairly rich, vanilla and cocoa, very pleasant light combo, a little worried about stange bitter lurking in back, extremely balanced and round. vanilla and cocoa on length. gently fades. (still continuing!) 8.5
balance - very good. very harmonious. acid, sweet and base all seemed to be present in equal amounts. very soft, allows for enjoyment of extremely subtle tastes 9.5
texture - very nice. felt velvety and rich, but not as "overly rich" as pralus venezuela

interpretation - a bit too subtle on the flavors and aromas, but the taste balance was dead on. that is, except for the extraneous odd bitterness. not even sure if that was somehow carried over from the last one. either way, thatprevented this tasting from becoming a nine. 8.5
summary - very mild cocoa/vanil, great balance, soft
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amedei - toscano black 63%
look - brown, hinting on the lighter side. smooth, tiny tiny bubbling 9
smell - very fruity leather smell, wine, beany, vanilla, smoke, slight licorice possibly, sweet high note, (cracked choco open) very flowery fruit [sim to vanil + strawberry], olives, slight herbal touch, touch of pepper, powdered dried raspberry (if that existed). 9~9.5
taste - weet, soily-treelike, vanilla, flowery, touch of coffee? hazelnut?, red fruit, ambrosial honey, acid tucked away but present, slight breadiness, sweetness very powerful, a bit of smoky whiskey, finish continues with that flavor (along with a sweetness), length continues with long notes of vanilla-flowery-fruit (somewhat signature-ish of amedei) 9
balance - just a bit too sweet. made it tough to focus on the other flavors of the chocolate. everything was still somehow balanced, acid supporting in the background, with good base to hold it all up. 8.5
texture - nice, possibly a tiny bit powdery. 8.5

interpretation - a nice flowery and fruity chocolate. somewhat "simplified" (more subtle flavors lost) due to high level of sweetness. that's really my only complaint. i really would have liked to have seent the flavors i was getting on the nose when i was tasting it. regardless, very pleasant, and not too mild.
summary - sweet, vanilla/flowery/fruity, bold
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amedei - trinidad
look - slight orange-red tint. tiny bubbling. 9
smell - minty, somewhat "exotic smell" (clove, flowery trop fruit), a bit of vanilla, soil, kind of vegetative, a little bit sweaty leather. really kinda lost here. there's a dominating smell of something dry woody maybe? exotic spice? wet driftwood?, dried prunes, (cracked open at this point) lavender, sweet vanilla, pineapple?, honey, spice, 9
taste - interesting woody opening, dried prune, winey dark fruit, honey, sweetness emerges, woody, acid now developing, a little bit dry in this fruity sense, a bit soily, woody cocoa, slightly potpurri, slightly coffee and vanilla on finish, as well as original fruit. long length of dark things. 9
balance - felt a bit off the mark, but not bad. all of the elements were present, i just can't say it was harmonious. acid shooting out at times, other times sweetness overpowering. 8~8.5 (i'm only being harsh because amedei has a high standard)
texture - fairly powdery. 8

interpretation - very interesting with a lot of character. "mysterious" woody and dried prune flavors drift in and out, giving it a dark feeling without actually having any typical roasty dark chocolate aromas. if i associated a color with this, it'd be some sort of transparent black, if that makes any sense. black because of the "darkness" of the flavors, but transparent because it wasn't heavy or roasty chocolatey. 8.5~9
summary - dark, mysterious, dried fruit/wood
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(green one)
michel cluizel - los ancones (saint dominguez)
look - orange tinted wood-brown, very fine looking. 9
smell - the meat in mabo dofu, spice mix, slight sweet tone hiding, cinnamon?, one other smell i can't pin down (kind of minty kind of smoky kind of dill-like), [crack open], munster cheese, fermenacious cocoa, roasted peanut 9 (very lively)
taste - sweet, slight vanilla, spice, mabo tofu, slight nutty, flowers/fruit, more roast nut, slight caramel, a little bit pencil lead, really really nice smoky chestnut, blending to gentle cofee, (realy getting exciting now),sweet roasty nut, coffee caramel on length. very nice. 9.5
balance - very nice. a bit on the sweet side, but base really evens things out, and of course there is acid to spare (this being cluizel and all) 9
texture - very good. 9~9.5

interpretation - amazing. i really like this one. really fits my personality. savory spice character, roast nuts, chestnut. the ending was really superb. this is definitely my favorite cluizel. possibly my favorite of this tasting too. this one is wild and exciting like mangaro, but rather than a fruit bomb, it's very focused on aforementioned flavors. (if only he cut the sugar just a tad...) 9.5
summary - exciting, spice/nuts/creamy, a bit sweet
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wow, the ending of the michel cluizel (los ancones) was really an eye opener. i remember having liked that chocolate a long time ago, but now i know why. very enjoyable. i don't want to eat anything for a while...
as for the others, trinidad was fun and intersting, but not necessarily one you could relax to. toscano black was a bit mild in the sense that it felt like a generic amedei - pleasing but doesn't deviate from norm. pralus papousie was a bit soft and subtle for me. i'd like to give it another tasting before i rate it too harshly.

after a 107 mile bike ride

the next day. a little sleepy (from all that good sleeping). sun is shining, makes me feel great. like it's california or something.

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guittard - ambanja
look - light chestnut brown, no bubbles, smooth 9
smell - dried papery smell, kind of beany, a little nutmeg, slight smoky, some vanilla, like the sweet potatoes at the soul food place, more vanil, 8.5
taste - milky vanilla, sweet cocoa, slight coffee, develops stronger, blakcberry, woody, mild, sweet, lowish acid, some uncleaninliness at the back of throat, finish also somewhat bitter, faint, length cuts out. 8
balance - ok. sweet, slight acid to back up, decent weight. i guess my feeling is that a chocolate this sweet deserves a litte "weightier" acid 8
texture - very nice. smooth and rich melt

interpretation - a good mild chocolate, fairly sweet. clean in most senses, just a bit odd on the back of the throat. enjoyable gentle smells, although vanilla seems to dominate. good. 8~8.5
summary - mild, sweet, vanilla
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pralus - tanzanie
look - blackish brown, heavy bubbling, odd little chunks
smell - fruitstand, particularly grapes and berries, herbal candles, dried raspberry, choco, slight coffee. fairly faint. wax. 8
taste - dried pasta, cocoa, bitter, develops to cofe, fruit (berries), bitter, tea l(dark, cocoa, slight mint, roasty, roasty length. cuts out after a bit to leave bitter taste behind. 7.5~8
balance - on the bitter side. decent weight, but low acid. sweetness not too evident due to bitter. just seems a bit confused. 7.5
texture - decent. a bit powdery feeling, but the random chunk gives it minus points. 7

interpretation - a fairly roasty approach to a so-so quality cocoa. i think it was managed well, and negative elements were subdued, but couldn't be eliminated. bitter was a bit strong, but variations on bitter and roasty theme kept it interesing, as well as the occasional fruit. balance was off. 7.5
summary - roasty, bitter, imbalanced, slight fruit
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pralus - venezuela
look - a very "straight" brown. minimal bubbling, smooth texture. 9
smell - brown butter, slight sesame, minty or dill, like pasteurized milk, apricots, slight vanil, some herbal?, roast, 9
taste - rich and smooth, roast, the butter smell, slight minty, dark roast nuts, toasty, acid comes in , slight fruity, mettalic sheen (minty?), roasty finish, slight pleasant bitter at end some vanil, good lenghth of roast and slight vanil, milk. 9
balance - very good, acid playing a background supporting role to the sweetness. good solid weight. bitter present in avery pleasant form. fairly harmonious. 9
texture - excellent. rich and smooth. so rich, really. 9.5

interpretation - a rich and smooth texture for a very roast-focused chocolate. but the roast isn't some plain old harsh burnt feeling, but a very pleasant butter/milk sensation. texture really really adds to the enjoyment. the only thing more i could ask for from this chocolate is a bit of variety on the taste. otherwise excellent. 9
summary - rich, butter roasty, very smooth
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domori - sur del lago
look - kind of a chalky brown, decent bubbling, swirling. 8
smell - light fresh green, coconut?, toasty, piney? no, a bit of swimming pool, a nice nut, 8.5
taste - fresh green bitter, (interesting contrast), somewhat creamy, cocoa, slightly meaty, a bit of soily mushrooms, slight fruit on finish, a bit dry. length is a bit odd. 8
balance - good, but seems a bit low on acid. a bit of a "light and dusty" chocolate due to that. 8
texture - chunkiness. other than that extremely fine. 8

interpretation - interesting chocolate. a lot of fresh tastes which were enjoyable. creaminess too. was a shame the texture was ruined by the chunks
summary - creamy, fresh, lightweight
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i have no idea why i have such a bias for the pralus venezuela. it's not necessarily the most delicate or complex chocolate. maybe it's that it's so "soothing". plus those really "unique" flavors of browned butter. maybe that's what i really want in a chocolate, or at least it's a flavor i strongly associate with something of that color, so when it fits my expectations, i'm pleased.

all across the world

nicely hungry, a slight bit tired. sun is shining. good conditions overall for tasting.
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pralus - tanzanie
look - dark brown - significant bubbling, bad texture, odd white things (like little sugar crystals?)
smell - flowery with a bit of berry, like some good oolong, slight herbal or plantyness, a bit of meaty cocoa, malt ball smell, cranberry, blueberry jam, 8.5
taste - light cocoa astringent start, some roasty, watery pasta, slight caramel, coffee, fruity with meaty component, nutty roast, slight acidity peeks out, bitterness hangs in, woody and roasty length, seems to fade somewhat quickly. 8
balance - reasonable. sweet and bitter + astringent tend to dominate, but with a slight acidity that sort of gives it this "hollowed out" feeling. interesting. 8
texture - ok, a bit rough 7.5

interpretation - decent chocolate, just a bit hollow. also doesn't relly come thru on the promises that the smell gives off. where is the fruit? i guess it's in there, but it's not nearly as pleasant as the smell, probably due to excessive roasting and astringency. 7.5~8
summary - roasty, hollow, astringent, berry smells
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amedei - toscano black 66%
look - a medium brown with a purple-red tinge. fine looking texture, tiny bubbling 9
smell - very woody up front, somewhat... winey or grapey, some sharp aroma - possibly fermentacious, vanilla, beeswax lies beneath, a bit of hazelnut, kind of milk chocolatey, some raspberry, slight soil beneath. 8.5~9
taste - sweetness, cocoa and vanilla opening, slight honeyed accent, shifting into acidic phase, some red berry fruit, toasty coffee, woody cask, gentle honey-like tastes, nice level of acid, sweetness also prevailing, a bit of toasty, a vanilla and woody length, turns slightly bitter. perfumy length really lingering 8.5~9
balance - a bit on the sweet side. base was present to support sweet > acid balance. pleasant
texture - very good, possibly a tiny bit of powdery feel

interpretation - this one loses a few points for not being bold enough. i feel like it was pretty timid, never really ventured out to show anything off. i guess that's the point of these blends tho. still, i could have used more excitement. regardless, winey/woody tastes complimented by honey/perfume is hardly something to complain about. amazing lenght. 8.5~9
summary - mild, sweet, woody/fruity, slight honey/perfume
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michel cluizel - mangaro (madagascar)
look - a lightish brown, not much in terms of red. some slight bubbling 9
smell - (smelling loads of fruit after opening the wrapper) rich fruity, cocoa and meaty smells. smoke, red fruit, vanilla, fertilizer, peanutty, tropical fruits, somewhat of a plasticy, orange, significant acid, the woody peel of some fruit-- what is it??, slight minty hiding in back, cherries? 9
taste - sweet and tart, caramel and fruit at opening, develops cocoa, nuts, fruit, fairly tart, guava, pineapple, meaty cocoa, more pineapple, slight dustiness in cocoa, more caramel, fudge tasting, tart, vanilla, red fruit on finish. also some interesting nutty(pistachio?), some whisky. very intersting finish, lingers for some time. 9
balance - sweet and tart. very lively. a good base as well. 9
texture - very good. 9.5

interpretation - an intense experience with loads of "high intensity" fruit. really gets in your face with it. acidity, fruit (esp tropical) and meaty cocoa are all very strongly imprinted in memory. really powerful. not much finesse, but i guess u can't have both. personally, if it was a tiny bit less sweet, this would be up in my favorites. a really fun-filled, exciting chocolate 9
summary - intense, exciting, acidic, tropical fruit, meaty cocoa
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lindt - ecuador
look - dark brown withreddish tinge, some tiny bubbling 9
smell - strong perfumy, woody, vanilla, cinnamon, a very blendy smell, apple cinnamon cake, possibly cloves, vanilla, green tropical fruit, very intense, somewht simple in that way 8.5
taste - significant bitter, roasty and spice smells, slightly burnt feeling, strong nutty wood sense, kind of nutmegggy, a bit flat (sweet and bitter only), more nutmeg, bitter/astringent roasty touched finish. 6.5-7
balance - so so. no acid for support. lots of bitter. 7
texture - not really any problems. 9

interpretation - this choco is wack. from teh smells you'd expect something smooth and round, but that's not the case at all. loads of bitterness and astringency await in the mouth. not to mention the flavors are far less refined when actually eating it. very strange. not a big fan, despite interesting smells. 6.5~7
summary - nice spice aromas, off taste.
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(this tasting may be a bit rushed, not to mention awful bitter left behind by prev choco)
domori - sur del lago (venezuela)
look - dark brown with slight red tint. tiny bubbling present in large amt. quite an appetizing color actually 9
smell - nutty, roasty smells, slight fermentacious, very interesting... marker?, pretty low intensity, a little bit of stink, some leathery tree branches, peppery maybe, 8
taste - peppery, blue cheese, bitter, fermenty sweet, coffee, pineapple? odd cocoa nib, creamy, interesting fruit, amazing texture, like a gently cheese, light sweet cocoa finish. 9
balance - quite nice. a little bit of acidity, mostly sweet countered well with base. 9
texture - amazing. perhaps my favorite. however, the random crunchy bit of cocoa nib is a big minus. if it wasn't for that, this texture would be in the 9.5~10 range

interpretation - very interesting. i like it. development all over, especially the light slightly fruity and fermenty flavors. creamy as well. texture is really great. i have no idea what the random woody nibs are doing in there. a thoughtful choco, and a refreshing change from vanilla and fruit heavy chocolates. 9
summary - interesting fruit/fermenty, very nice texture, random cocoa nibs.
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i was very impressed this time by domori. glad i picked up 2 from chocosphere's bargain basement! lindt was disappointing. amedei... was a gentle one. cluizel was firey. a very "all over the board" tasting