Discovering Perspective

Ben has been kind enough to set before me a great challenge. A dark chocolate taste comparison. Please feel free to forward such challenges as often as you wish.

Ben provided the three samples to which I have added one of my own. The contenders are Godiva Solid Dark, Godiva Extra Dark, Cocoa Camino Organic/Fair Trade Bittersweet, and Cemoi Intense.

My initial disclaimer that I am in fact a chocolate snob and have yet to find chocolate to match the Belgian Chocolatiers though the French come in a close second. Don't even talk about anything with less than 70% cocoa. That counts as candy not chocolate. As with wine and most other culture, I find North American chocolate to be tamed down, non-challenging and afraid to offend. This generally results in a non-descript, nothing to really hate but nothing to really love final product. I have attempted to be fair in my evaluation and tried to describe the flavours and effects of each chocolate. However, final judgement comes down to my personal taste for bold, rich, un-bashful chocolate that succede in countering and complimenting the bitterness without disguising or ignoring the true character of cocoa.


The tasting comments:

Godiva Solid Dark
45-60% cocoa (assumed)
New York

Sweet honey flavour with a slight hint of acidic citrus. Relatively weak cocoa flavour leaning towards a mild milky Hershey's flavour. Aftertaste is all citrus. Texture is more oily than silky preventing full absorbtion of flavours.

Godiva Extra Dark
72%
New York

Mild but present cocoa and nutty flavours still with a hint of citrus. Disolves with a bit more character which lasts into the aftertaste. Oily texture.

Cocoa Camino Bittersweet
71%
Switzerland

Sweet mild cocoa flavour expanding into fruity berry, raisin and currant which dominate the potent, slightly odd but not completely unpleasant aftertaste. Buttery texture.

Cemoi Intense
80% min.
France

Rich earthy, roasted, coffee and walnut flavours with hints of cherry. Complexity remains through aftertaste. Silky texture.


My opinion:

I'm not a huge fan of overly present citrus or milky flavours. Along with the relatively low cocoa content, Godiva Solid Dark ranks fourth.

I'm torn between the interest in the odd flavours of the Camino Bittersweet and the my preference for nutty distinct cocoa found in the Godiva Extra Dark. I'll have to fence sit on this one.

No question the Cemoi Intense ranks top of this list for me. It hits the points of what I enjoy in chocolate.


Further recommendations:

If you ever come across this in Canada TRY IT! (and tell me where). 100% cocoa, 0 sugar. It's the perfect example of how the bitterness of cocoa doesn't have to be consummed by sugar.


Thanks Ben. Greatly enjoyed the request.