Chocolopolis Chocolate Tasting, Part 2: Power Rankings

It has taken me a looong time to post these rankings from my birthday chocolate tasting last year. I have a bit of an excuse-I misplaced my chocolate tasting notes for months and months. So here's a plug for having a dedicated notebook for tasting notes. I have been using this lovely fella:

which my lovely brother got for me for my birthday (how have I not filled it up 3 times over by now?). It works really nicely because I just keep it with my stash of chocolate. Wait, did I just say STASH of chocolate? This is a new things for me. In the past, I have not ever had the self control for a stash to ever form in my house at all. 

But now that I have been buying quality bars and taking time to taste and think while I enjoy my chocolate, I have quite a stash (and quite a backlog of posts to write too...)! Anyway, I am loving the change in my life. 

But on to the main topic of this post: Power Rankings


It was so fun to taste with friends because some things we agreed upon and other things we didn't. For example, I don't know HOW anyone could rank ANY bar above Amedei Porcelana (so far my all time fave)...BUT some of my friends did. And that's ok. I guess. ;) No, really...it is. Although our tastes differed a bit making some of us like different bars over others, we all could appreciate the quality and complex flavors in the bars which was so much fun!

 

Here's how I ranked the 5 bars:

***1. Choc# 4 Amedei Porcelana  

 

 Origin: Venezuela
 Maker: Amedei Tuscany
 % chocolate: 70
 Notes: good snap, good texture, milky smooth flavor








***2. Choc# 2 Patric Chocolate  
 
      
 Origin: Madagascar
 Maker: Patric
 % chocolate:75
 Notes: pretty! milky. YUM





  


***3. Choc# 5 Vila Gracinda 
 
          
 Origin: Africa, Sao-Tome
 Maker: Michel Cluizel
 % chocolate: 67
 Notes: second best snap, milky flavor, flavor evolves a lot...gets better as time passes







***4. Choc# 3 Marou  

         
Origin: Vietnam, Tan Phu Dong
Maker: Marou
% chocolate: 75
Notes: cinnamon, nutty flavors, smooth and sweet








**5. Choc# 1 Original Beans  

          

Origin:Peruvian Andes, Piura River Valley
Maker: Original Beans
% chocolate: 75
Notes: nice snap, good texture, interesting flavors, good finish, berryish






So that's a wrap...8 months late. But wrapped all the same. :) 

CHEERS!

One year ago

 
One year ago

this blog was born. 

As 2016 begins, I reflect on my year-long journey of chocolate discovery and anxiously anticipate what is to come. I had been overwhelmed at the vast variety in aisle 4A of Central Market. Last week, I again found myself in the chocolate aisle, this time at Whole Foods, in search of a last minute gift. This time, I felt comfortable there. I was confident in my ability to make a smart chocolate purchase. 

Despite the huge amount I have left to discover about the complex world of chocolate, I have come a long way in 2015. Familiarized myself with top shops, craft and bean-to-bar makers, festivals and awards, tastings, types of cacao beans, cacao growing regions, etc. When I started this blog, I knew I would never run out of things to write about. Sitting here today, I know that to be truer than ever. I have a lot of room for improvement in blog post frequency...but I certainly have not run out of bars or chocolate experiences to write about and share. 

In 2016, I will continue on this path of learning and discovery. Tasting and buying. Reading and blogging. Sharing my love of chocolate. 

With the clean slate of the New Year, I'm excited to begin introducing new features, sieries', shopping guides, giveaways etc, while I continue Power Ranking bars. Stay tuned and get excited for our 2016 journey down The Chocolate Aisle. 

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