CHOCOLATES

Amano Artisan Chocolate was started by Art Pollard in 2006 and is located in Orem, Utah, USA. Amano is one of the best chocolate manufacturers in the USA and has won a number of gold and silver medals for excellent chocolate bars. Amano obtain top quality cacao beans from different regions, and by using their optimized manufacturing process they are able to manufacture chocolate bars of the same quality as the best European manufacturers. Amano only add pure cane sugar, cocoa butter and whole Tahitian vanilla pods when making their chocolates, no lecithin. The 2 oz (56 g) bars are wrapped in golden foil and packed in elegant black cardboard boxes which are similar to Amedei’s Chuao.

The Madagascar Premium Dark Chocolate contains a minimum of 70% cacao and has a fruity flavor with hints of citrus and berries, typical for good quality chocolate made with cacao from Madagascar. When comparing with Michel Cluizel’s Madagascar chocolate, Amano’s had a less smooth texture but similar flavor.

The Ocumare Grand Cru Dark Chocolate also contains 70% cacao, and is made with cacao beans from the Ocumare Valley in Venezuela. The flavor is extremely rich and aromatic, with hints of plums, red fruits, tobacco, wood, and coffee. This chocolate is in my opinion one of the best in the world!

Editor’s Rating:
Type: Bittersweet premium chocolate bars.
Flavor:

Hal Chocolate brands, Chocolate tasting, Specialty chocolates madagascar, usa, venezuela

Michel Cluizel has a series with delicious single origin chocolates.

Mangaro is made with cacao beans from Madagascar and has the typical fruity flavor notes from that country, especially citrus, but also a hint of honey. Maralumi is made with cacao beans from Papua New Guinea and has strong fruity flavor notes of raisins, red currants and tobacco. Los Ancones is made with cacao beans from the Dominical Republic, and has also flavor of dried fruits like raisins and plums.  Tamarina is made with cacao beans from Sao Tome and has a very rich and complex flavor.

Michel Cluizel won Academy of Chocolate’s gold award 2006 for Michel Cluizel Maralumi in the category “Best bean to bar”, silver for Michel Cluizel Mangaro, and bronze for Michel Cluizel Tamarina.

Michel Cluizel has also a number of other products, for information see their website.

Editor’s rating:
Type: Type: Bittersweet premium chocolate bar
Flavor:
My favorite: The Papua New Guinea bar, but all are of superb quality.

[Photo: Hal]

Hal Chocolate brands, Chocolate tasting, Specialty chocolates dominican republic, france, madagascar, papua new guinea, sao tome