I think I might be in shock if I actually added up all the different chocolates I've tasted this year. (I have 3 large bags of wrappers waiting to be put into a scrapbook!).
So many of the chocolate bars I've tried have been rather amazing, so I thought I'd end 2016 by handing out some awards! My very top favorite chocolate will be listed at the end of this post. (Tasting descriptions for most of these bars may be located in other posts from this blog). Not all of these bars are new to this year, however, this year is the first time I've personally tried them.
Best white chocolate bar award goes to Chocolat Madagascar 34% white chocolate bar. A wonderful combo of high quality cocoa butter, and vanilla bean!
Best high percentage bar (80 - 100% range) award goes to Zotter for their 90% Labooko Bolivia bar. The touch of salt in this bar makes this so smooth, and not bitter.
Best mixed cocoa bean chocolate bar award goes to Amedei 9. Never underestimate the power of a well balanced mixed bean bar.
Best holiday bar award goes to Dick Taylor Bunches & Bunches Ginger Snaps bar. Of all the holiday bars I've had this year, this one showed the most complex amount of flavors. Well done!
Most enjoyable port and chocolate pairing award goes to Lillie Belle Farms Stella Blue with Victoria Tawny Port. A bit of salt from the blue cheese chocolate pairs perfect with the sweetness in the port.
Best Porcelana bar award ended up being a tie between Valrhona and The Smooth Chocolator Porcelana bars. The Valrhona Porcelana bar has notes of cream, toffee, orange, and a touch more sweetness than other bars I've had made with this bean variety, and The Smooth Chocolator bar has notes of oak, earth, espresso, orange oil, and malt syrup.
The best Chuao bar award goes to Domori 70% Chuao dark chocolate bar. Extremely smooth texture with notes of red fruit, cream, oak, and a hint of mint.
The award for best casual daily eating chocolate bar goes to Chocolove for their Salted Almond 55% bar. This bar isn't overly complex, but it hits the chocolate/nut butter craving button, especially on stressful work days.
Best drinking chocolate award goes to Soma Chocolatemaker's Dark Side of the Mug. A little sweet, a little dark, thick, and yummy!
And the Dark Matters Fine Chocolate Review Blog best overall chocolate bar of the year award goes to a tie between Marou's 55% Coconut Milk, and Soma Chocolatemaker's Milk Old School. These bars win top marks for both flavor, and because these are the two bars I crave the most time, and time again above all other bars I've tried this past year. I picked the Marou Coconut Milk bar up at the NW Chocolate Festival in Seattle, and I purchased Soma's Milk Old School from their online store, and once from The Chocolate Project in Victoria B.C. Hope you get a chance to try both these bars!
Now that you know my very top favorite chocolates of the year please comment on your own personal top chocolate picks.
Have a very Happy New Year! I can't wait to review more bars, and conduct more chocolate related interviews in 2017! Thanks for reading!
Victoria Cooksey
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