Valrhona Caraibe Noisette

The first review I wrote about this bar used the word 'nice' waaaaayyyy too many times as should be deemed appropriate.
So often in fact, that the word became offensive in meaning. Case in point: 'Oh yes, that girl Jane is very...(long pause) *nice*'. Not the good kinda nice, but the kinda nice that gets kicked in the ribs over and over and still forces a smile. The kinda nice where there isn't much else to say or elaborate over. For God's sake, I hope never to be that woman, Jane. Well behaved women rarely make history the saying goes, and so it goes for bars as well.

Dark chocolate with split hazelnuts, and a break in the straight dark chocolate routine. French. A 'candy' bar. In fact, it's made me think of those little Perugina Baci balls. The ones with the hazelnut in the center? The chocolate that has the fine hazlenuts diced inside? Like that. But a tad darker. Those Baci candies are sweet- with the little love note's inside. Very romantic, and much more authentic than the lengthy drawn out affiars of Chocolove...
A little nut for the nut.
But, good luck getting past the nut.

Venchi

After the last disappointment in Italian chocolatiers, I come across the Venchi 85% Pure Extra Dark Chocolate.
It is pure.

I
am
so
EXCITEDABOUTTHIS bar.
I first tasted this bar and felt so unsure about my feelings for it. Felipe tasted it and spit it out. 'It's over 72% and I'm out' he said. Then he ran to the kitchen to steal a bottled water from the company fridge to rinse the taste out of his mouth. I think he still grabbed a paper towel and mopped up the residue off of his tounge.
Me, I was in love. 'It's like medicine' I said. Not in a bad sterile cough syrup meaning way. But in a feeling of understanding that my feelings for it, and it's being for me was a mutual or reciprocal exchange.
This bar is dry and creamy. It coats, covers, and expands on your tounge and around your mouth. I can't believe it's over. I can't believe it's gone.
Where are the beans from? Don't care. Awesome.....

Domori 70%

Ecuador beans. Made in Italy/
What's the secret ingredient? Blank stare... I read the back of the box: 'It has notes of hazlenuts, banana, and citrus. It is very fresh and mild.'
Strangely- the banana is there. But it isn't. But it is. There isn't a banana ingredient in the list...but it tastes there. It is a bit nutty. It is very subtle and sturdy.
The box is stuffy-corporate-christmas-gift-looking. Not sexy or intersting. Not something to pine after, but something to recieve and enjoy and forget about in 5 minutes. To move on to the other 8000 chocolate bars waiting for me and me alone to taste, and to talk on.

Amedei Porcelana

Whoa. This is class. This is like walking into the home of someone with old money and knows how to spend it. Like outta my league good. Like how did I ever get invited to THIS party???

Then I looked down for another taste...and it was gone. I thought I was really paying attention too. Savoring it. Spreading it out over days and days. Stroking the packaging. Reading the jacket one more time. Then, it was gone. I say this bar is classy, and then I turn around and lick the inside of the wrapper. I didn't say I, myself, had class.

Simple 70% awesome. This is a chocolotier from Pisa itali, Alessio Tessieri who works with small Venezuelan plantations to produce just 3000 kilos of beans. The bean is uquie in all the world for it's white bean color that produces a very pale chocolate. The bar itself is dark, but there is almost no acidicy. It's so delicate and creamy but 70% That's pretty intense.

I really felt like I had something special with this bar. The lot number is freaking hand written in the back. The story inside the packaging is in italian and english- and it is hot and passionate. Tons hotter than any poem from Chocolove...

This was a birthday bar from Chocosphere- I can't hardly beleive it shipped in a batch because this is soooo serious!