ALTER ECO DARK BLACKOUT Organic (Ecuador)

Evaluation Date: March 2013

Cocoa Content: 85%

Purchased @: QFC

Theo Rating: 8 - "I liked the smoothness of this dark chocolate and its flavor, but the bitterness was a little too much for me. I prefer it a little sweeter."

Broma Rating: 8 - "Besides a repackaging of a previous dark choc (June 2012)  this new version is made from cocoa from Ecuador rather than Bolivia. With that clarity, I also report that this is an excellent dark-dark chocolate. The bitterness level is very striking and enjoyable."

ALTER ECO Fair Trade Dark Choc Crunchy roasted nibs

Evaluation Date: February 2011

Cocoa Content: 73%

Purchased @: PCC

Theo Rating: 8 - "I liked the "chocolatiness" (is that a word?) of this dark chocoate, but I'm still deciding if I like the "grainyness" of the NIBS."

Broma Rating: 8 - "I really like this! It’s a perfect blend of the Trader Joe's NIBS with a much higher content of great strong dark chocolate. It is a delicious & different experience and concoction that screams "dark chocolate!""

CHOCOLAT-BOX XOCOLATA NEGRA BARCELONA AMETLLA Almond

Evaluation Date: February 2015

Cocoa Content: ??%

Purchased @: Cannes, France (Airport)

Theo Rating: 9 - "A very good sample, but I would have preferred no chips. They were of good flavor, but I like the pure and smooth dark chocolate."

Broma Rating: 9 - "First of all, understand that this is a hybrid. (it has small bits of almond embedded in the dark choc) Now, understand that this is one of the best "hybrid dark chocolates" that I've ever sampled!"

GUYLIAN Belgian Chocolate No Sugar Added (DARK)

Evaluation Date: March 2011

Cocoa Content: 54%

Purchased @: Dallas / Ft Worth Airport

Theo Rating: 8 - "I found the "nose" not as good as I like for dark chocolate, and the artificial sweetner was detectable as not being cane sugar. Otherwise, it was a pretty good chocolate."

Broma Rating: 8 - "Interesting that the other 54% content (NEWMANS OWN) evaluation also scored well. This is a very pleasing choc that makes you wish you had bought more!"

ESCAZU Carenero Venequela

Evaluation Date: October 2013

Cocoa Content: 81%

Purchased @: Chocolopolis - Seattle

Theo Rating: 4 - "I didn't like this sample at all !"

Broma Rating: 5 - "I didn't really like the flavor of this sample at all. After reading the label in more detail I now know why: "We add a minimum amount of sugar so that the cherry and tobacco flavors can be appreciated." I am not interested, at all, in a tobacco flavor!"

MICHEL CLUIZEL NOIR de CACAO

Evaluation Date: March 2012

Cocoa Content: 72%

Purchased @: Chocolopolis - Seattle

Theo Rating: 6 - "I found this chocolate better than #70. The aroma was about the same, but the taste was better; not exceptional, but  a good dark chocolate."

Broma Rating: 6 - "An interestingly/strange side or after-taste negatively effects this otherwise fine dark  chocolate. I like its smoothness, the cocoa level and the sweetness. Its hard to put in to words the problem I have with this sample."

Chocolate Santander Colombian Single Origin

Evaluation Date: August 2010

Cocoa Content: 70%

Purchased @: Front Street Market (Issaquah)

Theo Rating: 8 - "I love the aroma of each piece before eating it. In the mouth it is very good, but not as good as Newman's Own Organics  Dark Chocolate"

Broma Rating: 8 - "The cocoa content of this Dark Choc is apparent from the beginning! Almost overwhelming, but after the shock, it is a very pleasing taste."

BUTLERS PURVEYORS OF HAPPINESS

Evaluation Date: March 2014

Cocoa Content: 70%

Purchased @: Heathrow Airport

Theo Rating: 10 - "Yes, I liked the texture, bouquet and dark chocolate-sweetness balance in this sample, so a 10 for me too."

Broma Rating: 10 - "How interesting to note that on the 17th of March, Theo noticed that this is a "product of Ireland"!   This dark chocolate from Butlers is also a "10" !!"

Maria Tepoztlan CHOCOLATE XOCOLATL

Evaluation Date: May 2012

Cocoa Content: 70%

Purchased @: Mexico

Theo Rating: 1 - "Too sweet and not enough dark chocolate content or taste. I also noticed that there were some small patches of very light (almost white) chocolate. That usually indicates the bar was not kept cool at some point in its life history."

Broma Rating: 1 - "This is a terrible chocolate, a real disappointment. Though published as a 70% cocoa content, it wasn't "dark" in the least."

Montezuma's Very Dark Chocolate

Evaluation Date: March 2014

Cocoa Content: 73%

Purchased @: Heathrow Airport

Theo Rating: 10 - "I really liked the dark chocolate “bite” of this sample! I agree it was a 10!"

Broma Rating: 10 - "A great dark chocolate that deserves attention. The packaging states, "innovative british chocolate" - well I don't know much about british chocolate, but this is a very nice dark chocolate."

THEO Organic Fair Trade Cherry & Almond

Evaluation Date: May 2012

Cocoa Content: 70%

Purchased @: THEO Chocolate Factory

Theo Rating: 7 - "I had trouble detecting the cherry flavor, but did sense the almond. It was a good dark chocolate, but to be called cherry I wanted a stronger dark cherry flavor."

Broma Rating: 8 - "I really liked this balance! The cherry and almond actually enhanced the very good dark choc in this case. I could really get used to this 70% Theo!"

Trader Joe's Organic Super Dark

Evaluation Date: February 2013

Cocoa Content: 73%

Purchased @: Trader Joe's

Theo Rating: 9 - "Very nice dark chocolate, but could use a tad more sweetness for my taste. Also, a little bit of an after taste, which was not good."

Broma Rating: 9 - "The packaging includes a printed statement, "not for the faint of heart" & that it is, for those truly serious about dark chocolate. I fully agree! I also really appreciate the thickness of the bar itself . . Where one square serving really delivers. The slight chalky texture is all that keeps it from being a "10"

Republica Del Cacao (Manabi)

Evaluation Date: June 2010

Cocoa Content: 75%

Purchased @: PCC Avondale

Theo Rating: 6 - "The chocolate flavor was good, but there was a hint of something else"

Broma Rating: 7 - "Striking Choc flavor with  "classic movie" packaging that reminds you of a great old Black & White film"

Lillie Belle Farms Perfect Illusion

Evaluation Date: November 2012

Cocoa Content: 65%

Purchased @: PCC

Theo Rating: 4 - "I found the cacao content, we usually find in a good dark chocolate, was not there. The bar looked good, but did not have the rich dark chocolate color we usually find."

Broma Rating: 4 - "This is a nice, smooth, sweet chocolate bar, but the cocoa content isn't there. It hardly at a level that could be considered a "Dark" chocolate. I do look forward to the follow on samples from Lille Belle Farms."

E. Guittard Nocturne

Evaluation Date: October 2011

Cocoa Content: 91%

Purchased @: Salt Lake City, UT

Theo Rating: 4 - "I concur. There was a good, strong chocolate flavor, but the residual bitterness taste was not good."

Broma Rating: 4 - "This sample gives you the same taste memory of the time you broke in to the "baking chocolate" in the baking shelf in the kitchen when you were young. Plenty of chocolate "zing", but not a pleasing taste."

Chocolove XOXOX BELGIAN CHOCOLATE

Evaluation Date: December 2013

Cocoa Content: 55%

Purchased @: Metropolitan Market

Theo Rating: 5 - "I found it too sweet and not “dark chocolaty” enough. I would say its a 5."

Broma Rating: 4 - "Hmmm.  This is a real dissappointment. It really shows the importance of cocoa content in a dark chocolate! This one is 20 points lower than another sample from the same brand, it isn't even in the same ball game."

Hageland Premium Belgian Chocolate Limited Origin Selection (Uganda)

Evaluation Date: October 2011

Cocoa Content: 80%

Purchased @: Detroit Area (Wallmart)

Theo Rating: 5 - "I too felt the dark chocolate taste was not balanced well enough with sweetness. The higher cocoa content overwhelmed the tast of the chocolate."

Broma Rating: 5 - "A perfect example of how cocoa content "balance" is critical. Though, this sample has great dark choc taste, it is too much. You'll see that the Hageland samples rate lower as the cocoa content increases."

TRADER JOE'S the dark Chocolate Lover's Chocolate Bar

Evaluation Date: July 2014

Cocoa Content: 85%

Purchased @: Trader Joe's

Theo Rating: 8 - "I liked the cacao of this sample, but it was not sweet enough for me. I rated it an 8"

Broma Rating: 7 - "As advertised this sample has a nice fruity "tilt" to it, that is rather pleasing. Unfortunately the cocoa content is too high, at 85%. For my tastes, that's a little too much "kick" for a favorite dark chocolate. Big credit for the packaging !!"

LA MAISON DU CHOCOLAT Cuana Noir Puissant et Franc

Evaluation Date: February 2015

Cocoa Content: 74%

Purchased @: Charles de Gaulle Airport

Theo Rating: 8 - "I have a special liking for french chocolate -and though this isn't a perfect sample - I'll give it an "8" "

Broma Rating: 8 - "I really like this chocolate. It has just about a perfect level of cocoa content, smoothness and sweetness."

KALLARI farmer-owned organic made in Ecuador

Evaluation Date: April 2012

Cocoa Content: 70%

Purchased @: PCC

Theo Rating: 10 - "Upon reflection, I'll have to go with a ten also. I could find nothing to distract me from the attributes of a great dark chocolate."

Broma Rating: 10 - "This sample from Kallari is also a "10"!   This is a sample that could be considered a perfect dark chocolate that represents its objectives without distraction."