Amano Dos Rios 70% Dark Chocolate

All right, kids, dorm week is over and I'm back to my regular reviews. Coming up from Amano is another artisan chocolate bar with beans from the Dominican Republic.This bar is hand crafted and has a nice, consistent color, reminding me of coffee before cream is whisked in. Slightly dry, it's a softer chocolate, but still has a fantastic snap, and as soon as I popped a piece in my mouth, I got an immediate sensation of licorice- less of the heavy black stuff you can tie in braids, and more of an intense, planty flavor mixed with the heady sensation of a nice dark roast. The texture isn't as moist or creamy as some, but for a 70% dark chocolate, it manages to sap away a good part of the bitterness, which imparts itself upon your tongue as the finish, a long and drawn out finish at that, secedes to a creamy, herby tang with notes of cinnamon and an overall warm sensation.This chocolate is very evocative of warm weather and the flavor is layered perfectly. I think that with the texture of the chocolate, how it's soft and melts so evenly, it's an excellent and beautifully complex chocolate that would pair well with a smoky Côte-Rôtie or a good, strong dark coffee. I loved this bar and thought that the flavors stayed really well within the layers of the bar and maintained a smooth, chocolatey flavor amidst all the different tastes.

Labels: , , ,