The Winners of our VIP Tasting Panel tell us what they think.
Tasting Panel Conducted by Susannah Siger
Owner, Ma Petite Shoe
Double Premium Chocolates
Raspberry Truffles
Double Premium Chocolates is a new artisan chocolatier from the Washington, DC area, so we decided to start with a blind taste test while the panelists' palettes were "fresh" and "unspoiled". Several members of the panel tasted what is described by the chocolatier as a "sweet and tart" experience, produced by including actual fruit, in this case: fresh raspberries.
Almond Raspberry (Mandel - Himbeere)
Crispy Orange (Orange - Krokant)
Brand new flavors from a distinguished German chocolate company (est. 1890). We were interested in these particular bars not only for their unique flavor combinations, but because the cacao content is right in the middle, at 55.5% cacao. A great chocolate to try if you are a milk chocolate lover, but want to try a deeper chocolate profile.
Madecasse
Sea Salt and Nibs
We have been interested in carrying Madecasse bean-to-bar chocolate for quite some time, ever since I picked up a bar while traveling in San Francisco. As you will read, the panel had mixed reviews, some were not as impressed with the sample bar selected, the sea salt and nibs bar. My personal favorites are the Cinnamon and Sakay and the Pink Pepper and Citrus bars, so maybe those will be on the taste testing horizon in the future.
Lillie Belle
Ocumar
This limited edition, bean-to-bar chocolate from Lillie Belle is sorted, roasted, cracked, and winnowed by hand, creating micro-batches of some of the purest chocolate we've ever tasted. Using no soy lecithin or vanilla, the simple ingredients listed on the Ocumar bar are: cocoa beans and sugar. The beans are from the famed Ocumar Valley in Venezuela.
Eclipse Chocolat
Expresso Walnut
A dynamic bar from the masters at Eclipse Chocolat. We wanted to include this after the Ocumare bar for contrast, as a more complex, textured flavor experience.
Bissinger's
Coffee Toffee
Next we tasted two, new "ultra confectionary" bars from the Old World chocolatiers, Bissinger's. These two bars were interesting to us not only for the flavor combinations, but because it is the first time this 350-year-old chocolate company has sought Rainforest Alliance Certification, and we think that's a good thing.
Bissinger's
Coconut Caramel With Red Hawaiian Sea Salt
This was a crowd favorite. Dangerous as a snack bar next to your computer. That's all I have to say.
Vosges
Smoke & Stout Caramel Bar
This hugely anticipated new Vosges flavor is made with Rogue Ale's Chocolate Stout beer, Alderwood smoked salt, burnt sugar caramel and 70% dark chocolate. We'll let the tasters speak for themselves.
We hope this has been a handy, entertaining review. Thank you to all of our panelists for their thoughtful comments. We hope it was educational and fun. If you are interested in being a participant in the next Ma Petite Shoe Chocolate Tasting Panel, sign up for our newsletter and be notified of our next event!
-Susannah