Saturday, 4 October 2014

Review: Galler Chocolatier Noir 70 % Menthe – Citron Vert


It's been a while since I wrestled with wrappers – let's fix that now. I have something special to review this time, namely some chocolate brought to me by my dear sister all the way from Brussels! And as we all know, Belgian chocolate is legendary, so... talk about great expectations!

Let's rustle some wrappings. And, as it happens, rather stylish ones! The outer case is dark with a gold lettering and green images (appropriate, considering the flavours of the chocolate). The inner wrapper is a luxurious gold. The chocolate itself is very thin, which enhances the impression of decadence. The tablet is divided into rectangular pieces of a very pleasing size (= not too small).

The 70 % cocoa content takes this to the dark side of chocolates, but it must be mentioned that it is in no way bitter. As far as I can trust my (almost non-existent) French, I gather it is flavoured with mint and lime. The scent is a nice mix of the almost earthy richness of dark chocolate and the refreshing aromas of mint and lime.

The taste, however, is where it gets really interesting. Since I tasted this chocolate at various occasions, I can say that this is the chocolate that has made me most clearly aware of the fact that with chocolates – just like with wine and, say, quality rums – what you've eaten prior to tasting can have a huge influence on how you perceive the flavours. On one occasion, I tasted the chocolate when I hadn't had anything else to eat in a while. In that context, the mint and lime flavours were rather strong, almost overwhelming the chocolate. It could almost be characterised as “spicy”. But on another occasion, I sampled the chocolate after a rather heavy meal where various strong flavours were present. And at that time, it was wonderfully refreshing, with a perfect balance of smooth chocolate and those fresh, crispy flavours of mint and lime. It was like an iced drink on a hot day!

Therefore, this chocolate was not only delicious but is also surprised me with the different tasting experiences.

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