A video explains how the taste of chocolate can vary wildly according to a dizzying array of factors.
Having watched this video, I tried my own investigation.
The woman recommends Nicaraguan, so I tried that first. The first bar's "flavor profile" reads thusly:
Argencove - "Cocibolca" Nicaragua 70% Dark Chocolate - Smooth texture, flavor notes of cardamom, Turkish coffee, cherry, and brown sugar with a mild tobacco finish.
Now, for some reason, when I read that description as well as the descriptions depicted in the video, I was kind of ignoring them. I was hearing what they were saying but not really listening. I suppose the years of watching wine connoisseurs saying that a wine has "hints of almond and orange peels," I've become numb to it, thinking it's just hot air. But no, that description of having a "mild tobacco finish" is absolutely true, it really does taste like tobacco... and it's disgusting.
The second and third bars:
"Delicate citrus character, not too bitter, well-balance dark chocolate with a smooth and creamy melt."
"Ripe fruits, raisin and cranberry, with a peppery body and blackberry finish."
And they're accurate. The video is 100% accurate that the flavor of chocolate can and does vary wildly. And, again, the thing is, I don't like it. Maybe I'm a simpleton, maybe I'm the dumb American but the "corporation chocolate" that made chocolate standardized and homogenized tastes better to me than the boutique chocolate.
But there is another aspect of the video to explore. Though the host recommends Nicaragua, the general consensus of the people in the video is that the star of chocolate is the Philippines. So it's time for Phillipino chocolate...
Puchero 75% Philippines Nibs "Paquibato" Dark Chocolate Bar - Tasting notes: Lightly roasted nuts, ripe banana.
More attempts may be on the way but I think I know how this is going to go... The video is accurate: the flavor does vary from your standard chocolate and it is an improvement on Nicaragua. But still, it's different but not better, "normal" "boring" chocolate tastes much better to me.
The research is ongoing but two more data points.
Coming back to the "corporate, boring" chocolate world, I have heard some say that the best chocolate is Swiss chocolate and some have said Belgian is the best, so I'll try some of those some time if I can. And if you want to know my ideal, the best chocolate in my opinion is still French - Truffles by Mathez. Fantastic.
