Amedei Toscano Black 63 %

As always, Amedei producec high quality chocolate. This chocolate tastes better than it smells. Itīs easy to eat, and I want more!

Producer: Amedei

Produced in: Italien

Chocolate type:  Dark chocolate

Cocoa content: 63 %

 Ingredients: Cane sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, vanilla

More information: Homepage of Amedei

The grading system in short

We are using a grading system of our own that is similar to those used by many proffesional chocolate testers.

Maximum is 100 % which corresponds to a perfect chocolate. Many factors adds to the result:

10 % The appearance - the look of the surface, snap and design.

20 % The aroma

20 % The texture - how it melts and feel in the mouth

45 % The taste - how tasty it is, how much it tastes, how long it tastes, how the flavors develop and changes

5 % Bonus - certifications, the packaging, the price, if it is produced bean to bar etc.

The appearance

A fine chocolate should be completely smooth and shiny. The color varies with type of bean and cocoa content. If you try the chocolate at the right temperature; ca 18- 20 ° C / 64- 68 ° F, a dark chocolate has a caracteristic breaking sound - a snap. It is not as obvious for milk chocolates. I also think that the design of the chocolate bar and chocolate square affects the experience.

 Surface: Glassy

Color: Red brown

Snap: Distinct, sharp, evident, sudden.

Design: Good thickness and size of the square (as most napolitains have)

Score: 8,5/10

Aroma

A really good chocolate should have a komplex aroma with many scent impressions. Of course the chocolate has to smell nice. The aroma should be deep and intense.

Opinion: The chocolate doesn´t smell very good. But it has an intense aroma with many different notes.

Scents:  I could detect an animalic scent, like spanish Serrano ham. There was also streaks of leather, pepper and nuts. I also felt a scent of moss and damp wood. There was a hint of toast, unfortunately it smelt a bit scorched.

Score: 7,5/10

Texture

A good chocolate should feel completely smooth and soft in the mouth, and a bit buttery. It should melt easily and become completely runny.

Opinion: The chocolate felt completely smooth in the mouth. It is rather compact and didn´t melt easily.

Score: 7,5/10

The taste

The flavor of the chocolate should be present immediately when you put it in the mouth. The flavor should last long and be strong. A good chocolate should have hamny dimensions and evolve while you are eating it. A really good chocolate has a komplex taste with a lot of different flavor notes. The taste is affected a lot by the nose and therefore often reminds of the aroma.

The cocoa beans has a bitternes which should be felt a little bit. If the best beans have been used you should also feel a subtle acidity.

Opinion: The flavor didn´t appear immediately when I put it in my mouth. But it has a well balanced flavor with many nuances. Oddly the falvor impressions differ a lot from the aroma. In this case that is a good thing.

Flavors:  At first I felt a little bitterness, maybe some coffee. Then the acidity appears. Then some fruitiness: a bit currant and raisins with a hint of red wine. At last there is some smokiness, some nuts and a bit of leather.

Aftertaste: It was medium long.

Score: 8,5/10

Bonus points

A lot of chocolate makers buys ready made chocolate without knowing what quality beans have been used. Then they make chocolate bars from it. But to make a really good chocolate they need to oversee all steps during the manufacturing process and select their own beans.

Amedei conducts all steps them selves and importes their own beans from selected plantations.

Points: 1

Result

Even though the aroma doesn´t appeal to me, the chocolate scores for the high quality. But luckily it doesn´t taste as it smells and I like it. I want more!

10 % Appearence: 8,5 x 1 = 8,5

20 % Aroma: 7,5 x 2 = 15

20 % Texture: 7,5 x 2 = 15

45 % Flavor: 8,5 x 4,5 = 38,25

Bonuspoints: 1

In total: 77,75 %