Michel Cluizel Noir de Cacao 72 %

Michel Cluizel knows how to make good chocolate. This is a favourite that scores high.

Producer: Michel Cluizel

Produced in: France

Cocoa origin: South America, Africa, Java

Chocolate type: Dark chocolate

Cocoa content: 72 %

Ingredients: Cocoa mass, sugar, cocoa butter, Bourbon vanilla

More information: Homepage of Michel Cluizel

The grading system in short

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

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

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

20 % Aroma

20 % Texture - how it melts and feel in the mouth

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

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

The appearance

A fine chocolate should be completely smooth and shiny. The colour 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 characteristic 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: Glossy

Colour: Chestnut

Snap: Brittle, distinct, sudden, evident. Breaks easily.

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

Score: 9/10

Aroma

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

Opinion: The scent of the chocolate is deep, intense and complex. It smells really good.

Scents: Orange flowers, acidity, tobacco, red berries, chocolate.

Score: 9.5/10

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 melted easily. It was smooth and sleek and felt buttery. It was a tiny bit sticky

Score: 9.5/10

The taste

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

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

Opinion: The flavour is there instantly. It has many nuances.  It has everything a fine chocolate should have: a tiny bitterness, a light acidity and tones of fruit. Almost perfect.

Flavours: I could taste the acidity and the bitterness first. It tastes somewhat of coffe and cocoa. Raspberry juice, elderberries. A hint of citrus and some hazel nut. 

After taste: The chocolate had a rather long after taste.

Score: 9.5/10

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.

Michel Cluizel have established strong relationships with the planters and chooses the beans for themselves. Then they process the beans all the way to chocolate bars.

Score: 1

Result

Michel Cluizel is one of my favourite manufactures and this was a favourite chocolate for a long time. Maybe my tastes have developed somewhat over the years, but this chocolate is still among the best.

10 % Appearence: 9 x 1 = 9

20 % Aroma: 9.5 x 2 = 19

20 % Texture: 9.5 x 2 = 19

45 % Taste: 9.5 x 4.5 = 42.75

Bonuspoints: 1

In total: 90.75 %