This is quite an impressive bar. The aroma of raspberries even bursts out as you open it.

Presentation: 3.5/5.0

The presentation is simple, yet refined. Cacao Sampaka always divides its bars into two 50g, thin, rectangular pieces. This design is great, not only for the implications for melt (look below), but also because it means you can cut off smaller, less intense, chocolate pieces, and really savor the chocolate.

Melt:  4.5/5.0

Excellent melt again, as with all the Cacao bars. The fact that Cacao Sampaka has flattened the bars to two very thin pieces only helps the melt, since the chocolate has much more surface area and so much more of the chocolate is in contact with the mouth. It’s an extremely good design. This is especially impressive in the case of the dark chocolate bar, since the high cocoa content tends to make it more resistant to melting smoothly and easily. The cacao design seems to overcome this problem, however.

Flavor (i.e. how well integrated the flavor is into the bar): 3.5/5.0

The flavor is a little underwhelming at first, but when you savor the bar and eat it slowly, the raspberries emerge in full force. They are really quite good, adding another dimension of taste. The fruitiness acts as a very nice counterpoint to the bitterness of the dark chocolate.

Taste: 4.0/5.0

For a dark chocolate bar, this is rather creamy and smooth, with a great subtlety to it. As stated, it seems one-dimensional at first, but the flavor really balances the bar. Moreover, the creaminess makes for a satisfying experience in the mouth that you normally don’t get with dark chocolate. The bitterness thus comes off as a lot lighter, and an interesting interplay of bitter, fruity, and creamy occurs in the mouth.

That being said, I do have to emphasize that it is quite satisfying for a white chocolate. I’m not a fan of whites, but this was extremely well done, and the crunch gave it a nice complexity you don’t see in most white chocolates.

Value: 4.3/5.0

All the Cacao Sampaka chocolates, priced at around €3.60, are perhaps the best priced of all gourmet chocolates on the market. A large number of the best bars sell for around $8/100g or even more, whereas Cacao Sampaka charges much less for what I consider a much more interesting bar, and one that often incorporates far more interesting flavors, like rose and strawberry.

Overall Score: 4.0/5.0. I may be a bit biased towards CS, considering how highly I enjoy all of its bars, but I could eat this all day. For a dark chocolate, it’s extremely edible.

Presentation: 3.5/5.0

The presentation is simple, yet refined. Cacao Sampaka always divides its bars into two 50g, thin, rectangular pieces. This design is great, not only for the implications for melt (look below), but also because it means you can cut off smaller, less intense, chocolate pieces, and really savor the chocolate.

Melt: 2.5/5.0

Typically, the Cacao Sampaka bars have a great melt, in large part due to the design, as the bars are flattened to two very thin 50g pieces, meaning the chocolate has much more surface area and so much more of it is in contact with the mouth.

However, comparatively speaking, the melt isn’t quite as good as some other chocolates from Cacao Sampaka, for a reason I really can’t explain. The bar itself just seemed a lot harder and melted worse than the dark chocolate I tried.

Flavor (i.e. how well integrated the flavor is into the bar): 2.0/5.0

The flavor is far too subtle. There is a shade of a bitter orange flavor, which isn’t a bad complement, but because it is so light, it feels almost superfluous.

Taste: 3.5/5.0

The milk chocolate itself, as with most Cacao Sampaka chocolates, is extremely well done and tastes excellent. It’s not cloying at all, with a perfect sweetness. However, the orange flavor contributes almost nothing, so you might as well just buy a pure milk chocolate bar.

Value: 3.5/5.0

All the Cacao Sampaka chocolates, priced at around €3.60, are perhaps the best priced of all gourmet chocolates on the market. A large number of the best bars sell for around $8/100g or even more, whereas Cacao Sampaka charges much less for what I consider a much more interesting bar. I do have to lower the score, though, for what I consider somewhat of a poor flavor profile. You can probably find a better orange-flavored chocolate at the price range.

Overall Score: 3.0/5.0. Again, the orange flavor is so weak that it’s hard to recommend this chocolate. I’d just stick to the Cacao Sampaka Jamaican Pepper (see the review).

Unlike some of the other flavored bars, this bar actually integrates crunchy bits of cinnamon, so the bar is intended to be a bit on the grainy side.

Presentation: 3.5/5.0

The presentation is simple, yet refined. Cacao Sampaka always divides its bars into two 50g, thin, rectangular pieces. This design is great, not only for the implications for melt (look below), but also because it means you can cut off smaller, less intense, chocolate pieces, and really savor the chocolate.

Melt: 4.5+/5.0

Excellent melt again, as with all the Cacao bars. The fact that Cacao Sampaka has flattened the bars to two very thin pieces only helps the melt, since the chocolate has much more surface area and so much more of the chocolate is in contact with the mouth. It’s an extremely good design. Since this is a white chocolate bar, the effect is amplified.

Unlike with Cacao Sampaka’s rose-and-strawberry-flavored bar, however, in the case of the cinnamon, the melt seems a lot better. While the bar is still grainy, it leaves a much better residue in the mouth, as though the cinnamon and white chocolate flavors are just playing in the mouth.

Flavor (i.e. how well integrated the flavor is into the bar): 5.0/5.0

This flavor may not be quite as unique as Cacao Sampaka’s rose and strawberry white chocolate, but the flavor itself cannot be beaten in terms of both taste and its integration into the bar. The cinnamon is strong, so it really comes through, but it is used very well, to actually balance the sweetness of the white with a nice crunchy spice flavor. The cinnamon is not overpowering at all, though. I really didn’t think cinnamon would work so well, but there is a nice sweet spiciness that gives the bar an irresistible complexity.

Taste: 4.5/5.0

The taste is near flawless, especially for a white chocolate. I ate the whole thing in one sitting, and I had no problems whatsoever. It was not overly sweet, nor cloying, and the bar was smooth as can be. It was so good that I just wanted to eat more, though not in a sickly way. Moreover, this is one of those bars where I feel the flavor is truly essential to the bar’s excellence, and I have never tasted a flavor that complements white chocolate quite so nicely as cinnamon.

Value: 4.5/5.0

All the Cacao Sampaka chocolates, priced at around €3.60, are perhaps the best priced of all gourmet chocolates on the market. A large number of the best bars sell for around $8/100g or even more, whereas Cacao Sampaka charges much less for what I consider a much more interesting bar. This bar gains extra points for being one of the most interesting, unique flavors I’ve tasted.

Overall Score: 4.6/5.0. Hands down, my favorite white chocolate bar ever!

Unlike some of the other flavored bars, this bar actually integrates crunchy rose and strawberry bits, so the bar is intended to have a fruity crunch to it, rather than a milky smoothness.

Presentation: 3.5/5.0

The presentation is simple, yet refined. Cacao Sampaka always divides its bars into two 50g, thin, rectangular pieces. This design is great, not only for the implications for melt (look below), but also because it means you can cut off smaller, less intense, chocolate pieces, and really savor the chocolate.

Melt: 3.3/5.0

Excellent melt again, as with all the Cacao bars. The fact that Cacao Sampaka has flattened the bars to two very thin pieces only helps the melt, since the chocolate has much more surface area and so much more of the chocolate is in contact with the mouth. It’s an extremely good design. Since this is a white chocolate bar, the effect is amplified.

However, comparatively speaking, the melt isn’t quite as good as some other chocolates from Cacao Sampaka, the reason being that the crunchiness of the integrated rose and strawberry bits makes it a bit grainy in the mouth.

Flavor (i.e. how well integrated the flavor is into the bar): 4.2-4.3/5.0

This is quite possibly the most unique flavor I’ve ever tasted in a high-quality chocolate bar. Not only that, but it is the centerpiece of the bar and actually works extremely well, which is somewhat surprising to me, since I’m not a fan of fruitier, lighter flavors. However, the rose and strawberry actually gives the bar a very satisfying, sweet crunch. Moreover, the flavors shine through, and what you’re eating really does taste like roses and strawberry, leaving a nice floral and fruity aftertaste. All in all, excellent!

Taste: 3.0/5.0

While the flavor obviously does contribute a great deal to this bar, the taste in general is a bit too cloying for me. While the white chocolate and the rose and strawberry bits are satisfying in their own right, when combined they can become cloying very, very quickly. This is apparently a bar of moderation, meant to be eaten in small amounts. It doesn’t help that I actually ate the whole bar in one sitting.

That being said, I do have to emphasize that it is quite satisfying for a white chocolate. I’m not a fan of whites, but this was extremely well done, and the crunch gave it a nice complexity you don’t see in most white chocolates.

Value: 4.3/5.0

All the Cacao Sampaka chocolates, priced at around €3.60, are perhaps the best priced of all gourmet chocolates on the market. A large number of the best bars sell for around $8/100g or even more, whereas Cacao Sampaka charges much less for what I consider a much more interesting bar, and one that often incorporates far more interesting flavors, like rose and strawberry.

Overall Score: 3.5/5.0. 4.3 for people who love white chocolate and interesting, fruity flavors, but this just isn’t for me.

Presentation: 3.5/5.0

The presentation is simple, yet refined. Cacao Sampaka always divides its bars into two 50g, thin, rectangular pieces. This design is great, not only for the implications for melt (look below), but also because it means you can cut off smaller, less intense, chocolate pieces, and really savor the chocolate.

Melt: 4.3/5.0

Smooth. Just goes down almost flawlessly, and it practically melts on touch. The fact that Cacao Sampaka has flattened the bars to two very thin pieces only helps the melt, since the chocolate has much more surface area and so much more of the chocolate is in contact with the mouth. It’s an extremely good design. It’s just hard to get it into your mouth before the chocolate melts.

Flavor (i.e. how well integrated the flavor is into the bar): 3.0/5.0

Honestly, you can’t really taste the Jamaican pepper too much. It’s rather light and subtle. It’s not that it’s not overpowering, but it’s too small to be significant. Still, what I do taste of it is actually very nice.

Taste: 4.2/5.0

This is hands down one of the most satisfying milk chocolates I’ve had in my life. The sweetness is perfect. The chocolate melts in an extremely satisfying way in the mouth. And like I said, because the bars are so thin, you can really savor the chocolate with small pieces that just melt in your mouth. It’s creamy and rich, but not cloying.

Value: 4.3/5.0

All the Cacao Sampaka chocolates, priced at around €3.60, are perhaps the best priced of all gourmet chocolates on the market. A large number of the best bars sell for around $8/100g or even more, whereas Cacao Sampaka charges much less for what I consider a much more interesting bar, and one that often incorporates far more interesting flavors, like Jamaican pepper.

Overall Score: 4.1/5.0. I could eat this all day.