Composition: Gingerbread Spiced Toffee, 65% Dark Chocolate.
Region of Production: USA.
Price: $7.50 from Vosges’s site.

Aesthetically, this bar generally impresses. As with all of Vosges’s bars, it is completely smooth, seamlessly integrating the ingredient. There are some signs of chocolate bloom (discoloration) across the top, but I actually enjoy the refreshingly blackish color—something not usually so intense in 65% chocolates. Finally, the bar has a very nice, though hard, snap that allows it to break easily into perfect squares.

After taking just one bite, though, I can tell that this is one of the less interesting bars in Vosges’s collection, mostly for its rather mild flavor. The problem is most noticeable in the bland chocolate. It simply tastes too much like lecithin, i.e. it tastes and feels waxy. Nor is it all that complex. I actually found no strong overtones to mention, except for perhaps some coffee. Thus, this chocolate really needs to rely on the toffee for flavor, but that toffee just doesn’t seem to synergize all that well with it. Instead of infusing the chocolate with an even flavor, the toffee comes in bursts, as you munch into cookie-like, crunchy pieces. Part of the time, then, the chocolate feels bland, and the other part it feels like underwhelming gingerbread. Thankfully, the intense, but fleeting, burst of cinnamon saltiness that hits you right as you crunch into the toffee helps to relieve some of these issues. Unsurprisingly, though, this bar is extremely short-lived, fading within a couple of minutes (at most) from the palate.

More positively, the gingerbread spiced toffee flavor is actually quite good when I get to taste it. The bar has a very nice cinnamon kick that hits you at the very end of the chocolate, cleansing the palate. I also got some good nutmeg (I think) and some light saltiness, along with what felt like chunks of very buttery cookies (from the toffee). Still, these flavors mostly emerge near the end, and there is little in between to keep me all that interested.

The texture does not fare much better. As mentioned, this bar has a particularly waxy feel. Moreover, the chunks of toffee harden it too much, so that it is tough to the bite and slow in the melt. I did enjoy the very easy, gritty crunch of the toffee, though.

This bar isn’t horrible per se, but it isn’t even close to the cream of the crop among Vosges’s fantastic selection. I’d suggest looking into Vosges’s Bapchi Caramel Toffee Bar for a true toffee-chocolate experience.

Disclaimer: This bar was a gift from Vosges Haut Chocolat. I have tried to keep the review as fair and objective as possible. Take the scores for what you will.

Scores

Presentation: 3.0/5.0. 4.0/5.0 excluding all the discoloration.
Taste: 2.2/5.0
Texture/Melt: 2.5/5.0
Flavor: 2.0/5.0
Length: 0.8/5.0
Value: 1.5/5.0
Verdict: 2.0/5.0

Composition: Hibiscus Flowers, Blood Orange Caramel, Campari, 70% Dark Chocolate
Region of Production: USA.
Price: $7.50 from Vosges’ site.

This bar looks very clean, with its sleek, intense black color. As always, the packaging too impresses, though this one even more so than usual with its wild display of blood oranges. My bar unfortunately came broken into two pieces—something not too surprising given the thinness of the chocolate, which overflows with caramel. There was also a small crack, and the caramel had started to leak through slightly. I do like the easy snap, though.

Flavor-wise, though, this bar astounds. The caramel simply tastes extraordinary. As I took a small lick of it from the sides of the chocolate, I immediately got a rich, dense caramel, with the traditional, pronounced caramel sweetness. That taste, however, soon faded into a very fruity, slightly floral mix of the bittersweet blood orange and the hibiscus. The hibiscus undertone especially helps add some nuance, leaving a refreshingly fragrant aroma on the mouth. A slightly dry bitter-herby quality kicks in too as the palate picks up the Campari alcohol.

The 70% dark chocolate adds the necessary backdrop to balance out those flavors and provide one of the strongest, seemingly clashing, yet entirely harmonious, chocolate experiences I can remember. At first, 70% seems almost too much, as the chocolate comes intensely smoky, leaving a deliciously bitter, though slightly floral aroma on the mouth. That smokiness, however, not only provides for a fantastic aftertaste that blends very well with the bitterness of the blood orange, but it also balances out the caramel, which almost feels too sweet in larger quantities. The chocolate will outlast the caramel eventually, but thankfully the chocolate is so delicious that it’s not a problem.

Moreover, unlike some of Vosges’ other bars, here the chocolate lasts and lasts. Expect the dry smokiness for at least 10 minutes. It may be too strong or bitter for some, but I’m personally a huge fan.

The texture feels great, too. The bar comes overloaded with rich, gooey caramel that goes down extremely smoothly, without ever clinging to the mouth. Added to that is a crispy thin chocolate shell that literally cracks as you bite in. That shell melts quickly, especially given the high cocoa percentage. It may feel slightly waxy at the very end, but the waxiness is not too noticeable.

Final Word: This bar is simply one of the most complex flavored dark chocolate bars I can remember having. It begins caramel-y sweet, becomes fruity and floral, picks up a more natural fruity sweetness, and ends dry, bitter, and smoky. Far too many sensations to list or describe—it’s something you have to eat for yourself.

Disclaimer: This bar was a gift from Vosges Haut Chocolat. I have tried to keep the review as fair and objective as possible. Take the scores for what you will.

Scores

Presentation: 3.0/5.0. 4.0/5.0 without the cracks.
Taste: 4.7/5.0
Texture/Melt: 4.5/5.0
Flavor: 4.9/5.0
Length: 4.5/5.0
Value: 4.5+/5.0
Scores:  4.7/5.0

Composition: Black Hawaiian Sea Salt, Burnt Sugar Caramel, 70% Dark Chocolate.
Region of Production: USA.
Price: $7.50 from Vosges’ site.

Since this bar was shipped from the Vosges store itself, it hasn’t suffered from any storage or transportation issues. It is clean, polished, and completely smooth to the touch. I also appreciate how Vosges integrated the caramel into the bar, so that it never oozes out from other pieces. At the same time, this bar is definitely one of Vosges’s most fragile. Without a solid chocolate interior, the shell breaks apart rather easily, getting caramel all over the place. Just make sure to carefully snap off each square.

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Flavor-wise, this bar hits you in phases: first the chocolate shell gives you some texture but with little immediate intensity; next, the caramel gushes out in a sweet rush; finally, the chocolate re-emerges with a marked, earthy smokiness that leaves your palate literally fuming with a coffee flavor. The caramel at first feels like it will dominate and potentially overpower the chocolate, but just as the bar becomes too sweet, the dark chocolate re-emerges and nearly eliminates all trace of the caramel. The bar manages to run the gamut from extremely sweet to rather bitter seamlessly.

Moreover, I was surprised not just by the balance among the ingredients, but also within them. Most caramel tends to taste artificial or sugary. This one, in contrast, has a slight honey-like taste that I find refreshing. Moreover, the mouth feel is great, as the caramel combines the buttery feel of butterscotch with an almost watery consistency, going down very smoothly. Dark chocolate, on the other hand, can be far too bitter, but here it emphasizes smokier notes, which help to cover up that bitterness. That chocolate lasts on the palate, too—much more so than most Vosges bars.

The one true disappointment is the sea salt. I personally love getting that salty kick at the end of a good sweet, but here the taste comes through slightly in the beginning and only infinitesimally at the very end. As it is, the bar is more or less a two-flavor  affair.

As for the melt—well, it’s probably better to just chew the bar down, since it has all that watery caramel in it. The lecithin thankfully doesn’t add too much waxiness, partially because the chocolate itself is so intense.

Disclaimer: This bar was a gift from Vosges Haut Chocolat. I have tried to keep the review as fair and objective as possible. Take the scores for what you will.

Scores

Presentation: 4.0/5.0
Taste: 4.0/5.0
Flavor: 4.2/5.0
Length: 3.0/5.0
Value: 3.5/5.0
Scores: 3.9/5.0

Presentation-wise, this bar keeps it simple and clean. It comes in a tiny wrapper with no images or fancy colors. Underneath the wrapper lies an equally simple bar, bearing no designs whatsoever. The bar, in fact, looks like a better take on a candy bar. The top is completely smooth to the touch, even with all the chunky ingredients the behemoth is packing. The bottom is, however, extremely scaly, with protrusions covering the whole surface. Thankfully, the interior is again clean and orderly, as the chunks are firmly in place so that they don’t shift around or jut out as you bite into the bar.

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My initial reaction was one of pleasant surprise. I expected this bar to have a lot of different, clashing elements, but the combination works very well, both in texture and taste. Partially, that has to do with the fact that the bar takes fresh, delicious ingredients and leaves them completely intact. The pecans and cherries both come in large chunks, so that once you get one in your mouth, you can munch on it for a while. The texture, then, is a constant mix between the crunchy, the chewy, and the creamy, leaving you constantly interested. The chocolate shell comes on the harder side, too, adding to the crunch. However, the interior could have been smoother and creamier, as the bar felt disjointed with so many ingredients.

More importantly, since the ingredients come in such large chunks, they  are very big on flavor. It only helps that they’re dispersed generously throughout the bar, so that every single bite gives you some pecan, praline, and cherry. Moreover, since the chocolate isn’t too dark or too bitter, the ingredients can shine. At the same time, no one ingredient ever seems to dominate. The chocolate in the background softens out some of the rougher edges of the nuts and fruit. As I was eating the bar, I was able to taste the sourness of the cherries and the sweetness of the praline, but never to the point of becoming overwhelmed. Best of all, though, is the fact that these flavors tend to come in different layers. The chocolate becomes up-front on the nuttier side, as the pecans break down the easiest. Next comes the creamy chocolate, which has a surprisingly milky feeling for a dark chocolate. It also has a semi-malted quality, giving a subtle boost to the sweetness. As the chocolate fades, you’re left with the chewy cherries, which become increasingly sour as you savor them. The bar finishes with a very nice sourness that hits the sweet spot between too little and too much.

I do, however, have a couple complaints. The chocolate seems very weak. It’s a great complement to the fruit and nuts, but I didn’t sense anything special in its quality. It could have been richer or smoother, which would have helped to further bring all the ingredients together. It might not be possible to make such a bar, though, given all the chunky ingredients. Finally, the chocolate has no length whatsoever, fading from the palate almost immediately after you swallow.

Scores

Presentation: 3.5/5.0
Melt/Texture: 3.5/5.0
Length: 0.5/5.0
Taste: 4.2/5.0
Flavor: 4.3/5.0
Value: 4.2+/5.0
Overall Score:  4.1/5.0

The presentation here is exactly what I’d expect from LA Burdick: clean, professional, and homey, all in one. As I’ve noted before, Burdick does “old-fashioned” better than just about anyone else. The packaging is a very tasteful, thick paper box (it doesn’t feel cheap at all), wrapped with a string. The chocolate is further wrapped in a nearly airtight wrapper, bound with Burdick’s own seal—a very nice touch. Finally, the bar itself is sleek, arranged into 30 perfect squares that snap off with no hesitation and a huge crackle. Unfortunately, this bar suffered from a slight bit of chocolate bloom on top (melting of the cocoa butter, causing discoloration). Also, the hazelnuts are cut so large that they jut out, making the bottom a little less than smooth.

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The aroma is enticing. As you open the bar, you’re hit by a strong breeze of smoky hazelnut, mixed with some earth, banana, and fresh roasted coffee.

And the taste is simply delicious. Everything in this bar aims at near perfect unison between chocolate and hazelnuts, with the line between the two practically becoming indistinguishable. The hazelnuts come in large, generous, half pieces, distributed just slightly unevenly but more than generously enough for you to have a large chunk in each square.

Added to that big hazelnut presence, though, is an equally earthy chocolate that complements the nuts very well. The chocolate isn’t the most pronounced in flavor, instead going for subtlety and milkiness in order to let the hazelnuts shine. I did, however, get some nice smoky overtones, oak, a bit of sweet red fruits, and a bit of saltiness. The chocolate is simple, but its simplicity and neutrality allow it to really pick up the intense, smoky hazelnut flavor. Moreover, the chocolate never overwhelms with too much sugar or richness. Finally, for a milk chocolate bar, this has some length to it, as the smokiness clings to the palate for five minutes or so. Unfortunately, since the length comes mostly from the nuts, which take up about half the space of the chocolate, the chocolate itself doesn’t last all that long.

The melt is always smooth, clean, and just rich enough so that it leaves a thick, creamy residue without becoming overbearing. Texture-wise, though, it’s the nuts I find more interesting, giving a pronounced crunch to the bar. The nuts aren’t hard or abrasive, though, and they blend surprisingly well with the chocolate, though they can also take up too much space, limiting the amount of chocolate in each bite. Surprisingly, though, they don’t break up the melt.

One thing to note, though: This bar is all about the hazelnut. If you’re expecting a big chocolate flavor with a subtle hazelnut undertone, look somewhere else.

Scores

Presentation: 4.3/5.0
Taste: 4.6+/5.0
Flavor: 4.8+/5.0
Melt: 4.7/5.0. Especially considering the huge nuts, which I’d expect to break up the melt.
Length: 4.5/5.0
Value: 4.5/5.0
Verdict: 4.6+/5.0

I’m normally a fan of Lake Champlain’s presentation, which tends to be a step up for most candy bars. Here, though, the bar just seemed wrong from the start. The underside was blotted all over with discolored clusters, and the top had almost no gloss. Still, I was impressed at how nicely the gianduja was integrated, so that it never overflowed from the chocolate.

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The flavor is weak but still has some charm to it. On putting the chocolate into my mouth, I was shocked at how light it felt. Could this really be gianduja? Normally, gianduja is sweet, rich, creamy, and intensely nutty. This was none of the above. The bar aims for nuance, limiting the gianduja to a thin filling so that it can never overpower the taste of the dark chocolate, instead amplifying it with a slight, controlled sweetness and richness that melds well with the otherwise harder, denser, bolder chocolate. Unfortunately, the bar is so weak the effect is entirely lost. It’s understandable that Lake Champlain tried to prevent its bar from becoming just another typical cloying gianduja-filled chocolate, but they played it way too safe. The dark chocolate doesn’t help, either, with its waxy simplicity and lack of flavor.

The texture fares a lot better, largely because of the extra creamy richness from the gianduja. As mentioned, the chocolate itself feels somewhat waxy from the use of lecithin. Even so, it tends to be on the harder side, overly so for a bar that has only 54% cocoa in it. Still, once it begins to melt, the interior creamy filling comes out, blending to give the chocolate a much fresher, more natural taste. It can, however, get very thick and cling to the teeth. That gianduja does, however, also cover up the cocoa, making for a very short finish that leaves you with a very subtle, one-note smokiness.

Scores

Presentation: 2.5/5.0
Taste: 1.8/5.0
Length: 1.0/5.0
Flavor: 1.5/5.0
Melt: 3.0/5.0
Value: 2.0/5.0
Verdict: 1.8/5.0

The bar isn’t the most visually pleasing. As always, I enjoy Vosges’s clean, modern packaging, displaying the bar’s ingredients. I was also impressed with Vosges’s ability to mix-in so many ingredients without breaking the smoothness of the bar much. And the bar has a clean, easy snap. Still, there were spots of discoloration where the nuts and seeds seemed to be coming to the surface of the bar. There were also a couple of minor cracks on the back.

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This bar is relatively easy to enjoy, though. The milk chocolate hits you full force with its sweetness, slightly amplified by the fruity coconut. As you savor the bite, the hemp seeds and nuts come in with their crunchy neutrality. The nuts also add a delicious smokiness. Finally, after the chocolate’s been swallowed, the palate finally picks up the saltiness, which helps relieve it of the stronger, milky sweet chocolate. The sum is a very interesting, balanced combination that leaves your palate constantly adapting.

At the same time, the ingredients are subtler than I thought, to the point that the oversweet chocolate completely dominates at times, becoming slightly cloying. Thankfully, it’s not rich, and the saltiness at the end helps control the sugar. The problem is largely a matter of distribution, as you don’t get much of each ingredient in every bite. However, when you do get a piece of macadamia nut, you’re definitely in for a treat, as the nut bursts with flavor and leaves you with an oddly refreshing, salty, nutty oiliness—one which lasts on the palate longer than the chocolate.

The star of the show is the texture of the bar, however. The bar, with its light 45% cocoa content, practically melts with no hesitation, running down your mouth smoothly, though with a good amount of richness. As that chocolate withers away, a whole assortment of different types of crunchiness emerge. The shredded coconut has an interestingly chewy quality, the hemp seeds add in a slight grittiness, and the nuts top it all off with a huge, big crunch. Each isn’t pronounced in every bite, but every bite is nevertheless interesting.

My one big complaint? This bar is about as short as they come. Don’t expect to savor the experience for longer than a minute.

This bar definitely has some very good flavors and ingredients, but the chocolate is unfortunately too sweet and the ingredients too subtle. Still, a great bar nonetheless.

Disclaimer: This bar was a gift from Vosges Haut Chocolat. I have tried to keep the review as fair and objective as possible. Take the scores for what you will.

Scores

Presentation: 3.0/5.0
Taste: 3.5/5.0, but a 2.5-3.0 if you really can’t stand intense sweetness.
Texture/Melt: 4.5/5.0
Flavor: 3.5/5.0. Delicious ingredients, but could be stronger.
Length: 1.0/5.0
Value: 3.5/5.0
Scores: 3.2+/5.0

Composition: Sicilian Almond Marzipan, Amaretto, 62% Dark Chocolate.
Region of Production: USA.
Price: $7.50 from Vosges’ site.

This bar looks like a mess. During the shipping process, it broke into two pieces. With most of Vosges’s bars, that’s not quite so problematic. This one, though, is filled with sticky marzipan that oozes out from the sides. Moreover, because of its fragility, it is the most difficult bar of Vosges’s collection to snap into proper squares.

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Still, as I opened the bar, I knew it was going to be a good experience, as I got a burst of fresh amaretto and hazelnut aroma wafting into my nose. It was simply mouth-watering.

The bar does not disappoint, either, largely because of the nearly perfect marzipan. That marzipan is not too sweet, too sticky, too rich, too nutty, or in any way cloying. Instead, it’s the perfect balance, going down smoothly and blending naturally with the chocolate. The slight sweetness and grittiness of the marzipan are also a very nice counterbalance against the bitterness and creaminess of the surprisingly intense 62% dark chocolate.

That chocolate, too, tastes fantastic. Part of that must be from the amaretto, as the chocolate absorbs the amaretto’s ever so slightly dry, burning finish and nutty spiciness. The chocolate itself, though, has a very bitter, earthy, smoky hazelnut flavor that, of course, complements the nuttiness of the marzipan and amaretto. I especially like the contrast of almond sweetness (marzipan) and hazelnut dryness / bitterness (everything else). The chocolate also has slightly fruity overtones, like banana and maybe coconut. The waxiness of the chocolate, however, becomes very noticeable as the marzipan fades. Thankfully, the refreshingly bitter, dry finish more than makes up for it. That finish won’t last more than five minutes but it’s nice nonetheless.

The main draw of the bar, though, lies in the synergy and strength of the flavors. Every single ingredient contributes noticeably and plays off against the others, so that this bar truly is more than the sum of its components.

The texture, too, is great. The chocolate crackles as you bite in, leading to a rich, paste-like marzipan that goes down relatively quickly. The remaining creamy, smooth melt leaves a film of heavy waxiness across the back of the palate, though.

Disclaimer: This bar was a gift from Vosges Haut Chocolat. I have tried to keep the review as fair and objective as possible. Take the scores for what you will.

Scores

Presentation: 1.0/5.0
Taste: 4.1/5.0
Flavor: 4.7/5.0
Melt / Texture: 4.0/5.0
Length: 2.8/5.0
Value: 4.0/5.0
Scores: 4.0/5.0

Again, I give credit to Burdick’s presentation. The bar comes in beautiful thick paper packaging, tied with old-fashioned string. The bar itself shows a beautiful dark black color, with just a little gloss. There are never any jagged edges as you snap off a piece, and the bottom is almost perfectly smooth to the touch. My one complaint is, yet again, the slight smearing on the top, which ruins the gloss.

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The aroma is intense. I got grass and banana especially.

The flavor, however, is surprisingly subtle, but very unique and interesting. It starts out a bit fruity, with lots of bananas on the palate. As you savor it, it picks up an almost nutella-like gianduja flavor—one without all that much smokiness but rather a creamy, slightly rich sweetness. That straightforward nuttiness, though, does feel monotonous. The chocolate ends without a big aftertaste, but it does leave the mouth puckering with an earthy, very slightly roasted, and somewhat salty walnut taste. That end also carries a very delicious butteriness. The combination of the salty, fruity, and sweet gives your mouth a nice feel. Still, the bar could use more flavor, and the lecithin waxiness does come through noticeably.

The chocolates melts smoothly and evenly, though it can feel somewhat slow and clunky, given its thickness. I also love how buttery it feels, coating the mouth in a refreshingly thick layer that never feels like it’s too much. Again, it can get waxy, but it’s not too noticeable.

Scores

Presentation: 4.0/5.0
Taste: 4.0/5.0
Melt/Texture: 3.2+/5.0
Length: 3.0/5.0
Value: 3.5/5.0
Verdict: 3.5/5.0

Presentation is something Lake Champlain does pretty well for a cheaper producer. Again, the colorful paper packaging, while a bit cheap, gives the chocolate a homey feel. And I really enjoy the make of the bar. In this case, the caramel is perfectly filled inside each square. While it oozes out as soon as you bite into it, it doesn’t leak at all when you snap off the squares. Unfortunately, this bar had a lot of random strings of chocolate practically glued onto the surface, ruining the otherwise clean look. Moreover, the gloss seemed dull.

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A nice, simple, milk aroma emanates from the bar. It’s similar to a well-done candy bar. Very few overtones, though.

This is exactly what a milk chocolate with caramel should taste like, though: simple, sweet, and smooth. The best part is by far the balance. It’s sweet, but surprisingly for something with only 34% cocoa and loaded with a thick layer of gooey caramel in each bite, it’s never overpowering or cloying. It’s never too rich or viscous, either. Sometimes milk chocolate at this percentage can cling to the mouth, and putting it together with caramel would only amplify the problem. Here, though, the bar is relatively light and easy to eat, going down with almost no smearing or clinging. At the same time, that means the chocolate’s also unbelievably short, much more so than even most milk chocolates, as it practically disappears off the palate instantaneously.

Nor is the chocolate terribly complex—how could it be, when it’s overflowing with caramel? That’s not such a bad thing, though, because what the chocolate does it does very well. It starts off smoky, earthy, and nutty, but then picks up caramel, butterscotch, and especially a surprising orange (this orange is easily the best part of the whole taste). Finally, as the lighter caramel goes down, the chocolate reasserts itself with a milky, creamy, and buttery finish, along with a fair bit of extra cocoa sweetness (the chocolate is surprisingly sweeter than the caramel). This chocolate is very simple, but it really embodies the traditional idea of a milk chocolate, and I love the subtle balance between milky, sweet, and nutty.

As for melt, this chocolate is an absolute pleasure. Almost immediately, the chocolate starts dwindling away, eventually combining with the caramel almost seamlessly to form a rich, thick mass—one that approaches becoming too heavy and viscous but never does because the chocolate goes just as smoothly down the tongue, leaving you refreshed in the end. Sinfully smooth.

This is not a technically “excellent” chocolate by any means, and I’m sure many would fault it for those technical flaws. But for a pure, sinfully decadent treat, it just doesn’t get much better than this. It’s akin to a candy bar, but one done outstandingly well.

Scores

Presentation: 3.0/5.0
Taste: 4.5/5.0
Flavor: 4.4/5.0
Melt: 4.6+/5.0
Length: 0.5/5.0 (but not quite so important for a milk chocolate)
Value: 4.7/5.0
Verdict: 4.5/5.0.