LA Burdick Milk Chocolate Bar

Posted by Edmund in Chocolate, Featured Articles, Gourmet Chocolate Bars, USA | 0 comments

Mar 01, 11

Composition: 40-42% Milk Chocolate.
Region of Production: USA.
Price: 100g for about $7.

The presentation here is, for the most part, what I’d expect from Burdick’s – clean and sleek, with a very easy snap to the pieces. This bar, however, came without a seal, so that it was technically open in the inside wrapper—a huge technical fault, especially for a chocolatier like Burdick.

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Nonetheless, this is an incredibly edible milk chocolate bar, emphasizing balanced sweetness and raw flavor. Expect a surprisingly strong cocoa punch, as the chocolate clings somewhat to the palate with its almost caramel-like viscosity. That richness, though, is never troublesome, since the chocolate is so nicely balanced. It never feels too buttery, nor too sweet. That doesn’t mean it’s underflavored, though. Instead, the chocolate attacks you straight on with very simple, traditional milk chocolate overtones: caramel, toffee, vanilla (very strong in this case), and coffee. It’s intense throughout, as the sticky chocolate leaves a thick residue all around the mouth, allowing even the back of the palate to taste the deliciously buttery cocoa. The milk chocolate taste is just so fresh, so big, and so well-done that its simplicity is actually its biggest strength. Unfortunately, the chocolate can get a tad too sweet near the end, especially in the aftertaste. After a while, that sweetness even builds up in the throat, so that the chocolate becomes slightly abrasive. That aftertaste, like that of most milk chocolates, doesn’t last all that long—it was gone within a minute, if that.

This bar melts well, though. Normally, while Burdick’s bars melt easily, they always feel somewhat waxy from their use of lecithin. This bar, in contrast, still feels silky but has a richness and substance to it that I appreciate, though it can get too rich at times. Again, though, the viscosity is problematic, giving the melt a clingy quality.

Scores

Presentation: 3.5/5.0.
Taste: 4.3/5.0.
Melt: 4.2/5.0.
Length: 1.0/5.0.
Value: 4.0/5.0.
Verdict: 4.2/5.0