Lake Champlain 54% Rum Caramel

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

Composition: 54% Dark Chocolate with Rum Caramel.
Region of Production: USA.
Price: $3.80 for 92g.

Producer’s Notes: “Dessert-Style Caramel and hearty dark rum, tucked inside perfectly balanced dark chocolate.”

The bar itself seems like it would be one of Lake Champlain’s nicer bars, featuring a clean, glossy, brown-black surface that’s beautiful to look at. Unfortunately, the bar I got was cracked straight through, to the point that a whole chunk had broken off. While I’m sure it’s partially a shipping problem, this is what you get when you use a flimsy paper wrapper. Still, I really love the color.

As I opened the bar, I got a strong aroma of rich, roasted coffee with earth, hazelnut, and oddly enough, some flowers. Very satisfying, and very intense, especially at this price point.

The taste is delicious at first, but still a bit cloying. The rum caramel has an odd sweetness to it—one which starts light but which quickly can dominate. Moreover, while that caramel seems light at first, since it comes in a thin layer (at least compared to most of Lake Champlain’s other bars), it quickly turns viscous and clingy. In addition, the dark chocolate just isn’t all that flavorful, largely because it has so much lecithin that it feels utterly waxy. In that sense, the rum caramel is a saving grace, adding the natural intensity that the chocolate needs. The problem is just in the balance. Either the rum caramel comes through too lightly or it overpowers with its rich sweetness.

At the same time, I have to admit that I really do like the flavor. The dark chocolate, while artificial-tasting, is strong, exuding a lot of earthy, rich notes. I got some coffee and a slight smokiness near the end, which left me fuming with a delicious, lasting aroma—and trust me, this is a very long chocolate, especially for a 54%.

The melt could, however, be a bit better. This is only 54% dark chocolate, yet it stays solid in the mouth, resisting the melt. When it finally does melt, it’s smooth, but again it leaves a waxy film over the mouth that’s unsatisfying. The clingy, heavy caramel just makes it worse.

Scores

Presentation: 3.0/5.0
Taste: 2.3/5.0. The delicious aftertaste nearly redeems it.
Flavor: 1.0/5.0
Length: 4.0/5.0
Melt: 1.0/5.0
Value: 2.5/5.0
Verdict: 2.2/5.0