Vosges Peppermint Candycane Bar

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

Feb 25, 11

Composition: Peppermint Candy Cane, 62% Dark Chocolate.
Region of Production: USA.
Price: $7.50 from Vosges’ site.

The presentation is a mixed bag. While I really enjoy the packaging, which features very Christmas-y strands of peppermint candy cane all over, the bar has less polish than most. The candy cane is minced very finely into the bar, but numerous pieces are placed on the bottom, making the bar rough to the touch. Moreover, the candy cane seems to almost affect the color of the surface of the bar, leaving slight spots of lighter color. Still, I liked opening the bar to find an array of white on black.

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I was more impressed with the aroma, which hit me with a burst of peppermint immediately as I opened the package. Very strong, potent, and lasting, just like the bar’s taste.

Honestly, though, when I first saw this combination, I was nearly certain it was going to fail. Candy cane is such a strong ingredient that adding just a little too much can easily overpower the bar. Moreover, because it’s the only added ingredient in this bar (unlike most of Vosges’ bars, which use 2 or 3 in unison), I thought this chocolate would be one-dimensional.

Vosges, however, manages to get the combination right for the most part. As I bit in, I immediately picked up a slightly sweet peppermint with a very rich, creamy chocolate that tasted like milk and butter. The chocolate was not intense or complex, and unfortunately it felt slightly bland. It did, however, provide a neutral backdrop for the slight minty sweetness of the peppermint to shine. As I savored each bite, the peppermint would begin to drop in favor of a slightly waxy, neutral-tasting chocolate. By the end, though, that peppermint would re-emerge for an intense, lasting finish that left me with the sensation of fresh minty breath that you get after chewing peppermint gum. The peppermint lasts on the palate as long as or longer than most chocolates—surprisingly so—and it’s far more flavorful. The distribution of the candy cane wasn’t perfect, though, and in a few bites I felt like I was just eating unimpressive, plain chocolate.

Where this bar may disappoint is in the melt and texture. This is by far the hardest Vosges bar I have ever tasted, and it’s one of the hardest I’ve ever had at this range (62%). Moreover, I enjoy the grittiness that the tough chunks of candy cane add, but those chunks make the bar too tough. The bar melts smoothly enough but feels waxy.

Still, I’m surprised that Vosges managed to utilize such a tough ingredient as effectively as it did, though this bar just is not for me.

Disclosure: 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: 3.3/5.0
Flavor: 4.0/5.0
Length: 4.0/5.0
Melt/Texture: 2.5/5.0
Value: 3.5/5.0
Verdict: 3.5/5.0