Michel Cluizel - Concepcion Noir - 66%

Price: $12 for 100g

Comparative price: $12 

Origin: Venezuela (plantation Hacienda Concepcion)

Rating: 4.5 stars 

Buy again: Definitely, great flavour and complexity

I am a fan of Venuzuelan beans and I am finding many of my chocolate preferences work their way back to this origin.  However Michel Cluizel has taken it one step further using the '1st cru Cacanero' beans from Hacienda Concepcion plantation to make this chococlate.

Sight

The chocolate is a somewhat dull in shine, but a lovely mid ranged dark brown with a hint of red.  The size of each block is a nice considerable taste and a good thickness.  Like all other Michel Cluizel blocks it has the stamp of its providore, with the Michel Cluizel name. 

Snap

As expected this has a strong and resounding snap to it.

Smell

A decadent and invitingly rich smell, it smells of chocolate and fruity complexity, exciting my taste buds and urging me to begin my indulgence.

Taste & Texture

This chocolate offers an immediate hit of flavour, at first strong and fruity but then a distinct caramel flavour comes through and it softens briefly before hitting the sharper fruit notes, only for the softer notes to come again - so this is a real journey of flavour.  The sharp/soft dual however is very consistent; you get this same quality and contrast throughout the entire tasting, something I find very exciting.  The flavour consistently mellows off nicely at the end as if it is a perfectly timed and practiced exercise.

A beautiful luxurious texture; it melts very smoothly and nicely but not quickly.  It takes it's time imparting its depths and allows you to appreciate the full flavour. 

Perhaps my only criticism is the flavour doesn’t linger, it dissapears quite quickly leaving a very clean, slightly dry sensation on the palette.  But well worth it for the flavour.

Summary

This is a fantastic chocolate and becoming one of my favourites.  It has a intensity and complexity that kept me intrigued and satisfied but I never had to work too hard for it, it comes so easily.  For me, this is truly one to sit back, relax, and let the flavours develop.  I suspect this is one you have to take the time to enjoy, to pay attention to it.  Distracted eating may lead you to miss some of its joy.

I’m going out on a limb here to rate this as a 4.5 out of 5.  It has a few very minor shortcomings (shortness of flavour) but the flavour and the consistency in which it is delivered was too enjoyable for me to mark it down.

Buy online at Cocoa Kiss now

Reviewer: Shari

13 October 2009