# Looking for very dark chocolate **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022 "2006-12-13T21:25:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022/21 "2006-12-14T06:10:21Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] Does Hershey’s still make Hershey’s Dark chocolate bars? I used to love those. [/QUOTE] I loved Special Dark too, back when I was the only dark chocolate I knew. Now that my world has been broadened, Special Dark is just kind of meh. ---
**Author:** ![Hunter\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@Hunter\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hunter_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022/22 "2006-12-14T06:41:57Z")
I’m quite fond of Domori chocolate. ---
**Author:** ![blackhobyah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blackhobyah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blackhobyah)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022/23 "2006-12-14T11:45:17Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] My husband has a new passion–extremely dark chocolate. I’d like to get him some for Christmas, but I’d like it to be something he can’t get at the supermarket. I’m hoping to put together something of a sampler of the extremely dark stuff. Ideas? [/QUOTE] Perhaps look for some of the single origin chocolates? Lindt have three, Madagascar, Ecuador and Cuba which have a variety of cocoa butter percentages. Michel Cluizel does single origins … the Mangaro is my favourite, but they are all spectacular (except for the one with the pink peppercorns). Valhrona do single estate as well, and I’m sure there are others. Single origin is a fascinating way to explore dark chocolate because they all do taste very different. Have a look at [seventypercent.com](http://www.seventypercent.com/shop/products_list.asp?strKeyword=origin) for reviews and brands. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022/24 "2006-12-14T13:43:37Z")
Thank you all! This gives me a huge headstart on putting something together for him. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022/25 "2006-12-14T14:01:39Z")
I love the Unique Origins bars at Trader Joe’s. Nothing fancy, just good, single origin chocolate, and very low in sugar. They have a bunch of other dark chocolate brands, but their percentage of sugar is over my limit of 10%, so I don’t pay attention to them. I usually have a wrapper laying around, so I could read the percentage of cocoa, but I muct have cleaned house! I believe they’re in the 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![Terrorcotta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@Terrorcotta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrorcotta)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022/26 "2006-12-14T14:23:54Z")
Wow! I can’t believe no one mentioned the Ghiradelli dark chocolates! They come in 70%, 80% and 100%. We use the 100% for fudge and it’s fabulous. Then again, I add 50% more chocolate to intensify the flavor and 100% more corn syrup to make it silken… but we all know I’m evil. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022/27 "2006-12-14T17:00:04Z")
Hmmm… no one has mentioned **El Rey** , which I tend to favor. In general I find I am fondest of premium Venezuelan dark chocolates, which seem to universally have a “fruitier” ( or sometimes “floral” ) taste. Whether this is an actual function of Venezuelan soil/growing conditions as is claimed or is just an arbitrary profile that has been adopted by premium chocolate producers, I dunno. But it does seem to hold true. I’m also partial to the **Michel Cluizel Concepcion Noir** for the same reason. I do seem to tend towards 60-70% bars, which might make me a light weight. 85% bars are not enjoyable for me, in my experience. People tend to swoon over **Domori Porcelana** , which tends to consistently to garner the best reviews. I think it’s pretty good, but perhaps not all that. A bit overpriced perhaps. I don’t like **Dagoba** , or at least the two bars I’ve tasted had a “easrthiness” I didn’t care for. **Valrhona** seems to tend towards a “burnt” or “tarry” profile on at least their blended bars and I’m not crazy about them, either. I do like **Scarfenberger** , though. They almost always stick with blended products ( a couple of experiments aside ), but they have adopted an overall flavor profile I find pleasingly fruity. If you’re ever in Berkeley, the tour of their facility ( if they still do it since they sold out ) is fun. - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022/28 "2006-12-14T18:21:45Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t like Dagoba, or at least the two bars I’ve tasted had a “easrthiness” I didn’t care for. Huh. Interesting. The earthiness is probably the most appealing thing for me. I love that sour dark-chocolate top palate, that fades into a long, smooth earthy tone. I suppose I’m odd, but to me, the perfect chocolate tastes like dirt…or more accurately, like warm, moist earth. In that way, it’s like the perfect potato, which tastes like the dust of Idaho smells. ---
**Author:** ![Amethyst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/919ad9/32.png) [@Amethyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amethyst)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022/29 "2006-12-14T19:12:22Z")
This is my favourite chocolate company, and while is is affliated with Lindt, you can’t get it in stores in North America. (I suspect you can only get it in Switzerland). > **[Confiserie Sprungli AG - Buy finest swiss chocolate online](https://www.spruengli.ch/en/)** > > For over 175 years, Confiserie Sprüngli has been spoiling customers worldwide with its creations made from Swiss chocolate or the unique Luxemburgerli. Luckily they do mail order and express ship it around the world (some of the products have a short shelf life). I am particularly fond of the Grand Cru dark chocolate truffles. 16 truffles, 4 each made primarily from cocoa from a single region so you can taste and compare cocoa from the regions. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2006, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022/30 "2006-12-14T19:13:42Z")
[QUOTE=Ogre] I suppose I’m odd, but to me, the perfect chocolate tastes like dirt…or more accurately, like warm, moist earth. [/QUOTE] Hah! Before deciding on “earthy”, I had originally written that I thought **Dagoba** tasted like dirt to me :p. But it’s all good - everyone has different flavor preferences, just like in wine. - Tamerlane [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-very-dark-chocolate/384022.md?page=1)