Domori Javablond

Without added vanilla nor cocoa butter, we get purity with Domori: just cacao nibs and cane sugar. I am not one for Java/Indonesia cacao, and at this 70% I wasn't sure how I would fare. However, the name Javablond and seeing Criollo suggested a delicate approach 

The blond in the name referred to the lighter coloured Criollo cacao, of which Domori had sourced from east Java. And the chocolate was a very light brown, compared to say Domori's Arriba

The aroma was intensely chocolate, with rubber at the very back. But what was more powerful than rubber was the floral and citrus orange, which was unexpected of Java! 

I couldn't help but compare the aroma to Omnom's Madagascar. The Javablond was more chocolatey, but they really weren't that different. I was very impressed

The taste was more captivating. It opened very chocolatey and then in with a vibrant red fruit. The smokiness of Javanese cacao was only sensed at the very end. There was the occasional distinct touch of hazelnut. The chocolatey taste was so dominant and had a bright acidity to liven it up

The texture was phenomenal: exceptionally smooth. The cacao gave a slight astringent feel 

I really enjoyed this chocolate. It was like a tamed Madagascar 

Zotter Mitzi Blue Marrakech

Oh cardamom, rose and cinnamon, how beautiful you are in a 40% milk chocolate. The aroma was predominately rose with such a delicate cardamom

The taste then favoured cardamom, with the rose ever so soft. It had a smooth texture, and tasted so chocolatey. The almond nougat disc was beautiful, it only tasted of cinnamon. There was a citrusy and floral touch, which would have been the orange blossom

Beautiful flavours. I was overwhelmed. I particularly loved the cinnamon! And I particularly love that Zotter is organic, fairtrade and use raw cane sugar! 

Soma Black Science Trinidad 70%

The bean-to-bar scene has pretty much spread like wildfire in the US and Canada. Soma are small batch craft chocolate makers and chocolatiers, based in Toronto. Their Black Science Trinidadian chocolate was made from Trinitario cacao from Sangre Grande in Trinidad, which was to gift "notes of brownie and roasted grains", organic cane sugar and cocoa butter

I was stunned at how smooth the texture was, including in the mouth. The aroma on the surface was grain and metallic- not so tempting, but deeper in was strong-brewed tea leaves, apple, dried tropical fruits (papaya, pineapple)

The taste was really great. It had a fruity acidity amongst the tea leaves, with cacao and bitterness at the back of the tongue. I presume the beans had a reasonably high roast with a toasty flavour like that. Nearing to the end, it was a really intense brownie/hot chocolate taste (not sugar-sweet). I think it's the fruitiness that really finishes the chocolate for you; it leaves you in admiration for craft chocolate. It has a taste of Christmad cake (packed with dried fruit, molasses and spiced)

This is real excellent chocolate, with special notes of blackberry 

Paul A Young Fine Chocolates Selection

Visiting Paul A Young's Soho store was paramount to me when in London. From the shop, I had an Aztec-style hot chocolate made with quality chocolate and Muscovado sugar and a chosen spice of cardamom. I also bought a bar of his bean-to-bar Madagascar 63%, though I'm kicking myself for not buying a bar of Duffy's chocolate. And of course I couldn't have left without a few of Paul's fresh, handmade chocolates! The question is, would I pay £7 for 4 of his chocolates again? 

Zotter Labooko lactose-free Milk Chocolate

Lactose-free milk chocolate. I love Zotter's Labooko range, with its origins and flavours, but I'll admit that I was somewhat underwhelmed when given these bars, not to sound ungrateful, of course, I just didn't have a lactose intolerance. Little did I know that 'lactose-free' simply meant a sugar removed from the milk: no biggie

The 35% cocoa, cow's milk-milk chocolate smelt like white chocolate; it tasted rich like white chocolate. If it was a white chocolate, it would have been the best white chocolate I had ever had

The taste was rich in cane sugar, vanilla and toffee. I loved it. It had a smooth texture, excellent temper, mould and snap. The only thing I didn't like was fructose-glucose syrup listed on the ingredients, I had never seen this in chocolate before, and there was more of it than there was cocoa mass. But oh god was this chocolate good

The 40% cocoa 'milk' chocolate smelt familiar. Racking my index of smells, eureka!: The Raw Chocolate Company's Vanoffee. It was an aroma not too pleasant

The taste reminded me of, dare I say, 'cheap' chocolate. Occasionally I came across the finely ground cereal [millet powder] which enhanced the texture. The finish was kinda malty

Zotter calls it a milk chocolate, but it contains no milk ... the ingredients are: cocoa butter, raw cane sugar, millet powder, cocoa mass, salt & vanilla. What makes it a milk chocolate is that the millet within was originally made into 'millet milk', a vegan milk substitute, and then dried into millet powder, just like regular milk is. I did not enjoy this chocolate

If you have a lactose intolerance, and even if you don't, I recommend the 35% milk chocolate bar! And if you're vegan, maybe stick with Zotter's Labooko dark chocolate. A little reminder that Zotter chocolate is made bean to bar, organic and Fairtrade!

Dark Sugars Chocolate Selection

Dark Sugars was jam packed, even on the Sunday, but that's the charm of Brick Lane. It's a street defined by diverse cultures, street food, antique, arty markets, vintage shops, cafés, cupcakes, bagels; it's no surprise a chocolate shop, as hip as this, would attract a crowd. The atmosphere in the shop was buzzing, with the smell of chocolate and the old school hip hop playing, it felt real cool. But it was difficult to stay focused. I cannot believe I didn't pick up a cherry chocolate or a caramel or the cognac truffle, and did I miss the Infused Havana Tobacco truffle? Hey - there's always next time!

Putting a cocoa dusted truffle in with a bag of white chocolates? School boy error. But I guess it's not about how they look, rather how they taste! It was £7 for 100g, and with 6 chocolates in my bag it came to just £4.90