Madécasse 80%

Madécasse are Madagascar's only bean-to-bar company exporting overseas

I bought this 75g bar -when Waitrose first started stocking Madécasse- for just £1.99! Though, as that was an introductory offer to lure in the customers, they now retail for £2.99, which still is of an incredible value. You see, Madécasse source their cocoa from farmers of the Ezaka Cooperative, and as the chocolate is then produced in Madagascar it means the farmers are receiving a greater share of the price we are paying! 

Buying Madécasse means you are supporting and sustaining the growth of this PURE "heirloom cacao", as well as encouraging all cocoa farmers to grow 'flavour' (the higher quality) cocoa beans. But it also means you're getting excellent chocolate. I think this of all chocolate within this market, but I am raising the issue here because of how obtainable Madécasse is! 

The light shade of brown looked like a milk chocolate. Unlike the 75% and the 70%, this chocolate does not have vanilla - only cocoa beans, natural cane sugar and cocoa butter. However, the aroma was brazen vanilla. It too was very creamy, mizeria (polish dish: cucumber, dill, sour cream), floral, raspberry, coconut, cherry, leather, smoked. My God, it was beautiful. It was like I was in solitude in a dimly lit room, filled with mahogany and walnut burl furnishings, sitting on a Chesterfield sofa, having spirits neat from the drinks cabinet, with a cigar - pretty lavish 

The taste began with dusty cocoa, it was bitter, then a rush of strawberry, and grains too. It had quite the roasted flavour. The bright acidic fruitiness was dominated by the roast, but it was still there and there too was the occasional luscious Madagascan sour twang

I feel that maybe Madécasse are not as skilled in the making process as they are in their ethical stance, but nevertheless the chocolate is excellent. Although I prefer a lower %, it is real great chocolate and I really hope Waitrose stock the 70%, or maybe I will try the flavoured bars. I just love the fact that it is Madagascan cocoa with natural cane sugar