Michel Cluizel Vila Gracinda 67%

Sāo Tomé is an island amidst the Gulf of Guinea, and is a shield volcano rising from the floor of the Atlantic Ocean

This single estate chocolate, like always with Cluizel, has added cocoa butter, Bourbon vanilla pod and no emulsifier

The aroma had a dark depth to it. Vanilla, tobacco, ash, leather, pure dark chocolate, a hitting spice - it came when unexpected and abruptly - and fur ... musty? musky? 

The flavour was firstly roasted, with smoke and woody tones to it. A dark chocolate taste came through, which then opened up lots of sweetness, turning now into dark chocolate syrup. I also got Coco Pops® with a fair bit of milk. All this chocolatiness was very interestingly followed by raspberry! The distinct red, buzzy fruit came only nearing the end of each tasting 

Cluizel's Vila Gracinda tastes as if it were the richest, most wonderful chocolate cake in the world (like Ottolenghi's recipe). I have had great experience with Cluizel before, the Los Ancones bar was heaven, even Friis-Holm agreed. I found online that someone thought this Vila Gracinda may rival the Los Ancones, although it doesn't win, I am somewhat convinced 

Michel Cluizel Los Anconès 67%

Serenity can be difficult to find. It is fascinating how being in that state, free of stress and anxiety, everything can feel so surreal. You're the stillness amidst chaos

I have an intense interest and enjoyment for chocolate. I love it, but rarely do I come across something that just gets me. To this Los Anconès, it was a cry of: you're kidding me

The aroma was lychee, apricot, honey, a sense of tropical fruits, sweet black olive. There was something sophisticated about this one; it was the vanilla, leather, spice and touch of smoke. The use of "Bourbon" vanilla with single plantation (not just origin!) cacao seems degrading, I believe it to be, but here it smoothed and balanced the flavour

The taste was sweet, a tropical 'fruit salad' (mango etc. cubed) with lots of cherries, and blackcurrant squash. The Rizek family's Los Anconès plantation cacao is a myriad of fruit. Nearing the finish, a toasted flavour passes over to then let the fruit and chocolatey flavours linger 

I'll admit that sometimes it was too buttery in taste and sometimes in texture, but oh wow - how delicate, yet powerful, it was 

So yes, serenity, it can be difficult to find, but honestly, not for me. I seek it whenever I want. And it just so happens I always achieve such a state before, during and after I have chocolate 

Michel Cluizel Mokaya 66%

This was the first chocolate bar I bought when in France. It is Michel Cluizel's Mokaya, made with cocoa beans from the Chiapas region in Mexico, cane sugar, cocoa butter and Bourbon vanilla pod

How I chose this bar amongst the many other Cluziel bars in the small chocolatier was that I was looking for the description 'fruité'. Whilst waiting for the espressos to be made, and nibbling on their Provencal confectionery served on a silver tray, the women opened up Cluizel's Maralumi (Papua New Guinea) for me to taste. Though it was good, I decided on MeHicoooo!

The mould is beautiful. The aroma had sweet liquorice and a powerful roast over a leathery body, with dried fruits and a smokiness at the very back

The taste was leather still, and especially creamy. Straight away you could taste its roasted flavour. There came the acidity and fruitiness, and then the occasional green feel - banana, earth, moss; once floral -rose (Turkish delight). The Mokaya was very sweet. The structure of flavour was consistent. Nearing the finish was a rather pronounced cherry/raspberry note, which was the best thing about this chocolate

The texture was buttery, and because of how this chocolate tasted, it made me think there was a fair bit of cocoa butter added. There also was a slight astringent feel in the finish

This Mokaya chocolate is good, it was like raspberry jam on nearly burnt toast, but it lacked a depth. The creaminess and roasted flavours dominated, but it was a very mellow chocolate