When I sent Lee from Chocolate Reviews a few American chocolate bars to review, including the Potomac Chocolate 82% Cocoa Upala bar and the Vosges Naga bar, he kindly sent me some chocolates from the U.K. in return.
Royal Mail. For reals. Inside was one very special bar, one that would be hard to get in the U.S. A Thorntons bar containing illicit tonka bean, just like the Artisan du Chocolat bar that I reviewed earlier this month.
The packaging notes that this milk chocolate-based bar, produced with Venezuelan chocolate with a 38% cocoa content, was an Academy of Chocolate Silver Award winner in 2009. And the interior packaging is even more informative: it instructed me to unwrap it and eat it.
After noting a hint of a spicy aroma, I followed the instructions precisely.
When doing so, I found a soft chocolate with a buttery melt that is a bit rapid, but not excessively slow. The tonka flavor is evident but subtle, and adds just a bit of a cinnamon-like kick while allowing the dairy and caramel flavors from the milk chocolate to come through. The well-balanced flavor and pleasing texture make the fact that this bar won a silver award from the Academy of Chocolate in 2009 easy to believe.
Have you ever been sent chocolate from overseas?
I'm lucky enough to have been sent a fair bit of chocolate from overseas. I have lovely friends and readers :) Must say, though, I didn't find this Tonka bar particularly fascinating when I had it in England last year!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, the chocolate sounds wonderful! I was off of milk chocolate for a while, but I've been loving it lately.
ReplyDeleteWe got chocolate from overseas when we lived there but I have never been mailed it. In fact, my mom won't even mail me cookies from back home. The chocolate sounds like the bomb.com though.
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed this from Thorntons :) I just did a chocolate swap with someone in the states too! Got some lovely stuff, just tried the Vosges Mo Bacon Bar..thought I would hate it...loved it!
ReplyDeleteI've never had chocolate from outside of America, let alone visit overseas. I need to get traveling and chocolate on my to-do list pronto :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't had chocolate from another country, but this one sounds *very* tasty. Tonka bean flavors are intriguing (thank you wikipedia)...what a shame it's not available here in the US (for small doses of usage...no liver issues, plz).
ReplyDeleteOooo... I did not like this chocolate bar. Tasted like eating incense to me but glad you liked it!
ReplyDeleteAside from the Polish chocolates, I've received other candy from the UK. It's now too hot for chocolate to be mailed here, but I should put in a request for tonka bars from my UK friends sometime.
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