Chocolate survey12 June 2008
What the testers thought
- Divine Chocolate
- Divine Dubble Bar
- Green & Blacks Maya Gold (Fair Trade)
- Green & Blacks Organic Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa)
- Montezuma Dark Chocolate (73% Cocoa)
- Montezuma Jungle Crunch
- Montezuma Emperor Bar: Chilli Chocolate (73% Cocoa)
- Montezuma Smooth Milk Chocolate
- Montezuma Speciality Bar: The Bean Machine
- Oxfam Organic Masca Cappuccino
- Oxfam Organic Masca Orange
- Oxfam Rica Gold Honey
- Traidcraft Continental Plain Chocolate
- Traidcraft Organic Milk Chocolate
- Traidcraft Organic Praline
- Traidcraft Swiss Made Cappuccino
Traidcraft Organic Praline
Suitable for vegetarians. This chocolate, perhaps, won the ultimate accolade when Emily said 'this is a great chocolate for when you get dumped'.
Described as 'melting', 'moist', 'silky', and 'moreish' it was a hit with all our tasters. Many said they wished all chocolate tasted like this.
Green & Blacks Maya Gold (Fair Trade)
Organic, vegetarian, vegan, 55% cocoa solids. Fruity, rich, and spicy with hints of vanilla, an unusual, aromatic dark chocolate.
Described by Arthur as 'Aztec chic and a tad on the expensive side, but so delicious'.
Overall 7/8
Montezuma The Bean Machine
Organic. As potent as a shot of expresso. Bottom layer of dark chocolate with a creamy white chocolate top layer sprinkled with organic ground coffee bits.
A rush.
Overall 6.5/8
Montezuma's Emperor Bar: Chilli Chocolate (73% Cocoa)
Rich and bitter dark chocolate with a blast of chilli. Not a chocolate for the faint of heart but it you like spicy food then you will like this.
In Paul's' words 'right up my street'. Nice bright packaging too!
Overall 6/8
Green and Blacks Organic Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa)
Utterly perfect for dark chocolate lovers - rich, dark, smooth and bitter.
A sophisticated dark chocolate for special occasions.
Overall 6/8
Montezuma Dark Chocolate (73% cocoa)
Vegan. With enough cocoa content to appeal to the biggest chocolate snob this was a winner with dark chocolate fans.
Overall 5.5/8
Traidcraft Continental Plain Chocolate
As Kate put it, 'very, very nice indeed.", 'Tastes expensive" said Emily, adding she "would use it for cooking chocolate mousse."
However, the packaging got a thumbs down for being 'staid' and 'boring'.
Overall 5/8
Oxfam Rica Gold Honey
'Just yummy", according to Tony, 'with a lovely honey aftertaste".
Two of our tasters thought it a bit expensive for a small bar, but they 'would buy as a treat' and definitely 'buy it for children".
Overall 4.5/8
Traidcraft Organic Milk Chocolate
Amporn thought the product description was excellent. Steve told us 'I liked it a lot, and I don't suppose you'll send me any more free bars?".
While Kate W wasn't too sure and thought it had a 'very complex taste for milk chocolate'.
Overall 4.5/8
Traidcraft Swiss Made Cappuccino
Very mixed results - for some people it was 'rich' and 'melting', with an 'excellent texture', others did not like it at all.
Kate W thought it a 'very grown up and epicurean chocolate' and 'I'm not crazy about coffee chocolate but can appreciate that this is a very good product'. Nearly everyone tasting this chocolate echoed Kate.
Overall 4.5/8
Montezuma's Smooth Milk Chocolate
'Sweet and creamy'. Described as well rounded it appealed not only to our adults but our younger testers.
Overall 4.5/8
Divine Dubble Bar
Chocolate lovers spilt in to two camps. Some tasters found the taste of the Dubble 'yummy' with a 'lingering and nutty taste'.
Alison, aged 12, felt it needed more rice, as did Kate W who rated the texture at 6 saying it 'would be an 8 with more rice'. Overall this chocolate scored highest with children who can't get enough of it.
Simon, who eats chocolate everyday said Dubble was great 'because it's filling and puts you in a good mood." As with Divine, our tasters thought the overall look and style of the product was great
Overall 4/8
Divine Chocolate
Either you like it or you don't'. Comments ranged from bland and boring to yummy and gorgeous.
Kate W said 'if I wanted a good, solid milk chocolate for eating or for cooking with, this would be the one'. Our younger tasters all agreed, as Alison, (age 12) put it 'Divine tasted divine'. Lorna, aged 11 reckoned it was 'excellent' with a 'rich' and 'silky' taste.
From the adult tasters (and to be fair most were dark chocolate fans) Divine got a major thumbs up for its packaging and product information 'smart, attractive and eye-catching'.
Overall 4/8
Oxfam Fair Trade Organic Masca Milk Chocolate
Undertones of coffee and vanilla 'tastes like Suchard' said Lucy. 'A nice chocolate if you like milk chocolate' said Martin.
Overall 4/8
Montezuma Jungle Crunch
Organic Milk chocolate with sultanas, pecans, and raisins. 'Very fruity moist and nutty" said Paul, 'saved by the fruit", said Andrew.
Overall 3.5/8
Oxfam Organic Masca Cappuccino
David told us this was 'delicious and in line with my views on Fair Trade'.
Others were more scathing 'reminds me of 1970's chocolate for some reason".
Overall 3.5/8
Oxfam Organic Masca Orange
The consensus thought this a pleasant chocolate but 'too sickly to eat the whole bar'. Andrew said he would buy it but 'only in his decadent moments". Steve thought it was a 'bit too strong on the orange side".
Overall 3/8
