Shaman Organic Chocolates 60% Cacao Dark Chocolate with Green Tea & Ginger

2oz (57g) bar

Ingredients: Organic sugar, o. chocolate liquor, o. cocoa butter, o. soy lecithin, o. vanilla, o. ginger, o. green tea

9g sugar/28.5g serving (31.6% by wt.)

I liked Shaman's 82% bar, but I didn't think the light flavor of the chocolate tasted as good down at 60% cacao in the açaí, lemon, and orange bar. Will it work better with bitter green tea and spicy ginger?

Corporate Info: (Copied from two weeks ago.) As of this writing Shaman's website is under construction, but the bar packaging explains that the point of the company is to support Mexico's indigenous Huichol people. I've found a lot of positive commentary on assorted unfamiliar-to-me websites and an A rating by the Better World Shopper; I hope this organic, fair trade chocolate's actual practices live up to the hype.

Appearance: Same red-brown and gloss as the other Shaman bars, with even more air bubbles.

Smell: Not a lot. Some of the same fresh, unripe smell as the 82%, but very muted. Not getting green tea or ginger per se.

Taste: Still sweet like the açaí, lemon, and orange bar, but with a more interesting flavor. Ginger is in a scattering of little crystallized pieces, which make the chewing texture gritty. I'm still not really getting green tea, but there is a little bitterness that counters the sweet, and I figure that's the tea. I wouldn't buy this again, but I like the taste more than the açaí, lemon, and orange bar, and others might like its sweetness.

Conclusion: Shaman Organic Chocolates 60% Cacao Dark Chocolate with Green Tea & Ginger is sweet, though the flavorings contribute some balance and complexity. All the same, I think Shaman's 60% bars are too sweet for my taste.

Shaman Organic Chocolates 60% Cacao Dark Chocolate with Açaí, Lemon, & Orange

2oz (57g) bar

Ingredients: Organic sugar, o. chocolate liquor, o. cocoa butter, o. soy lecithin, o. vanilla, o. lemon peel, o. açaí, o. orange oil

9g sugar/28.5g serving (31.6% by wt.)

Corporate Info: (Copied from last week.) As of this writing Shaman's website is under construction, but the bar packaging explains that the point of the company is to support Mexico's indigenous Huichol people. I've found a lot of positive commentary on assorted unfamiliar-to-me websites and an A rating by the Better World Shopper; I hope this organic, fair trade chocolate's actual practices live up to the hype.

Appearance: Reddish, glossy, with inclusions visible on the back and more air bubbles than the 82% bar.

Smell: Fun! Complex, sweet-sour, perfumey from the lemon peel and spicy orange oil. Any scent from the chocolate is subtle or in keeping with the inclusions.

Taste: Rather sweet, not sour at all, and just not as interesting as I'd hoped. Açaí is hard and crunchy, stone-like and unpleasant, and the fibers stick around in my teeth after the chocolate is gone. Good spice from the orange oil, but it's not enough to stand up to the sweetness. Perhaps this would've been better with 70% cacao or higher.

Conclusion: Shaman Organic Chocolates 60% Cacao Dark Chocolate with Açaí, Lemon, & Orange smells better than it tastes.

Shaman Organic Chocolates 82% Cacao Extra Dark Chocolate

2oz (57g) bar

Ingredients: Organic sugar, o. chocolate liquor, o. cocoa butter, o. soy lecithin, o. vanilla

5g sugar/28.5g serving (17.5% by wt.)

Corporate Info: As of this writing Shaman's website is under construction, but the bar packaging explains that the point of the company is to support Mexico's indigenous Huichol people. I've found a lot of positive commentary on assorted unfamiliar-to-me websites and an A rating by the Better World Shopper; I hope this organic, fair trade chocolate's actual practices live up to the hype.

Appearance: Small bar, reddish brown, glossy, with little air bubbles in the corners.

Smell: Not strong but bright and fresh, like unripe stone fruit.

Taste: Raw, sourish, a little harsh but muted, not off-putting. Some tannins but not heavy, like a light red wine. Chalky texture, drying. I'm struck by how different this is from last week's Michel Cluizel bar; chocolate is so interesting!

Conclusion: Shaman Organic Chocolates 82% Cacao Extra Dark Chocolate is light, fresh, and dry.