Marabou Premium 70% Cocoa

Producing a 70% bar of good quality is no easy task. Thus if a company is capable of producing a good dark chocolate with high cocoa content, it is usually a good indication that offerings with less cocoa, are also of a high standard. However, since high cocoa content offerings tend to have a less broad appeal, many consumers will judge a range from the lower cocoa content end. On the other hand the Premium range from Marabou seems to be produced with dark 70% chocolate as base and cornerstone. Therefore the 70% bar might be seen as a benchmark for the range’s overall quality.

The Marabou Premium range appears to be branded as a more elegant alternative to other bars carrying the Marabou label. This offering has a minimum 70% cocoa content, but, “unfortunately” also butterfat, according to the declaration. As I have stated previously I consider it misleading to label it a “full bodied dark chocolate”, as this offering does, when it contains a dairy product. Also, the declaration states that fat reduced cocoa is used and I hope that one of my readers can help me figure out why a chocolate bar needs to have fat reduced cocoa in it. If you are in the know – or would like to venture a guess - please leave a comment.

Box looks nice and is in keeping with the boxes in this range. The chocolate itself has a nice dark brown colour, though it appears to me it should be shinier. I also think that the box does not accurately convey that this is not a dark chocolate, per se, since it contains butter fat. With this in mind I have to score it low. Appearance: 5 out of 10.

The aroma is one dimensional, “dry” and smells of tobacco which is not very pleasant. Aroma: 7 out of 10.

The chocolate has a nice snap and good melt which is not to dry. The only drawback is that it breaks down a little too fragmentary. Texture: 7, 5 out of 10.

The flavour itself is rather bland and with no complexity, nuances or fruit. It is not too sweet and has a little bitter tobacco finish. Taste 6, 5 out of 10.

Average: 6, 5 out of 10.