Hageland Ecuador 43% Milk Chocolate

This is the second of three Hageland bars in my possession, and it also falls into the middle as far as cacao percentage. Earlier this month, I had the 80% cacao from Uganda, and I have a 34% bar from Madagascar on deck.

Like the other Hageland bar, the ingredients list was simple: cocoa butter, sugar, whole milk powder, cocoa mass, and skimmed milk powder. According to the box, there is a minimum of 43% cocoa solids and at least 22% milk solids. The flavors of cacao from Ecuador were described as rich, intense, and acidic with hints of flowers and herbs.


The chocolate smelled nutty, milky, and very sweet. Luckily, it was not as sweet as it smelled. The melt was smooth, cool, and creamy, and the chocolate had a nice, traditional cocoa taste that I enjoyed very much.

The bar was well tempered, and though I prefer a little darker, this was a very tasty milk chocolate bar. My husband really liked it, and described it as some of the best milk chocolate he'd ever had (he would give it an A). The cocoa flavor was quite strong, but it was well-balanced by the creaminess.

B+

Kim's Chocolate website

Morinaga Dars Crea Chestnut and Caramel

Orchid64 of Japanese Snack Reviews recently held a contest to win a cool, Japan-exclusive KitKat mug. While I didn't win, she was kind enough to give a couple honorable mention prizes, and that's how I got these cute chestnut and caramel chocolates.

Chestnut is a lovely flavor that's not too common in the United States, at least not where I live. It's great for fall and winter (especially when roasted on an open fire, I hear), and typically goes well with sweets.


The chocolates were very cute! They were about an inch long and smelled like chestnut. The textures of the chocolate and the filling blended together beautifully, as both were creamy and smooth, with a cool and buttery feeling on the tongue.

The chestnut flavor was mild and toasty, giving way to burnt caramel notes that complemented the sweet milk chocolate. I didn't find these to be too sweet, probably because of the small size. Dars is something I've never tried before, but I will definitely seek out other flavors in the future.

Be sure to check out what Japanese Snack Reviews thought of these, too.

A-

Morinaga website

Vosges Black Pearl Bar

I've been eating so much chocolate recently, but I haven't gotten tired of it. It's hard to get tired of Vosges! The only bar of theirs I haven't liked was the bacon bar, and I'm not a bacon enthusiast to begin with.

When stores only offer a few Vosges bars, Black Pearl is almost always among the ranks. At first glance, wasabi chocolate doesn't sound too appealing, but the whole flavor palette here is pretty interesting. I love sesame seeds and ginger and wish they were used more in chocolate. Like the Red Fire, it's another barely dark bar at 55% cacao.


It was easy to see and feel the sesame seeds from the bottom of the bar. The chocolate smelled earthy and roasted, with the ginger and sesame seeds in the background. The chocolate tasted fantastic and had a delightfully smooth melt, and the sesame seeds added to the texture.

The wasabi flavor wasn't strong, but that's probably for the best. The ginger stood out much more. As expected, the flavor progression was interesting. The bar started savory and sweet (full of umami), then toasty, with a mild wasabi/ginger finish. Overall, it was a complex bar, and I enjoyed it.

A-

Vosges Haut-Chocolat

Vosges Red Fire Bar

Although work has kept me busy, I have continued to work through my chocolate stash. I received some Vosges Haut Chocolat bars from my in-laws, and this is the first of two reviews.

I love all things spicy, and while I've only had one bar that was really hot, when it comes to chocolate, less is more. The heat has to compliment the chocolate, not overwhelm it.

The chocolate smells fantastic, with sweet and toasty notes. At 55% cacao, it's not a very dark chocolate, but the flavor and texture of the chocolate is fantastic. It has a wonderful, smooth texture and a creamy melt.

The flavor progression is also lovely. It started smokey and toasty, then the chocolate emerged, full of flavor. Towards the end, the heat kicks in, and it's a nice chili bite that was just right for me. I loved this bar, and always had to stop myself from eating too much at once. This is probably my favorite Vosges bar.

A

Vosges Haut-Chocolat

Trident Splash Orange Swirl

I can never pass up a new gum flavor, and this one spoke to me in particular. Who doesn't love an orange Creamsicle? Of course, that's a trademark, so Trident has called their gum Orange Swirl. It's been around for several months, but I only noticed it recently.

I'm not sure I love the "splash" type of gum. A liquid center is great in a fruit snack (like Gushers, my favorite brown bag lunch dessert), since it's just going to be swallowed soon anyhow. But with gum, it seems like a gimmick. Typically, the liquid gives a burst of flavor at the beginning, but it just doesn't last. Orange Swirl was no different.


The gum started with a liquid burst of tart orange, and then the cool and creamy flavors started to emerge. It wasn't a minty gum by any means, but there was a little bit of a cooling sensation. Within 30 seconds, it tasted like a watered down Creamsicle.

The initial juicy orange flavor was gone within a minute, but it still had some weak notes after 5 minutes. Throughout the chew, the texture of the gum was softer than I prefer. After 20 minutes, there was still a faint orange flavor, but I spit it out anyhow. I had no trouble finishing the pack, and while it wasn't a great breath freshener, it was a decent gum.

B

Read more reviews of this gum at Candy Addict and Gum Alert.

Trident website