Rausch Plantagen Schokolade - Tembadoro 80%

If the bar from Tobago was entitled "Tobago" then why is this bar from Trinidad named "Tembadoro?" I'm so confused.

The last bar of my Rausch quartet had the highest cocoa content of all, 80%.

I must stop here for a brief side bar. Please do not let cocoa content sway your thoughts on a chocolate bar. Different beans processed by different people will yield different results. Cocoa content is only 1 of the many factors artisans must decide on when making chocolate. Above all, do not let yourself become one of those people who looks down on those who cannot handle extremely dark chocolate. Liking pure, 100% cocoa content chocolate is not a sign of toughness or refinement of palette, it simply means you like it.

Back to the chocolate. The last bar gave me something to hope for. The odor of the bar was distinctly different from its fallen brethren. There was a brightness that made me think their would be some sour, tangy angle to enjoy....alas....just another boring chocolate bar. It was not overly bitter for a bar with 80% cocoa content, but it was not special either.

Rausch Plantagen Schokolade - Tobago 75%

Bar #3: Tobago from....wait for it.....Tobago.

Let's skip all the fancy intro, this bar was just like the previous two from Rausch. It had a generic chocolate taste to it with a slight spark of coffee. By the end of the week I was as sick of these chocolates as I am now of writing about them.

Rausch Plantagen Schokolade - El Cuador 70%

Bar #2 from Rausch was of Ecuadorian descent. The 70% cocoa content was promising as I tend to enjoy chocolates most between 65% and 75%. The finish and texture of this bar was almost identical to the others from Rausch.

As for flavor, there was a hint of nuts as soon as the chocolate hit my tongue. As the chocolate melted any semblance of uniqueness disappeared. This was, again, a very common tasting chocolate. The bar had a very flat finish and left a slightly stale/sour aftertaste upon swallowing.

Rausch Plantagen Schokolade - Amacado 60%

I love family, especially family that buys me chocolate from around the world. My dear cousin and fellow food enthusiast Chloe sent me a few chocolate bars from her most recent trip to Europe. Four of the bars were from a chocolate company I had never heard of, Rausch. Each came as a 40 gram stick that was about 7-8 inches long, maybe 3/4 of an inch wide, and about 1/2 an inch tall. The sticks were segmented into 6 pieces and wrapped in colorful plastic.

The lowest cocoa content bar, the Amacado from Peru, had a very simple chocolate odor. The chocolate was thicker than most bars I have tried and was therefore more difficult to snap in half to get a sense of the texture. The piece broke cleanly as did all the other bars from Rausch.

The flavor of the bar was simple chocolate. There was a moment of orange but it was immediately covered by the general taste of chocolate. While the bar was not outstanding, it was a very good, easy chocolate to eat. There were no off flavors, no hint of anything artificial, and the melt was rich and thick. The lower cocoa content made this bar more candy than chocolate.