The Gelson's chocolate aisle is much less well stocked than I recalled. The only thing out of the ordinary was an Australian chocolate bar. Is the Land Downunder trying to be the Switzerland of the Southern Hemisphere? Seems worth giving it a go.
Story:
A normal chocolate bar from an unusual place. This may be the first time I've used "Australia" and "chocolate" in the same sentence.
Price:
At $4 for a 7 ounce bar, this is by far the most cost effective chocolate tasted so far. Converted cost of $0.57 per ounce. Normally, I prefer to just take the chocolate and hold the environmentalism, but it can't really have added that much to the cost at this price.
Packaging:
Cardboard outer and foil inner wrapper, pretty standard packaging. The labels seem more appealing than some other recent tests, but that's probably due to the surfeit of real estate available on this gigantic bar.
Taste:
Sweetness: (5.5)
At 47% cocoa solids, this is barely dark chocolate. As such, the sweet creaminess resembles a milk chocolate bar. Barely any bitterness form the chocolate, but appealing nonetheless.
Complexity: (2)
There's no other word for it: simple. It tastes like a slightly darker milk chocolate, with basically no flavor notes whatsoever. If I had to stretch it a bit, there's perhaps a warm spice kind of flavor (like cinnamon but less so) muddled somewhere in there.
Texture: (4.5)
Conversely, the Copper Monkey bar really outdoes itself in the texture department. The texture is smooth and creamy throughout, literally melting in the mouth. Without a serious palate cleanser handy, though, it tends to be a bit thick at the finish.
Finish: (3.5)
This is the most difficult parameter to score here. As mentioned above, the chocolate leaves a sort of thick residue on the tongue unless one has some milk or sparkling water or something to wash it away. Even so, the flavor is on the blander side, so there's not really a significant aftertaste. Overall, a bit weak in at the end then.
Conclusion:
Recommended. While the Copper Monkey dark chocolate bar isn't particularly adventuresome, it accomplishes many of the key aims of chocolate (such as providing a sweet, creamy treat) at a reasonable price. At close to half a pound of chocolate, this bar is also ideal for sharing (especially with those adverse to actually dark chocolate).
