Astor Black and Tan

Black is perhaps not the most common choice of color for wrapping a chocolate bar, though I do rather like it. It gives a masculine style not always found in chocolate. (The gloss of this particular package, however, I could do without.)

The other point of interest about this bar is that it contains both milk and dark chocolate (hence the name “Black and Tan”). Rather than being mixed together (which would spoil the individual light and dark colors), the dark was poured into the mold first, followed by a layer of milk.

The top side, then, is tan with a couple of tan spots, and the bottom is tan with some black swirls around the sides. Out of the two, the milk chocolate wins the match. There is more of it, and its flavor has more prominence. Not that the dark chocolate was probably of a very hefty cocoa percentage to begin with.

For Astor Chocolate, it seems, is not the maker of sleek, luxurious, deeply-serious chocolate that can wear no other color than black. They make the novelty, gift-giving sort of products such as chocolate gift cards. This chocolate is fitting for such a company: the dark chocolate gives an edge to the widely-accepted milk chocolate. It reminds me of a dark pudding as it melts away in my mouth: enjoyable for now, not much to remember later.