E. Guittard Quetzalcoatl
Stepping back two years, E. Guittard was the subject of my very first Chocablog review. At that time, I was bumping into their bars relatively often and thoroughly enjoying them until suddenly they appeared no more. This week I find this, their newest bar, at a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and snatch it up with nary a thought.
I’ll admit, hesitation ensued as I walked out with it. I used to love E. Guittard, but that was before I had tasted the likes of Amano and before I had expanded my worshipful opinion of Godiva.
Would I scoff at my old friend? Oh, no. After quickly taking some pictures in the car (why wait until getting home?), I broke off the familiar-shaped piece. The usual thoughts of, oh, yes, a very warm flavor — a cinnamon note, perhaps. Then I was off, transported on another chocolate high above the sky. This one thrilled like the summer storms we’ve been having. Warmth like the humid air, depth from the dark clouds, and a hiss of lightning from that hint of bitterness.
It’s a very rich and chocolaty bar. Yet I’m a bit surprised by the back label: “This very dark, high intensity bittersweet chocolate is for the true aficionado. Dark, rich flavors linger with a minimum of sweetness.” I found it more low key than that (it is only 72%), but I suppose you can safely say it is for followers of the Dark Side.
Now, the mouthfeel of this bar (and this goes for all the E. Guittards I’ve had) isn’t so clean as, say, Michel Cluizel. It melts differently and lingers a bit longer. The clean finish is one of the things I like about Michel Cluizel, but I can’t call it a drawback that E. Guittard is so different. The texture of each one is I like in its own way.
This is the kind of bar I could just keep on eating. It’s satisfying and approachable at the same time. And I am partial to the name Quetzalcoatl.
Information
- Contains dark chocolate (72% cocoa solids).
- Filed under dark chocolate, guittard, us.
What I found really fascinating about this bar is that it’s whole bean. No added cocoa butter, no cocoa butter taken away. I was afraid it would be chalky (most high % bars get a boost from a little more cocoa butter), but it’s really not at all.